Case Studies

Department of Defence Graduate & Entry Levels Program Recruitment

The Australian Government Department of Defence engaged Chandler Macleod to assist with the recruitment and selection of their 2023 and 2024 Graduate & Entry Level Programs

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Background

The Australian Government Department of Defence engaged Chandler Macleod to assist with the recruitment and selection of their 2023 and 2024 Graduate & Entry Level Programs including:


- Defence Graduate Program

- STEM Cadetship

- Naval Civilian Engineer Development Program

- Indigenous Graduate Pathway

- Defence Civilian Undergraduate Scholarship (2023)

- Defence TAFE Employment Scheme (2023)


After the 2023 intake selection processes were finalised, Defence sought to modernise and improve the way it undertakes bulk graduate and entry level program recruitment.


Chandler Macleod was invited to analyse Defence’s existing entry level recruitment processes through several different lenses and advise on how the department should align with best practice recruitment.


Chandler Macleod undertook a deep dive analysis of current recruitment industry best practice as well as researching and interviewing stakeholders from three large Commonwealth Agencies. Combining the research with our deep expertise in bulk and graduate entry level recruitment, we delivered several recommendations in a report summarising key inputs from internal stakeholders gleaned through structured interviews. 


This exercise developed understanding of recruitment best practices currently informing the recruitment processes of other similar sized Commonwealth Agencies whilst also highlighting efficiencies and improvements for the Defence process.


The most significant recommendation proposed by Chandler Macleod was to change the existing hybrid model of conducting assessment centres (virtual for candidates and in-person for assessors), to a fully virtual method – a first for Defence. This would streamline the process for both candidates and Defence assessors and allow more graduates to be interviewed across a shorter period.

Our Solutions


In collaboration with key stakeholders, Chandler Macleod designed a virtual assessment centre that encompassed the following:


  • selecting and managing the most appropriate platform in which to conduct assessment centres within the tight security parameters of the Defence network;
  • designing a schedule to accommodate double the number of candidates interviewed per day, from previous years;
  • standardising interviews whilst remaining flexible as required depending on the pathway;
  • introducing external Chandler Macleod panel members to complement the expertise of Defence assessors with the behavioural expertise of our assessors. This also supported the department with their outreach to assessors.


Key Outcomes


Over 37 days and 400 interview panels, 1400 candidates attended virtual assessment centres across the Graduate and Entry Level programs, facilitated by Chandler Macleod staff. Despite an increase in targets from the previous year, Defence managed to see more candidates across fewer days under the new virtual model.


Main benefits of changing to an all-virtual environment included:


  • increased participation levels from Defence assessors including regional areas;
  • significant cost savings realised by Defence in comparison to the previous hybrid model, where assessment centres were conducted at serviced event venues;
  • candidates received a wider range of interview times to select from, and were not required to invest an entire day at assessment centre;
  • rotation of candidates across panels during the assessment centre activities controlled for bias and adhered to assessment centre best practice;
  • assessors could dial in from home/office as opposed to interviewing on-site and any time/gaps in the schedule could be better utilised remotely;
  • flexibility in appointing assessors, including last minute changes was seamlessly accommodated;
  • options for assessors to be trained and upskilled in interview assessment techniques - delivered virtually, as well as in-person;
  • activities such as written exercises were administered remotely by Chandler Macleod prior to the virtual assessment centres, reducing the amount of time investment required for Defence assessors to attend virtual assessment centres.


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