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You’ll have experiences that are unique and unreplicated in any other graduate program.
Department of Treasury and Finance and Department of Chief Minister and Cabinet graduates 2025

Jacob Port

Principal Analyst, Royalties and Assurance, Department of Treasury and Finance

I developed a strong understanding of how the different areas of the department contribute to achieve the objectives of Treasury and government through the graduate program

With the work tasks assigned, I felt like I was able to make an actual contribution.

Jacob moved to Darwin from Melbourne during the height of covid. He came across the NTG Graduate program and realised he could live an unconfined lifestyle in the Top End while developing his professional career. Reflecting on his journey, Jacob thinks it couldn’t have been a better decision for his career development.

“In 2021, I started as a graduate at the Department of Treasury and Finance (DTF) for 12 months, undertaking three rotations in Financial Reporting, Intergovernmental Relations, and Royalties and Assurance.”

During his graduate year, Jacob was amazed with the amount of access he had to senior leaders within DTF, a great consequence of working for a small jurisdiction.

“I was also impressed with the variety of work I was given, as I was expected to be adaptable and able to complete a range of tasks in the program.”

“With the work tasks assigned, I felt I was able to make an actual contribution to the team’s function with deliverable outcomes that I was responsible for.”

At the end of the program, Jacob was offered an ongoing contract at DTF where he had the opportunity to continue to rotate throughout Treasury for another 12 months. He undertook a 5-month rotation in the Executive Services Unit, working on DTF’s governance functions and learning more about the strategic direction of the agency.

He was later offered an analyst position in the Royalties and Assurance Unit and has been in the Royalties and Assurance team for almost three years. Over that time, Jacob progressed from Analyst to Senior Analyst to Principal Analyst.

“The graduate program gave me a range of skills that I can use in my current role, including technical and soft skills. I also developed a strong understanding of how the different areas contribute to achieve the objectives of DTF and government.”

In addition, he completed a 3-month secondment in Financial Reporting to support the delivery of financial reporting for whole of government, where his CPA studies were supported by DTF.

For Jacob, moving to the Territory was exciting but nerve wracking, especially since he had never been to Darwin and only knew one person who lived in the Territory. But participating in the graduate program with like-minded individuals who had also moved to the Territory made his move easier. He was able to go through the experience of moving and developing friendships with other graduates.

“Before I moved to Darwin I umpired football as a hobby. Continuing my umpiring in Darwin allows me to develop friendships outside of work and continue to participate in an activity I enjoy.”

For those who are thinking about applying for the Graduate program, Jacob encourages to “keep an open mind to the opportunities available in the Territory, knowing you’ll have experiences that are unique and unreplicated in any other graduate program.”