Undergraduate engineer - Anonymous employee DMO Employee Review

Training: There is a fairly substantial training budget. DMO will train a staff member to any degree of specialization that the staff member desires within their area. There are opportunities to train in other fields as well, but allowing this is up to the discretion of your line manager. Training is usually conducted by reputable external organizations, but can also be on the job training. Salary: The base salary is on par with the industry average. No bonus system, but superannuation is 15+% vs the industry average of 10%. As a package, the job pays well, but promotion opportunities are very hard to come by, especially since the 2014 budget was announced. Perks: Flexible work hours are excellent for young working moms and there is a child care facility on most bases, which is also discounted quite well. Most bases also have a fully equipped gym for free (24/7) use, as well as corporate discounts for health insurance, life insurance etc. Culture: Contrary to reports in the media, there is very little discrimination compared to other companies I have worked in. Even before the pathways to change program was implemented, I have been treated with respect by most individuals working with me, even though I am a woman and of a minor race. There are some individuals who are still old fashioned, but this will change with time. The organization is trying to retire senior staff to change the culture over time.

For those of us used to working in fast paced environments (e.g. retail, banking), this will be incredibly slow. Decisions can take years to be finalized. Individuals can spend over a decade working on a single project. The chain of command structure makes it difficult to pass up suggestions against your line manager's wishes. The relationship you have with your line manager can dictate your entire career here. Promotions: For the next 5 years, there is low chance of this happening. There is a recruitment and promotion freeze across the federal public sector. There is currently an exodus of younger staff due to the promotion freeze. Salary: If you are someone who is in the top 10% of your academic cohort, there are better options out there than DMO who will pay more. But you will probably also work harder.

- Good work life balance - Training and development opportunities

- Slow decision making, heavily process driven - Heavily reliant on your line manager for training / work development opportunities - Arbitrary decisions seem to be made outside of projects - It is difficult to find opportunities for career advancement if you work outside of Canberra