How does the APS help senior executives stretch beyond their comfort zones while ensuring a safe environment?. These are the APS Academy programs that include this thinking in their coverage.
Leadership
Latest news
Published
The Dr Margot McCarthy Scholarship rewards senior SES who have made a significant contribution to the public service and who display the leadership behaviours demonstrated by Dr McCarthy.
Published
Why sustainable capability in the APS depends on learning as a process, grounded in trust, reflection and practice, not just scale.
Upcoming events
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Location
Australia wide (Virtual)
APS Management Edge is a cohort-based social learning program for APS 6 and EL1 team leaders who want to build their everyday management judgement, lead confidently through complexity, and strengthen their teams in APS contexts.
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Location
Australian Capital Territory
This course is delivered on 22/04/2026, by face-to-face consisting of one 4-hour session.
Date
Location
Australia wide (Virtual)
This session shows how small actions inside government shape confidence outside government. Trust depends on calm delivery under pressure, stellar leadership, clear decisions, and steady communication.
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Location
Australia wide (Virtual)
APS Leadership Edge is a cohort-based social learning program which will enable EL 2's to develop their leadership and management skills through a range of learning sprints and activities.
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Location
Australia wide (Virtual)
This course is delivered on 06/05/2026, by face-to-screen consisting of one 7-hour session.
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Location
Australian Capital Territory
This course is delivered on 11/05/2026, by face-to-face consisting of one 3.5-hour session.
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Location
Australian Capital Territory
This course is delivered on 19/05/2026, by face-to-face consisting of one 4-hour session.
Date
Location
Australia wide (Virtual)
This course is delivered on 29/05/2026, by face-to-screen consisting of one 2.5-hour event.
Date
Location
Australian Capital Territory
This course is delivered on 11/06/2026, by face-to-face consisting of one 4-hour session.
Date
Location
Australia wide (Virtual)
This course is delivered on 11/06/2026, by face-to-screen consisting of one 3.5-hour session.
Date
Location
Australia wide (Virtual)
APS Leadership Edge is a cohort-based social learning program which will enable EL 2's to develop their leadership and management skills through a range of learning sprints and activities.
Courses
Leaders who have the skills to foster and maintain meaningful relationships that inspire, empower and support others drive organisational success, as well as psychological and psychosocial safety within their teams.
The APS Leadership Capability Connect aims to develop and strengthen ongoing relationships and partnerships with stakeholders who play crucial roles in promoting, supporting and managing leadership development opportunities.
This course is designed to introduce participants to the essential concepts of adaptive leadership.
APS Leadership Edge is a cohort-based social learning program which will enable EL 2's to develop their leadership and management skills through a range of learning sprints and activities.
APS Leadership Edge Community is a social learning program which will enable EL 2's to develop their leadership and management skills through a range of resources, communities and activities.
APS Management Edge is a cohort-based social learning program for APS 6 and EL1 team leaders who want to build their everyday management judgement, lead confidently through complexity, and strengthen their teams in APS contexts.
The EL2 Leadership Program supports leaders to move beyond their technical expertise and develop essential management and leadership capabilities.
The Empowering Conversations program is designed to build on existing leadership capabilities to support EL 2 staff conversations across a range of relevant contexts.
This workshop provides practical training for managers on how to effectively lead remote and hybrid teams in the Australian Public Service (APS). Participants will develop leadership skills, explore best practices for remote team management, and address common challenges such as communication, accountability, team culture, and well-being.
Many Cultures, One APS is a video storytelling project sharing the real-life experiences of APS culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) staff and is designed to inform, inspire, spark curiosity and encourage empathy.
This learning experience supports APS 6 to Senior Executive Service (SES) leaders to champion cultural diversity and inclusion in their teams and organisations.
The Public Sector Management Program is a post-graduate coursework opportunity managed and delivered by the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) on behalf of the Australian Public Service.
This course is designed to enhance data leadership knowledge and capability, focusing on the role data plays in the work of the public service and critical issues that impact on the availability, integrity and use of data.
The SES Integrity Masterclass is aimed at providing SES leaders with access to current thinking and practical applications towards embedding pro-integrity culture across the APS.
This four-part workshop series, consisting of two themes, offers SES leaders a deep dive into unconscious bias for organisational change. Supported by follow-up workshops, SES leaders can share personal reflections and action plans.
Designed for all newly promoted SES Band 1s and external SES recruits to provide a foundation that can be built on in the more detailed SES Orientation program. Recommended to be completed within your first 1-2 months.
The Dr Margot McCarthy Scholarship is an annual award for those who have made a significant contribution to the public service and who display the leadership behaviours demonstrated by Dr McCarthy.
The Senior Executive Stewardship program supports leaders to work together to drive stewardship and initiatives in a complex, challenging and dynamic public service environment, experiencing advances in technology, societal and geopolitical volatility and the changing expectations of our citizens.
Resources
In today’s fast changing work environment, having a culture where everyone feels empowered to speak up without negative consequences will help build trust and confidence in the APS. This is speak up culture and the essence of psychological safety.
The APS Change Framework is for anyone managing change across the Australian Public Service.
Our ability to respond to changing demands, and leverage the opportunities available to us, is underpinned by performance management practices that translate societal and Government expectations into individualised performance expectations for APS employees.
Sue Robertson (APS Integrity Taskforce), and Bridie Dawson, (Attorney-General’s Dept) discuss integrity Taskforce lessons and how to uplift APS ethical leadership.
A practical guide to help APS taskforces through every stage of the taskforce lifecycle.
The guide provides practical guidance for people who run activities that target people with disability to design, plan, and deliver more inclusive processes, products, services and policies.
This video was recorded in March 2022 at the APS Academy’s Craft Conversations event for the craft of Leadership and Management.