Career Pathways Trainee

Downer; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Downer Group in Melbourne is offering a 12-month Career Pathways Trainee opportunity within our Learning & Development team in Rail & Transit Systems. You will gain hands-on experience while completing a qualification through TAFE, earning while you learn.

Reporting to the Learning and Development Manager, you will provide administrative support, assist with reporting, bookings, and onboarding for new starters, and build professional workplace skills in an inclusive, diverse environment.

Qualifications

• Completed year 11 or higher.
• Some customer service experience.
• Basic computer skills.
• Familiarity with email and documents.

Responsibilities

• Providing general administrative support to the Learning & Development team.
• Assisting with monthly reporting and data entry.
• Supporting the preparation of funding submissions.
• Assist in coordinating bookings for workforce pathway programmes.
• Assisting with purchase orders and other programme administration.
• Coordinating Welcome Pack orders and distribution for new starters.
• Monitoring Welcome Pack stock and upcoming new starters.

Skills

Customer service experience

Communication skills

Organisational skills

Computer literacy

Education

Year 11 or higher

Tools

Email

Microsoft Office

Job description

This is an entry-level opportunity designed to give you 12 months of practical work experience while completing a qualification through TAFE.

Are you looking for an opportunity to start your professional career, gain practical workplace experience and work towards a formal qualification at the same time?

We are looking for a motivated and enthusiastic Career Pathways Trainee to join our Learning & Development team within Rail & Transit Systems.

About the role

Reporting to the Learning and Development Manager, you will provide administrative support to help coordinate and maintain workforce pathway programmes across the business. You will become part of the People & Culture environment and gain hands‑on experience supporting a dynamic Learning & Development function.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Providing general administrative support to the Learning & Development team.
• Assisting with monthly reporting and data entry.
• Supporting the preparation of funding submissions.
• Assist in coordinating bookings for workforce pathway programmes.
• Assisting with purchase orders and other programme administration.
• Coordinating Welcome Pack orders and distribution for new starters.
• Monitoring Welcome Pack stock and upcoming new starters.

About you

We are looking for someone with a positive attitude, good communication skills and, importantly, a willingness to learn.

You may be finishing school, beginning your career, or coming from a customer-facing environment such as retail, hospitality, reception or customer service and looking for the opportunity to move into a professional office environment.

Ideally, you will have:

• Completed Year 11 or above.
• Some customer service experience.
• Basic computer skills.
• Familiarity with email and documents.
• A willingness to learn new systems and administrative processes.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• The ability to stay organised and support different activities and priorities.

Your development

This traineeship combines full-time employment with part-time TAFE study, giving you the opportunity to gain both practical experience and a formal qualification. Depending on your previous experience, the traineeship may involve completing a Certificate III or Certificate IV qualification.

More importantly, you'll have the opportunity to develop real-world experience within a professional Learning & Development and People & Culture environment while building skills for the next stage of your career.

This is an opportunity to:

• Earn while you learn.
• Work towards a formal qualification.
• Gain 12 months of practical experience.
• Build administration and professional workplace skills.
• Build a foundation for your future career.

You want your work to matter and so do we. With over 26,000 people across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, our team is made up of individuals with unique perspectives, backgrounds, and ideas.

We know that diversity makes us stronger and we actively celebrate it through our commitment to inclusion and belonging.

We're committed to building a team that reflects the diverse communities we serve and we welcome people of all ages, genders, sexual orientations, cultures, abilities, and lived experiences. We especially encourage applications from those whose voices have traditionally been underrepresented in our industry, including women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Māori and Pasifika Peoples, veterans, people with disability, and neurodivergent individuals.

Even if your experience doesn't align perfectly with this role, we would still like to hear from you. If it feels like the right fit, apply. Potential counts, and so do you.

As a WORK180 Endorsed Employer, we support flexibility that works for your life, inclusive leadership that values your voice, and equitable access to opportunity so you can do your best work and bring your whole self to it.

If you need support or adjustments through the recruitment process, just let us know. We are here to help you put your best foot forward.