Evergreen Program first step to deadly ATO career

James Taylor, a Ngarrindjeri and Yamatji man, was looking for a full-time job when his mother suggested he apply for the Evergreen Program. Managed by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Evergreen offers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people an opportunity to gain a rewarding career in the Australian public service.

James has a background in early childhood education and applied for the ATO’s Evergreen Program to try something new.

“The Evergreen Program was quite challenging and it showed me that I can be resilient,” James said.

“It gave me the opportunity to develop lots of different work skills, like client service skills and learning to use the ATO IT systems. I also worked in the Charities area, helping charities comply with their tax obligations and ensuring their details on the charity register were correct.”

The Evergreen Program runs for eighteen months, combining challenging work and formal training, and participants are ensured a permanent job at the successful completion of the program.

Participants partake in two nine-month work rotations to experience different areas of the organisation, with the opportunity to work in a variety of roles.

James also realised the benefit of the program’s networking opportunities, which is helping him in his work and beyond.     

“Evergreen gave me the opportunity to build good networks with people from the program and in my everyday work teams,” James said.

“I formed great friendships with people in my program year and we still catch up after the program has finished.

“If you are interested in applying for the Evergreen Program I say go for it. It will give you the chance to join the Public Service and have a career that has lots of opportunities.” 

Undertaking the Evergreen Program was the gateway to James’s future.