Capability and leadership in the APS
The Australian Public Service Commission drives a whole-of-enterprise approach to strategic workforce management, guided by the APS Workforce Strategy.
Through the APS Professions model and APS Academy, the APSC partners with APS agencies to offer high-quality learning and development options.
APS Professions took a significant step in 2024ꟷ25, adding new streams to build critical capability in complex project management, evaluation, and procurement and contract management. While professional streams build deep expertise in key capabilities, the APS Academy builds APS Craft, the core capabilities public servants across all professions need to deliver for Australia.
In 2024ꟷ25, the APS Academy released the Adapt Action Plan, to finalise implementation of the APS Learning and Development Action Plan, and build on progress achieved in previous horizons. It reinforces the One-APS approach to lifting workforce capability outlined in the APS Learning and Development Strategy, and includes enabling actions in supporting areas such as learning technology. The APS Academy uses a networked model to facilitate this, leveraging the expertise of public service practitioners across the APS.
In 2024, the APS Academy’s approach to developing leadership capability was endorsed by the Secretaries Board Capability and Workforce Committee. This approach focuses on developing current and future leaders at critical career stages, to engage the skills, talents and commitment of the APS workforce.
The APS Data, Digital and Cyber Workforce Plan, released in March 2025, outlines a coordinated approach to build and maintain an APS workforce skilled to deliver digital services, use data effectively, and manage cyber security risks.
APS Career Pathfinder is a flagship initiative helping individuals plan their next career step and supporting agencies to build a future-ready APS workforce. With a focus on data, digital, cyber, AI and workforce planning, use of the platform is expanding within and beyond the APS.
The APS continues to advance AI maturity. The Digital Transformation Agency continues to deliver initiatives to build public trust and manage the risks of exploring new AI technology, while expanding the availability of AI tools. The APSC is supporting APS employees to use AI technologies safely and appropriately.
The Strategic Commissioning Framework aims to strengthen capability, integrity and public trust by ensuring core APS work is delivered by APS employees. Agencies plan to bring $527,553,088 worth of core work in-house in 2024ꟷ25, and will report on progress in their annual reports for the first time in 2025.
The Capability Review Program concluded its pilot phase, completing 4 agency reviews in 2024ꟷ25. Reviews are an investment in long-term capability, embedding a culture of continuous improvement. A comparative analysis of the 9 pilot phase reviews identifies common APS gaps and strengths.
Australian Government Consulting delivered 19 projects with 11 APS agencies in 2024ꟷ25, across strategy, policy and organisation performance. It focuses on challenges and opportunities that may be rare in each agency, but are repeated across the public service.
The APS maintains its investment in broad capability at the enterprise level. The Capability Reinvestment Fund 2024ꟷ25 has facilitated scalable activities to benefit all agencies. In 2024ꟷ25, APS agencies collaborated on 9 Round 2 projects, sharing $6.5 million of funding.
The Trust in Australian public services: 2025 Annual Report was released in October 2025. Trust increased by 4 percentage points in 2024ꟷ25. This is the first increase since the COVID-19 pandemic and matches the peak level observed in 2020ꟷ21.
A focus on partnering, particularly with First Nations people is at the heart of priority reforms in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. The new First Nations Partnership Playbook guides strong, enduring partnerships with First Nations peoples, communities and organisations.