Agency Information Sheet:
SA Government Internship Program
Overview
The South Australian Government partners with universities to enable under-graduate and post-graduate students
to undertake internships within public sector agencies. The internship program has been very successful in providing
agencies with talented professionals for whole of sector projects, for example 90-day Change@SouthAustralia
projects or projects within discrete business units. Interns do not receive remuneration during their internship and
are not employees of the SA Government. Placements can be on a fulltime or part-time basis.
As outlined in the Premier’s Agreement with the Member for Frome, the Government has committed to providing
internship opportunities in government and Parliament to young people from regional South Australia. As such,
government agencies are strongly encouraged to offer internship placements to young people from regional South
Australia.
The Legal Framework
The two components that underpin the legal framework for the Program are:

Internship Program Agreement between the SA Government and the university, wherein a commitment is
made to identify internship opportunities within the South Australian Public Sector and make them available
for suitable students selected by the university; and

Internship Program Placement Agreement between the host SA Government Agency, the university and the
intern. This agreement formally establishes the placement requirements and the roles and obligations of
each party.
Internship Program Placement Agreement
Each intern accepted into a placement is required to sign a Program Placement Agreement. The Agreement will
also need to be signed by a host agency delegate (usually an Executive Director who would sign off contract
agreements or similar), the intern and the relevant university delegate. The Agreement template is attached along
with a ‘How to complete a Placement Agreement”.
The Program Placement Agreement addresses:

The roles and obligations of each party

Treatment of Intellectual property rights

Insurance

Confidentiality
Administrative Framework
The information contained in this document specifies each university’s different faculties and placement
arrangements. If you are an SA Government manager interested in hosting an intern, it is suggested that you:

identify a project or set of activities suitable for a student to undertake
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
complete a Project Proposal

contact the university coordinator from the appropriate university or faculty referencing the SA Government
Internship Program and providing the Project Proposal.
Agencies, in some cases, may receive from the university more than one resume from interested students for a
project. Agencies should arrange to meet the student before agreeing to the placement via the relevant university
student coordinator (contact details are provided in this document for each university). If the parties wish to
proceed with a placement the following administrative requirements must be met:

completing student placement documents as may be required by the individual university

agreeing to start and end dates for the placement

the agency arranging a workplace, ICT requirements, and security clearances, if necessary

the student, the university and the agency completing a Program Placement Agreement (please see the
attached checklist for ‘how to complete a Program Placement Agreement).
A final signed copy of each Program Placement Agreement must be emailed to Rosina Baron via email
rosina.baron@sa.gov.au at the Office for the Public Sector (OPS).
At the conclusion of a placement, the university may undertake a brief evaluation of the intern’s experience and
their performance. Where the placement is undertaken for course credit, additional evaluation of the work product
and intern’s performance may be required by the university.
Roles & Responsibilities
During the placement, it is a requirement of the Program Placement Agreement that the intern be assigned a
university appointed supervisor. Additionally, the host agency must nominate a Placement Mentor for each intern.
The Host Agency is responsible for:

assisting the intern to develop clear and achievable goals and providing corporate knowledge and insights for
the research project or assignment

ensuring that expectations, roles, and responsibilities are clearly communicated

liaising with the supervisor to ensure that the placement meets the academic requirements of the intern

ensuring administrative requirements are met, including providing a workspace & necessary tools (e.g. PC,
security clearance) and workplace induction

familiarising themselves with the necessary steps to induct a new intern including giving priority to the
Occupational Health Safety & Welfare (OHS&W) component of the induction process, in line with agency
policy and legislative requirements

ensuring that the intern has completed a police security clearance , if necessary

ensuring a Program Placement Agreement has been completed and signed by the host agency delegate, the
university and the intern and a copy sent to OPS.
The Intern is responsible for:

completing the agreed project in the timeframe indicated to the best of their ability

completing all relevant administrative requirements prior to commencement of internship (e.g. signing the
Program Placement Agreement and undertaking a police clearance, if necessary)

completing the induction checklist with their Placement Mentor

familiarising themselves with the content of all legislation, policies and procedures related to the Placement
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
seeking assistance from their supervisor and/or Placement Mentor as may be necessary
The University is responsible for:

assigning an appropriate supervisor to each intern

providing advice and direction to the host agency supervisor and the intern to ensure that the intern’s
academic requirements are met

monitoring and reviewing the progress of each Intern as appropriate

providing appropriate advice to ensure that legislative requirements are met.
The Internship Coordinator (Office for the Public Sector) is responsible for:

overall management of the internship program

ensuring that administrative and legislative requirements are met for South Australian Government

providing a point of contact for the host agency and university for feedback and information.
The Universities Engaged with the Program
The following Universities have a signed Program Agreement with the SA Government:
1. Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University was established in Adelaide in 2006 and forms part of the global Carnegie Mellon
footprint which includes campuses in Pittsburgh, Silicon Valley, Rwanda and Qatar. Calls for Project Proposals
describing the scope, deliverables, and skills required are requested three times per year through the Office for the
Public Sector.
Intern placements are required around January, May and September each year. Intern placements are fulltime and
up to a maximum of 14 weeks. Occasionally, ‘one-off’ projects that are team-based 14 week business projects are
also requested by the university.
Students from Carnegie Mellon University enrolled in the following courses are available for placements:

Master of Science in Public Policy Management

Master of Information Systems Management
The Process

Agencies are invited to submit a Project Proposal by the Office for the Public Sector for consideration by
students.

Students nominate themselves for a project.

The agency and student negotiate the scope and topic of the internship, and determine the fit of the
student’s skill set.

If both the agency and the student agree that the internship proposal is suitable, an internship is confirmed.

A Program Placement Agreement is signed by the student, the university and the host agency.
2. The University of Adelaide
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Requests for under-graduate or post-graduate student intern placements are undertaken throughout the university
semesters. Placements are normally 2 days per week for 10 – 12 weeks.
The Process
The University of Adelaide Internship Coordinator will make contact with interested agencies. However, individual
agencies are able to contact the Adelaide University Internship Coordinator if a particular need for an intern is
identified. Details as follows:
Ms Alicia Groat, Internship Coordinator, Faculty of the Professions
The University of Adelaide
Level 1, 10 Pulteney Street
Adelaide SA 5000
Phone: 8313 5628 Email: alicia.groat@adelaide.edu
Students are available from the following faculties:

School of Architecture and Built Environment

Business School

School of Economics

School of Education

Adelaide Law School
All agencies interested in hosting an intern from University of Adelaide are required to complete a Project Proposal
(see attached Template) outlining the project’s desired outcomes and list of deliverables for the project. This will
need to be forwarded to the University.
If it is agreed that that the Project Proposal is suitable, an internship will be confirmed. A Program Placement
Agreement is signed by the student, the university and the host agency.
3. Flinders University
Requests for under-graduate or post-graduate student intern placements are undertaken throughout the university
semesters. There are however, three main placement intake times during the year which are as follows:
Semester 1 (March – July): offers of placements are sought in November
Semester 2 (July – November): offers of placements are sought in March
Christmas holidays (December – February): offers of placements are sought in September
Placements are 150 hours and the student usually attends the placement two days a week for 10 weeks, but it does
depend on the project requirements and hours/days can be negotiated between the student and host agency.
During the University Christmas holidays students may complete their hours as one four week full time block or part
time over a longer period.
The Process
The Flinders University Placement Coordinator will make contact with interested agencies. However, individual
agencies are able to contact the Flinders University Placement Coordinator if a particular need for an intern is
identified. Details as follows:
Ms. Alison Lamnek, Placement Coordinator, Flinders Business School
Flinders University
Sturt Road, Bedford Park | South Australia 5042
GPO Box 2100 | Adelaide SA 5001
Phone: 8201 2603 Email: alison.lamnek@flinders.edu.au
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Students are available from the following faculties:

Business

Marketing

Accounting and Finance

Economics

Human Resources

International Studies
Placements for post graduate students undertaking Public Policy are normally required around March and August
each year. Agencies wanting students studying Public Policy can contact:
Claudia Gottwald
Project Officer Work Integrated Learning
School of Social Policy Studies
Flinders University
Phone: 8201 2956 or Email: claudia.gottwald@flinders.edu.au
All agencies interested in hosting an intern from Flinders University are required to complete a Project Proposal (see
attached Template) outlining the project’s desired outcomes and list of deliverables for the project. This will need to
be forwarded to the University.
If it is agreed that that the Project Proposal is suitable, an internship will be confirmed. A Program Placement
Agreement is signed by the student, the university and the host agency.
4. University of South Australia
Requests for under-graduate or post-graduate student intern placements are undertaken throughout the university
semesters. Intern placements are typically two days per week for 10 – 12 weeks.
The Process
The University of South Australia’s CareerShop Coordinator of Career Services will make contact with interested
agencies. However, individual agencies are able to contact the CareerShop Coordinator at the University if a
particular need for an intern is identified. Details as follows:
Ms. Demi Kastanos
CareerShop Coordinator, Career Services
University of South Australia
Level 1, Jeffrey Smart Building
217-243 Hindley Street
Adelaide SA 5000
Phone: 8302 1297 Email: demi.kastanos@unisa.edu.au
Or
Ms Catherine Klimes
Manager, University of South Australia Careers Services
Level 1, Jeffrey Smart Building
217-243 Hindley Street
Adelaide SA 5000
Phone: 8302 7853 Email: catherine.klimes@unisa.edu.au
Student intern placements are available from the following faculties:

Urban Planning and Resourcing

Public Policy and Administration in areas of Health and Environment
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
Human Resources

Finance and Accounting

Marketing and Media
All agencies interested in hosting an intern from University of South Australia are required to complete a Project
Proposal (see attached Template) outlining the project’s desired outcomes and list of deliverables for the project.
This will need to be forwarded to the University.
If it is agreed that the Project Proposal is suitable, an internship will be confirmed. A Program Placement
Agreement is signed by the student, the university and the host agency.
SA Government Contact Details
The Office for the Public Sector coordinates the South Australian Government Internship Program and provides
information and assistance to agency internship supervisors, human resource practitioners and a contact for
university student coordinators.
For further information or questions on the program, please contact Rosina Baron, Internship Coordinator, Office for
the Public Sector on telephone number 8303 2408 or email rosina.baron@sa.gov.au
Templates:

SA Government Internship Program Placement Agreement

Project Proposal Template
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