Data Profession

Access an online community for mentorship, learning and collaboration, and members-only training and events

Why join the APS Data Profession?

The APS Data Profession is open to all APS employees with an interest in learning more about data and working with it. The APS Data Profession caters to emerging and existing data specialists, sophisticated data users and producers through knowledge sharing, peer-based learning and career development opportunities.

By joining the APS Data Profession, you will:

receive regular updates from senior leaders across the APS about a range of data-related topics
gain access to events and forums with data leaders and experts
network with data colleagues to hear fresh perspectives and gain insight from others with established careers in data
explore mobility opportunities across the APS within data roles

APS Data Profession

The APS Data Profession aims to lift the data capability of the APS workforce through defining data capabilities, increasing diversity and mobility of people in data roles, and creating career pathways and development opportunities. We aim to ensure the APS workforce can attract, develop, and retain the data capabilities required to harness the unprecedented growth in the availability and value of data.

The core initiatives of the Data Profession are to:

grow the APS data workforce through streamlined data graduate recruitment
develop current data specialists for career development
build diversity into data roles
guide data literacy education

The Head of the Data Profession is Dr David Gruen AO, Australian Statistician and Agency Head of the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). David works across agencies to advance APS data capability and champion the Data Profession’s priorities and initiatives.

Data Profession Strategy

The 2030 APS Data Profession Strategy builds on the strong foundations established over the Profession's first five years and sets a clear direction for growing a confident, capable and connected APS data profession.

The Strategy focuses on four areas: building foundational data literacy, uplifting professional skills and standards, growing and retaining the data workforce, and fostering a data‑driven culture. A practical roadmap outlines the key activities that will support delivery through to 2030.

Read the full 2030 APS Data Profession Strategy on the APS Professions website for more information.

See how the APS uses data

Caroline Edwards talks about how data has been used to understand the impact, and inform the Government’s response to COVID-19.

Caroline is Associate Secretary at the Department of Health and a member of the Data Profession Senior Reference Group, which is driving the work on the APS Data Professional Stream.

Alistair Campbell, Assistant Secretary at the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, talks about how data and data analytics are being used to support the Prime Minister and the National Cabinet.