Noah Scanlon, HR Profession

‘The opportunity to connect with experts and workshop solutions helps us draw on collective minds and resources to deliver better outcomes.’

Joining the APS

Describe your entry into the APS

I joined the APS in 2022 as the Bureau of Meteorology’s first ever HR graduate, an opportunity for which I am eternally grateful. It exposed me to key HR functions including workforce planning, organisational design and HR business partnering. I worked on a cross-APS graduate project and various internal strategic foresight reports, and led graduate recruitment and the APS Census rollout.

The professional world was a complete contrast from the student lifestyle, and starting during COVID-19 lockdowns was challenging. However, with the support of the Bureau and my new colleagues, I adjusted seamlessly, excited to be able to use my Bachelors of Education and Business to contribute to something bigger than myself, and build a career with impact.

I get to support brilliant people working on tomorrow’s weather problems, contributing to public safety, community wellbeing, environmental health and national security and prosperity.

Your professional career

Describe the meaning and importance of being a ‘professional’ in the APS

Being a professional extends beyond an occupation. It's being part of a community that contributes more as a whole than the sum of its parts. In the APS, the HR Profession spans organisational and geographical boundaries, working for our people who deliver for Australia.

Professional communities set standards for what we do—and don’t do—and how we work with our people to deliver quality outcomes. The APS HR Profession, and the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) help amplify the impact of HR by building trust in our profession.

How did you become a ‘professional’ in your field?

Becoming a HR professional requires a balance of formal training, on-the-job experience and development opportunities. Professional communities, such as the HR Profession and AHRI provide opportunities to further our profession through accreditation and networking opportunities.

How do you maintain the required qualifications and standards for being a professional in your field?

Maintaining professional requirements is often self-led. However, APS agencies including the Bureau strongly encourage and support individuals to pursue their professional development.

AHRI’s accredited professional development helps HR professionals maintain their knowledge and skills. Their certified practitioner courses help elevate professional standards and credibility for HR.

What do you value most about being a professional in your field?

I value a strong sense of responsibility. Being a HR professional means I am a steward of the APS, through advising and supporting business leaders and their people to shape the APS of today and tomorrow.

Which professional experiences or achievements are you most proud of?

I am most proud of my role in shaping the Bureau’s culture at the enterprise level and translating it to cultural change across teams. I have coordinated the Bureau’s APS Census roll-out since 2022, driving staff engagement and data analysis. In 2023, I helped deliver the Bureau’s first Agency Action Plan, and increase the opportunity for our people to contribute to their own team’s culture action plan to drive positive cultural change.

What professional advice would you give your younger self?

Continue to be yourself. It is the best way to build trust and strengthen relationships with others.

Your involvement in the HR Profession

How have you benefited from your involvement in the HR Profession?

The HR Profession has enhanced my understanding of HR and the APS, and HR in the APS, so I can approach challenges and complexities with confidence, and contribute in meaningful ways.

Through its online channels and forums, its mobility and networking opportunities, the profession connects me with HR people in other agencies and locations, at all career stages.

This opportunity to connect with experts and workshop solutions helps us draw on collective minds and resources to deliver better outcomes.

My involvement in the profession has also empowered me to take charge of my career, building professional expertise and networks through networking events, mobility opportunities and webinars. As an APS HR Graduate, I benefited from the added bonus of an AHRI membership with access to mentoring, group learning and a trip to Canberra to connect with HR colleagues.

Find out more

Australian Government (n.d.) HR Profession, APS Professions website, accessed 7 July 2025.