https://www.ato.gov.au/careers/graduate-and-entry-level-programs/ato-school-leaver-program

ATO School Leaver Program

Jobs for recent Year 12 graduates including a Certificate III qualification in IT or Business.

Last updated 6 August 2025

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Applications now open

Applications for our 2026 School Leaver Program are now open and close on 27 August 2025.

Apply now

Why choose us

If uni’s not for you, come work with us! If you're a 2024 or 2025 Year 12 graduate ready to make big things happen, the ATO School Leaver Program is for you.

In the 12-month program, you'll get:

full-time work with practical, hands-on work experience
a competitive starting salary of $56,681, plus 15.4% super
a pay rise to $66,274 plus 15.4% super on successful completion – as an APS 2 officer, you could earn up to $73,452, plus 15.4% super
a Certificate III in IT or Business, with one day a week dedicated to study
healthy working hours, flexible work arrangements, generous leave, and support for your physical and mental wellbeing.

Training and development

Starting a career straight out of high school might feel daunting, but no stress – we’ve got you covered.

We provide:

rotations to develop your knowledge and enjoy a variety of work
formal training and development of your professional skills to get your career started
ongoing learning with more training opportunities when you complete the program – if you go on to uni, TAFE or another course the ATO could help pay for your tuition.

We recommend focusing just on the program (rather than trying to juggle uni at the same time) so you can really make the most of it.

If you’re going to university and need a job that fits around your studies, find out more about the University Partnership Employment Program.

Located across Australia

Positions for our 2026 program are available in Adelaide, Albury, Brisbane, Box Hill, Canberra, Geelong, Hobart, Melbourne, Parramatta, Penrith, Perth and Wollongong.

Apply now

Hear from our school leavers

Meet some recent participants and hear about their experiences in the ATO School Leaver Program.

Mohammad

Hear from Mohammad about his experience as an ATO School Leaver.

'The ATO School Leaver Program gave me hands-on experience, great mentors, and the confidence to grow.' – Mohammad

Bea

Hear from Bea about her experience as an ATO School Leaver.

'The ATO School Leaver Program was the best decision I made after high school. I gained real skills, job security, and lifelong friends – all without going to uni!' – Bea

Make big things happen

Join us and be a part of something BIG! Combat crime and fraud, support the community, and protect the data of millions of people. Help fund critical services and infrastructure that make a real difference in the lives of all Australians.

With such a wide variety of roles and career paths across the organisation, you’ll have the chance to explore different areas and shape your future in a way that works for you.

Roles

Not big on numbers? That’s no big deal. We’re not all accountants at the ATO!

We have a variety of jobs where you'll solve problems, work with a supportive team and learn new skills, setting you up for a successful career.

During the program, you’ll experience a variety of work– trying out different roles to see what suits you. It’s a great way to build skills, learn on the job, and get a feel for how things work.

Your rotations may include one or more of the following work types.

Frontline and Client Services officer

In this role, you’ll be at the heart of helping Australians with their tax and super, real-life stuff that makes a real difference. You'll perform a range of customer service activities in an ATO call centre.

You may:

resolve a broad range of customer enquiries
provide technical advice on legislation, policy and procedures
verify and update data
record interactions in our business information systems.

Start your customer service career with us. Explore the career opportunities at the ATO in Frontline and Client Service.

Information Technology officer

In this role, you'll perform a range of information technology related activities.

You may:

respond to a broad range of enquiries
participate in resolving internal information technology issues
provide support to information technology projects and programs.

Start your IT career with us. Explore the career opportunities at the ATO in Digital and Information Technology.

Administration officer

In this role, you'll support and help organise our business areas.

You may:

manage and maintain records and information
work with our business partners
compile and prepare documents and letters
help with data management and reporting.

Start your administration career with us. Explore the career opportunities across the ATO in Job types and find the right fit for you!

Who can apply

To be eligible for the program, you must:

have completed Year 12 in 2024 or will complete Year 12 in 2025
be an Australian citizen
clear our pre-engagement integrity check.

Apply now

What we're looking for in a candidate

Our ideal candidate for the program:

has competent written and verbal communication skills
has good computer skills and can operate in a Windows-based environment
can work in a scheduled, phone-based environment
is resilient, flexible and independent
is a team player
takes a proactive approach to their work and embraces challenges
has a willingness to learn
is passionate, committed, professional and determined to serve the community.

How to apply

Submit your application through our online recruitment systemOpens in a new window.

Applications for our 2026 program are now open and close 27 August.

If you have questions about the program, email ATOSLP@ato.gov.au

Recruitment process

You'll need to perform well in each assessment to progress to the next stage. Stages include:

application
online activity
assessment centre.

You'll receive notification of the outcome of each stage, even if you're not successful.

Timeline

Key stages	Date
Applications open	6 August 2025
Applications close	27 August 2025
Online activity	September 2025
Assessment centre	October 2025
Availability and security checks	Late October/November 2025
Program commences	17 February 2026

Apply now

Inclusion and Diversity

We’re committed to inclusion and diversity in our workplace. Some positions will be filled using the following affirmative measures:

affirmative measure – Aboriginal and Torres Strait IslanderOpens in a new window

Apply now

affirmative measure – disabilityOpens in a new window

Apply now

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