New research from the Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE) shows graduate programs remain an important workforce development tool, with leading employers investing in structured development, mentoring, technical training and stronger career pathways.

Graduate programs continue to play a critical role in building Australia’s future workforce, with almost half of employers, 47 per cent, saying they recruit graduates as part of their strategic workforce planning.

The finding comes from The Future of Early Careers, a new report from the Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE), developed with McCrindle and drawing on research from employers, candidates, graduates and interns.

Shanan Green, Chief Executive Officer of the AAGE, said the research confirms graduate programs are about much more than filling entry-level roles.

“Graduate programs are not simply recruitment programs. At their best, they are workforce development programs,” Ms Green said.

“They give employers the opportunity to identify and develop emerging talent, build the skills their organisations need and strengthen workforce capability over the long term.

“For graduates, they provide a supported entry into the workforce, with opportunities to develop skills, build relationships, gain exposure to different parts of an organisation and establish strong foundations for their career.”

The research shows that while the early careers industry is evolving, the fundamentals of successful graduate programs remain remarkably consistent.

The report found:

• 50 per cent of candidates say career progression is one of the three most important elements they look for in a graduate program.
• 41 per cent prioritise the quality of training and development, while 35 per cent value company culture.
• 86 per cent of the AAGE’s Top 15 Employer graduates rate their role-related technical training highly, compared with 58 per cent of graduates overall.
• 92 per cent of employers allocate graduates a buddy and 70 per cent provide a formal mentor.
• Half of employers are investing in training for graduate supervisors to better support career expectations.

Ms Green said the findings demonstrate that successful programs are built around more than attractive benefits or short-term incentives.

“Meaningful work with structured development, strong managers, mentorship and clear opportunities to progress continue to matter.” she said.

“What is changing is the environment around those fundamentals. Technology is reshaping roles and capability needs, graduates are entering the workforce with different expectations, and organisations themselves need to respond more quickly to changing workforce priorities.

“The opportunity for employers is not to move away from what works, but to apply those proven foundations with greater agility and intent.”

Half of candidates nominate career progression as one of the most important elements of a graduate program, highlighting an opportunity for employers to provide greater clarity around development and future career pathways.

Ms Green said this highlights the importance of creating early careers programs that work for both graduates and employers.

“Graduates want to understand where their career can take them, while employers need to build the skills and capability their organisations will require in the future.

“The strongest programs bring those two things together. They give emerging talent meaningful opportunities to learn, contribute and progress, while building a sustainable pipeline of capability for the organisation.

“The graduates entering organisations today will become Australia’s future specialists, innovators and leaders. Strong graduate programs are an investment not only in emerging talent, but the workforce Australia will rely on in the years ahead.”

The AAGE is the peak body representing the organisations and professionals that recruit, develop and inspire students, graduates and interns, directly representing more than 500 organisations across Australia’s private and public sectors.

The Future of Early Careers report is available at aage.com.au/The-Future-of-Early-Careers-Report-2026.

New Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE) research finds just one in seven employers say AI is influencing the number or type of early careers roles they offer, challenging predictions that emerging technology will spell the end of entry-level careers.

The impact of artificial intelligence on graduate jobs may be far less dramatic than predicted, according to new Australian research.

The Future of Early Careers, released by the Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE) and developed with McCrindle, brings together findings from AAGE’s Employer, Candidate, Graduate and Intern surveys and its AI Impact research.

It finds only 14 per cent of employers currently report AI is influencing the number or types of early careers roles available within their organisation.

Instead, early careers roles are evolving as organisations rethink capability needs, workflows and development pathways.

Shanan Green, Chief Executive Officer of AAGE, said the findings challenge some of the more dramatic predictions about what AI means for young people entering the workforce.

“There has been plenty of speculation that AI will eliminate entry-level jobs and make it harder for graduates to start their careers. The evidence tells a much more measured story,” Ms Green said.

“AI is changing jobs. It is changing recruitment. It is changing the skills organisations need. But it is not removing the need for talented people.

“Australia needs emerging talent and strong early careers programs will continue to be an important part of how organisations build the skills and capability they need for the future.”

While the impact on the number of graduate roles remains limited, AI is rapidly changing how candidates seek and apply for jobs.

Candidate use of generative AI during recruitment has climbed from 27 per cent in 2025 to 42 per cent in 2026, with candidates using the technology for everything from interview preparation and employer research to resumes and cover letters.

At the same time, many employers are still determining how AI should fit within their early careers strategies. AAGE’s research found 58 per cent of employers were not using AI in any aspect of graduate recruitment or development, while almost six in ten candidates, 59 per cent, said they had not received enough guidance about employers’ expectation for appropriate AI use during recruitment.

Ms Green said the findings point to an important opportunity for employers to provide greater clarity around how AI can be used responsibly through the recruitment process and, more broadly, to prepare emerging talent for an AI-enabled workplace.

“The workplace graduates are entering will continue to change. Employers cannot promise them a workplace that stands still, because it won’t.

“But they can give people strong foundations, meaningful development and the opportunity to build careers that can evolve.

“Emerging talent also needs to arrive ready to learn, adapt and contribute. Digital fluency will become increasingly important, but so too will human capabilities such as judgement, curiosity, communication and the ability to build relationships.

“The graduates entering organisations today will become Australia’s future specialists, innovators, managers and leaders. Investing in them is not just a graduate recruitment issue. It is a workforce issue.”

The findings reinforce a positive message for students and graduates entering the workforce, that early careers are not disappearing, but they are evolving.

For employers, the opportunity is to invest with confidence in emerging talent, while evolving roles, recruitment and development to build the workforce of the future.

The AAGE is the peak body representing the organisations and professionals that recruit, develop and inspire students, graduates and interns, directly representing more than 500 organisations across Australia’s private and public sectors.

The Future of Early Careers report is available at aage.com.au/The-Future-of-Early-Careers-Report-2026.

The Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE), the peak body for the early careers industry, is pleased to announce the publication of the 2026 Top Intern Programs lists at startmycareer.com.au. Now in their thirteenth year, the rankings serve as the authoritative guide for those seeking employers that provide exceptional internship experiences, helping them make well-informed decisions about their career opportunities.

The organisations listed as a Top Intern Program are those that offered the most positive experiences for interns, based solely on intern feedback. The rankings are derived entirely from responses collected in the annual AAGE Intern Survey, which gathered responses from July 2025 to February 2026. More than 2,500 interns from 113 different organisations participated, providing valuable insights into their internship experiences.

The AAGE commissioned McCrindle to administer the survey where students anonymously rated their internship employer across 15 different criteria including:

• Induction and training
• Content of work
• Ability to work on different projects or in different areas of the organisation
• Quality of supervision provided by management
• Amount of responsibility
• Access to senior management
• Feedback on performance
• Social life
• Organisation's culture and values.

The subsequent analysis provides a comprehensive assessment of each employer's performance across the broad range of criteria. The individual responses from interns at a particular employer are combined and used to determine an overall average rating for that organisation. The overall average ratings are then compared and ranked, subject to a minimum response rate. The Top Intern Programs have been ranked in one of three lists of 20 based on their intake size, enabling improved comparability and usability. A total of 60 employers are featured across these three lists. The employers with the highest overall average rating are shown at startmycareer.com.au/Top-Intern-Programs.

For further information please contact Shanan Green, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Association of Graduate Employers, shanan@aage.com.au.

The Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE), the peak industry body for the early careers market, is pleased to announce the publication of the 2026 Top Graduate Employers lists. Now in their thirteenth year, the Top Graduate Employers rankings are the definitive guide to the best places to work for new graduates entering the workforce.

The Top Graduate Employers listed are the organisations that provided the most positive experiences for new graduates based on the opinions of graduates themselves. The rankings are determined entirely from survey feedback gathered from over 3,200 graduates who are in their first year of employment at over 180 organisations across Australia. The AAGE commissioned McCrindle to administer the survey which was conducted between November and December 2025.

The survey is completed anonymously and graduates are asked to rate their employer on 31 different categories including:

• Orientation or induction program
• Training and development program
• Quality of work
• Career progression
• Support and guidance from supervisor, manager and HR
• Access to mentoring and networking
• Compensation and benefits
• Work/life balance
• Wellbeing support
• The opportunity for community involvement
• Company culture.

This analysis of responses from graduates in relation to these categories provides a comprehensive measurement of each employer's performance across a broad range of criteria.

All of the individual responses from graduates at a particular employer are combined and used to determine an overall average rating for that organisation. These overall average ratings are then compared and ranked, subject to a minimum response rate. Employers have been ranked in one of three lists of 25 based on their intake size, enabling improved comparability and usability. A total of 75 employers are featured across these three lists. The employers with the highest overall average rating are shown on the Start My Career website at www.startmycareer.com.au/Top-Graduate-Employers.

For further information, please contact Shanan Green, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Association of Graduate Employers at shanan@aage.com.au.

Following the recent Annual General Meeting, the Board of Directors of the Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE) would like to issue an update on changes to the Board.

Robert Blaze, who has served as the Chair of the AAGE Board from October 2023 and a Director since 2019, has reached the end of his term. During this time, Rob has lead the AAGE through a period of significant growth and development. The Board thanks Rob for his service to the Board, the AAGE and the early careers industry.

The Board has voted Joanne Dean, who has served on the Board since 2023, as the new Chair of the AAGE Board of Directors.

Jo is the Senior Manager, Early Careers at Ashurst and has over 15 years' experience in Early Careers across Legal and Retail industries. Her expertise includes attraction, selection and development of early careers talent. Strengths include leadership, stakeholder management, strategy and project management.

“I am honoured to be appointed Chair of the Board of Directors and extend my sincere thanks to Rob for his outstanding leadership and dedication. I am genuinely excited about the organisation’s direction. I am fully committed to supporting the AAGE team, Board and Committee in advancing our strategic priorities and to building on the excellent work already underway.”

Joanne Dean, Chair and Elected Director, AAGE

The Board would like to thank Rob for his service to the AAGE and congratulate Jo on her appointment.

Please contact info@aage.com.au for further information.

The Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE), the peak body for the early careers industry, is pleased to announce the publication of the 2025 Top Intern Programs lists on the new platform startmycareer.com.au. This site brings together all AAGE student-facing initiatives to make it easier than ever for students to explore career paths and what our members have to offer.

The first component of this site to launch is the Top Intern Programs rankings. Now in their twelfth year, the rankings serve as the authoritative guide for those seeking employers that provide exceptional internship experiences, helping them make well-informed decisions about their career opportunities.

The organisations listed as a Top Intern Program are those that offered the most positive experiences for interns, based solely on intern feedback. The rankings are derived entirely from responses collected in the annual AAGE Intern Survey, which gathered responses from July 2024 to February 2025. More than 2,500 interns from 127 different organisations participated, providing valuable insights into their internship experiences.

The AAGE commissioned McCrindle to administer the survey where students anonymously rated their internship employer across 15 different criteria including:

• Induction and training
• Content of work
• Ability to work on different projects or in different areas of the organisation
• Quality of supervision provided by management
• Amount of responsibility
• Access to senior management
• Feedback on performance
• Social life
• Organisation's culture and values.

The subsequent analysis provides a comprehensive assessment of each employer's performance across the broad range of criteria. The individual responses from interns at a particular employer are combined and used to determine an overall average rating for that organisation. The overall average ratings are then compared and ranked, subject to a minimum response rate. The Top Intern Programs have been ranked in one of three lists of 20 based on their intake size, enabling improved comparability and usability. A total of 60 employers are featured across these three lists. The employers with the highest overall average rating are shown at startmycareer.com.au/Top-Intern-Programs. For further information please contact Shanan Green, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Association of Graduate Employers, shanan@aage.com.au.

The Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE), the peak industry body for the graduate recruitment and development market, is pleased to announce the publication of the 2025 Top Graduate Employers lists. Now in its thirteenth year, the Top Graduate Employers rankings are the definitive guide to the best places to work for new graduates entering the workforce.

The Top Graduate Employers listed are the organisations that provided the most positive experiences for new graduates based on the opinions of graduates themselves. The rankings are determined entirely from survey feedback gathered from over 4,100 graduates who are in their first year of employment at over 220 organisations across Australia. The AAGE commissioned McCrindle to administer the survey which was conducted between November and December 2024.

The survey is completed anonymously and graduates are asked to rate their employer on around 30 different categories including:

• Orientation or induction program
• Training and development program
• Quality of work
• Career progression
• Supervisor or manager
• Compensation and benefits
• Work/life balance
• Company culture

This analysis of responses from graduates in relation to these categories provides a comprehensive measurement of each employer's performance across a broad range of criteria.

All of the individual responses from graduates at a particular employer are combined and used to determine an overall average rating for that organisation. These overall average ratings are then compared and ranked, subject to a minimum response rate. Employers have been ranked in one of three lists of 25 based on their intake size, enabling improved comparability and usability. A total of 75 employers are featured across these three lists. The employers with the highest overall average rating are shown at www.topgraduateemployers.com.

For further information please contact Shanan Green, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Association of Graduate Employers, shanan@aage.com.au.

Following the recent Annual General Meeting (AGM), the Board of Directors of the Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE) would like to update the AAGE membership on changes to the Board. These include the departure of Thomasin Schmidt who has stepped down at the end of her Director term and the appointment of Madeline West as Director.

Thomasin Schmidt has served on the AAGE Committee since 2015 and the Board since November 2018 including serving as Chair from October 2020 – 2023. During her time on the Board, Thomasin led the development of the new strategy, contributed to the review and implementation of policies and processes, and supported the AAGE through a period of significant change. The Board thanks Thomasin for her service to the Board, the AAGE and the early careers industry.

With Thomasin’s departure, Madeline West was appointed as a Director during the 2024 AGM. The Board is thrilled to welcome Madeline onto the Board given her passion for the industry and experience she brings. Madeline is located in Brisbane where she is the Senior Early Careers Specialist at Arup, having dedicated the last five years to making a meaningful impact in early careers. With a background in both the banking and engineering consulting industries, Madeline has recruited graduates and interns across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia. In addition to her early careers experience, Madeline works independently as a disability support worker. In this role, she supports clients in accessing social support and offering domestic assistance. The Board is looking forward to the contribution that Madeline will make as a Director of the AAGE.

With this appointment, the AAGE Board will be:

• Robert Blaze, Member Director and Chair
• Ann Brinkamp, Member Director
• Joanne Dean, Member Director
• Kelly Pfeffer, Member Director
• Madeline West, Member Director
• Fulvio Barbuio, Co-opted Director
• Amita Laroiya, Co-opted Director
• Allyson Yule, Company Secretary

Please contact info@aage.com.au for further information.

The Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE), the peak industry body for the early careers market, is pleased to announce the publication of the 2024 Top Intern Programs lists.

For the eleventh year in a row, the Top Intern Program rankings provide an authoritative guide for identifying employers that offer outstanding internship experiences, helping students to make informed decisions about their career opportunities.

The Top Intern Programs have been ranked in one of three lists of 20 based on their intake size, enabling improved comparability and usability. A total of 60 employers are featured across these three lists. The rankings are based entirely on feedback from interns themselves sourced from the annual AAGE Intern Survey. The AAGE commissioned McCrindle to administer the 2024 AAGE Intern Survey.

The survey was in the field between January and March 2024, surveying respondents who were engaged by a participating employer during the March 2023 – February 2024 period. Over 2,400 interns from 147 different organisations participated, offering valuable insights into the internship experience.

The survey is completed anonymously and students are asked to rate their employer across 15 different criteria including:

• Induction and training
• Content of work
• Ability to work on different projects or in different areas of the organisation
• Quality of supervision provided by management
• Amount of responsibility
• Access to senior management
• Feedback on performance
• Social life
• Organisation's culture and values

The subsequent analysis provides a comprehensive assessment of each employer's performance across the broad range of criteria. The individual responses from interns at a particular employer are combined and used to determine an overall average rating for that organisation. The overall average ratings are then compared and ranked, subject to a minimum response rate. The employers with the highest overall average rating are shown at www.topinternprograms.com.au.

For further information please contact Shanan Green, AAGE CEO.

The Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE), the peak industry body for the graduate recruitment and development market, is pleased to announce the publication of the 2024 Top Graduate Employers lists.

Now in its twelfth year, the Top Graduate Employers rankings are the definitive guide to the best places to work for new graduates entering the workforce. The Top Graduate Employers listed are the organisations that provided the most positive experiences for new graduates based on the opinions of graduates themselves.

The rankings are determined entirely from survey feedback gathered from over 4,000 graduates who are in their first year of employment with these organisations. The AAGE commissioned McCrindle to administer the survey which was conducted between November and December 2023.

The survey participants are all current graduates who joined their employer's graduate program sometime in 2023, so they have up to 12 months of experience with their organisation.

The survey is completed anonymously and graduates are asked to rate their employer on around 30 different categories including:

• Orientation or induction program
• Training and development program
• Quality of work • Career progression
• Supervisor or manager
• Compensation and benefits
• Work/life balance
• Company culture

This analysis of responses from graduates in relation to these categories provides a comprehensive measurement of each employer's performance across a broad range of criteria.

All of the individual responses from graduates at a particular employer are combined and used to determine an overall average rating for that organisation. These overall average ratings are then compared and ranked, subject to minimum response rate.

This year, employers have been ranked in one of three lists of 25 based on their intake size, enabling improved comparability and usability. A total of 75 employers are featured across these three lists. The employers with the highest overall average rating are shown at ww.topgraduateemployers.com.

For further information please contact Shanan Green, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Association of Graduate Employers.