Client success story
NSW Premier's Department
Building a scalable, evidence-based graduate selection program
From 2015 to 2025, PBC partnered with the NSW Government for 10 years to design and deliver the annual Graduate Selection Program, a cross-agency volume selection process that assessed thousands of candidates for entry into the NSW Government Graduate Program.
The challenge
The NSW Government Graduate Selection Program was a large-scale, cross-agency process designed to identify candidates who were most aligned with the capabilities and values required of a graduate, and future leader, within NSW Government.
The program needed to assess thousands of candidates while meeting the requirements of the Government Sector Employment Act 2013 and GSE Rules 2014. It also needed to provide a positive candidate experience, support inclusive participation and reasonable adjustments, and deliver an efficient process for candidates, the Premier's Department and NSW Government assessors.
The selection process therefore had to balance scale, legislative requirements, candidate experience and robust assessment of capability.
Designed around six selection principles
PBC's design and implementation approach was guided by six principles that supported a fair, evidence-based and practical selection process.
Candidate experience
Protect the NSW Government brand
Provide a positive candidate experience, recognising that the selection process can significantly influence perceptions of NSW Government.
Evidence base
Use multiple assessments
Apply a multi-assessment, evidence-based approach consistent with the requirements of the GSE Act and Rules.
Prediction and description
Understand capability and success
Use a process that is both predictive of candidate success and descriptive of candidate capability.
Capability based
Measure the focus capabilities
Generate detail on each candidate's capability against the Focus Capabilities, with data that can also support development after selection.
Inclusive
Support equitable participation
Use a flexible approach that caters to reasonable adjustments and seeks to minimise adverse impact on any group.
Efficient
Make volume selection practical
Deliver an efficient, professional process for candidates, the Premier's Department and NSW Government assessors.
Tailored assessment design
The volume selection solution combined standardised assessments, including cognitive and personality assessment, with tailored work simulation tasks such as situational judgement tasks, role play and group activities.
PBC co-designed the customised solution through stakeholder engagement with NSW Government. Work simulation activities were piloted with existing graduates, and assessment outcomes were integrated with the NSW Government Applicant Tracking System, Taleo.
Align
Anchor selection to the capabilities and values required of NSW Government graduates.
Combine
Use standardised cognitive and personality assessment alongside tailored work simulation tasks.
Co-design
Develop customised elements through stakeholder engagement with NSW Government.
Pilot
Pilot work simulation activities with existing graduates before wider implementation.
Integrate
Provide assessments and outcomes through integration with the NSW Government Applicant Tracking System, Taleo.
Continual improvement and program recognition
PBC coordinated and delivered all aspects of the assessment solution and applied a continuous improvement approach throughout the 10-year program. The assessment process was reviewed to confirm it continued to meet program objectives and to understand which assessments were most predictive of selection success, helping streamline the overall process.
During PBC's involvement from 2015 to 2025, the NSW Government Graduate Program increased in popularity. The source case study notes that the program was recognised in the Australian Financial Review's Top 100 Graduate Employer Awards for 2025 and had been the top Government and Defence Graduate Program in Australia for the previous nine years.
Continuous review
Assessment performance was reviewed against program objectives and predictive value to support ongoing refinement.
Knowledge transfer
The program was co-delivered with NSW Government to support transfer of knowledge in best-practice selection approaches.
Scalable delivery
The solution supported a cross-agency, high-volume process that assessed thousands of candidates for graduate entry.
Integrated administration
Assessment delivery and outcomes were integrated with Taleo to support the wider recruitment workflow.
Graduate retention and progression
The case study reports strong retention and career progression across earlier graduate cohorts, providing a longer-term view of what happened after candidates entered the program.
Two years after commencement
73.1%
Average proportion of graduates remaining employed in the NSW Public Sector two years after commencing the program.
2016–2021 cohorts
48.6%
Nearly half had moved to a role at least two grades higher two years after commencing the program.
2016–2020 cohorts
25.2%
By the three-year mark, had moved to a role at least three grades higher.
A long-term selection partnership
The NSW Government Graduate Selection Program demonstrated how a large-volume recruitment process could combine legislative compliance, candidate experience, capability-based assessment and operational efficiency within one integrated design.
Across the 2015 to 2025 engagement, PBC's role spanned program design, assessment delivery, work simulation development, system integration and ongoing review, with co-delivery supporting knowledge transfer to NSW Government.
Client success story
Evidence-based graduate selection at scale
A 10-year multi-assessment selection program that identified graduate talent against NSW Government capabilities while supporting an inclusive candidate experience, efficient administration and continual improvement.
