Data Profession

The Data Profession is open to all APS employees who want to build confidence in using data, whether you're just starting out or already have specialist expertise. Connect with peers, hear from APS leaders, and access exclusive learning opportunities and resources to help you unlock the value of data in your everyday work.

Join this Profession

 

Contents

The Data Profession aims to raise the data capability of our data professionals and the APS more broadly, ensuring decision-making is data-driven and evidence-based. The Data Profession unites data users and promotes an APS culture where data informs policy, improves service delivery and helps tackle complex challenges.

The Data Profession is uplifting APS-wide data capability by:

  • recruiting data graduates
  • developing and curating training courses for staff at all levels within the APS
  • supporting members to assess their data capability strengths and gaps, individually and across teams/agencies
  • supporting the diversity and mobility of people in data roles
  • connecting like-minded data professionals to provide peer-based development opportunities.

Who is this Profession suitable for?

The Data Profession welcomes employees at every stage of their journey. It assists emerging and existing data specialists, as well as data users and producers, through knowledge sharing, peer-based learning and career development opportunities.

Benefits of joining this Profession

  • Regular updates from senior leaders across the APS about a range of data-related topics.
  • Networking opportunities with data colleagues to hear fresh perspectives and gain insight from others with established data careers.
  • Access to mobility opportunities across the APS within data roles.
  • Exclusive access to training, events and resources to support skill development.

Head of the Data Profession

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 5 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.

APS Data Profession Strategy

The 2030 APS Data Profession Strategy builds a skilled, connected and future-ready data workforce, strengthening data capability, collaboration and evidence-based decision-making across the APS.
Data Profession

Work

APS Data Profession Employee Value Proposition
The APS Data Profession Employee Value Proposition (EVP) highlights the purpose, impact and career opportunities of data roles in the APS, supporting workforce attraction, development and retention across government.
APS Data Awards
Celebrating excellence in data across the APS through recognition of innovation, leadership and impact.
APS Jobs
The APS Jobs website serves as a central platform for exploring careers within the Australian Public Service (APS). It provides job search tools, highlights career pathways, and shares general information about working for the APS.
APS Mobility Opportunities
The APS Mobility Framework promotes temporary moves across agencies and sectors, helping employees build skills, expand networks, support priority work and strengthen a connected, agile One APS culture.
Data job role personas
Data Job Role Personas provide the building blocks for identifying data capability requirements and career pathways for the data profession.

People

Data Professions members' community
Join a community of data and digital professionals at all levels of government. Connect with your peers, access training and learn from community meetups.
Graduate Data Network
The Graduate Data Network (GDN) unites 1,000+ APS graduates across 40+ agencies to improve data use, build capability, drive collaboration, and support better public sector outcomes for Australians.
In Conversation with Dr Gruen
Hear about the experiences and lessons learned by agencies and data professionals in the Australian Public Service (APS).

Resources

APS Data Capability Framework
The APS Data Capability Framework helps APS employees understand, assess and develop data skills, knowledge and behaviours, supporting career growth, workforce planning and evidence-based decision-making.
APS Data Profession Strategy
The 2030 APS Data Profession Strategy builds a skilled, connected and future-ready data workforce, strengthening data capability, collaboration and evidence-based decision-making across the APS.
Data and Digital Government Strategy
The 2030 vision from the Australian Government is to deliver simple, secure and connected public services, for all people and business, through world class data and digital capabilities.
Data, digital and cyber workforce plan
The Australian Government’s Data, Digital and Cyber Workforce Plan outlines how the APS will attract, develop and retain data, digital and cyber talent, building capability to deliver secure, modern and user-focused government services.

Courses

APS Foundational Data Literacy Pathway
APS Foundational Data Literacy Pathway helps APS employees build core data skills, understand governance and legislation, and confidently use data to support evidence-based decisions and better outcomes.
Data for SES Leaders Program
Data for SES Leaders builds data literacy and evidence-based decision-making skills, helping APS leaders use data confidently, manage risks, strengthen governance and foster data-driven cultures.
Introduction to Data in Government
​This course provides participants with an understanding of data’s role within government, including principles of data security, ethical data use, and the importance of evidence-based decision-making and data storytelling to inform policy and service delivery.
Turning Data into Information
The Turning Data Into Information course is designed to build your analytical skills and equip you with a range of statistical tools and techniques that will help you both understand and analyse data in the context of a research question or issue

What's New

Data job role personas

Data Job Role Personas provide the building blocks for identifying data capability requirements and career pathways for the data profession.
Diverse representations of individuals and roles.

APS Foundational Data Literacy Pathway

APS Foundational Data Literacy Pathway helps APS employees build core data skills, understand governance and legislation, and confidently use data to support evidence-based decisions and better outcomes.
Data Profession

In Conversation with Dr Gruen

Hear about the experiences and lessons learned by agencies and data professionals in the Australian Public Service (APS).
Data Profession

Upcoming Events / Course - Sessions

Data Professions Events - October 2026

Date
Data Profession events connect APS staff interested in data through sessions on data capability, analytics, evidence-based decision-making, professional development and networking.
Data Profession
All upcoming sessions
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