BUILD YOUR FUTURE WITH JOSS.

Cadetships

Build your career from the ground up.

Whether you’re finishing school or looking for your first real step into the construction industry, our cadetship is designed to give you real experience, genuine support and a clear path forward. From day one, you’ll be part of the team.

Starting out in construction is exciting, and it can also feel like a big step. At Joss, we make that step easier by pairing you with experienced mentors, giving you structured rotations across the business, and ensuring you earn a real income while you study.

Joss has been developing careers through its cadetship program since 2008. We don’t see cadets as short-term labour. We see long-term potential.

What is a Cadetship?

Learn on site and earn from day one

A Joss cadetship is a practical pathway into the construction industry. You’ll work alongside experienced teams, contribute to real projects and build the foundations for a career you can grow into.

A cadetship allows you to earn while you learn. You’ll have full time employment with Joss, and at the same time have dedicated time off to study so you can learn in the classroom, learn on the job, and earn real money at the same time. As part of your cadetship, you’ll do a series of ‘rotations’ through our business, so you can learn how all aspects of our Construction division works.

  • Construction delivery (site-based learning and support)
  • Contract administration
  • Project coordination
  • Estimating support
  • Facility management
  • Administration and project support

A Joss cadetship is a practical pathway into the construction industry.

You’ll work full-time alongside experienced teams, contribute to real projects and study for a nationally recognised degree, all at the same time. Your study leave is built in, paid, and structured so that what you learn in the classroom connects directly to what you’re doing on site.

As a cadet, you’ll rotate through the key departments of our Construction division, so you develop a genuine understanding of how the whole business works, not just one corner of it.

Maximum program duration
0 years
Per week on the job
0 days
Per week
0 paid study day

And the best bit? We contribute to your university fees.

Yep, you read that right. As part of your cadetship with Joss, we’ll reimburse you for most of your university fees, meaning you’ll have a significantly reduced HECS debt and can launch your career without worrying about paying back a large loan.

Your rotations will include:

  • Construction delivery, site-based learning and hands-on project work
  • Contract administration
  • Project coordination
  • Estimating support
  • Health, Safety, Environment & Quality (HSEQ)

"No two days are really the same. Some days I'm on site working alongside the team getting valuable experience on how things are built from the ground up. Other days I'm in the office working on document management, contract administration, and coordinating with subcontractors."

Harrison Lawes, Construction Cadet,
Joss Group

FAQ

Everything you need to know.

Get all the answers to the questions we hear most often, from prospective cadets and their parents alike.

A Joss cadet is someone with a genuine passion for the construction industry who is eager to learn, not afraid to take on responsibility and motivated to develop through doing rather than just studying. You’ll be working alongside experienced professionals from day one, so a willingness to engage, ask questions and contribute matters more than having all the answers already. The role involves interacting with subcontractors, clients and consultants, so strong communication and a positive attitude go a long way. If you enjoy problem solving, take pride in your work and want to be part of a team that builds real things, this could be the right path for you.
Joss has a long and proud history of being an equal opportunity employer, with more than 60% of our permanent workforce being women. We’ve got women across all aspects of our business, including site managers, contract administrators and project managers, and we’ve had many young women successfully complete our cadetship program. If you’re a woman considering a career in construction, Joss would love to hear from you.
The cadetship runs for a maximum of five years, aligned with the duration of your university degree. You’ll work four days a week and have one paid day set aside each week specifically for study. Because you’re applying your university learning to real work simultaneously, many cadets find the degree itself becomes more manageable. The theory clicks when you’ve already seen it in action on site. You’ll need to put in some hours outside of work on assignments, around 10-15 hours per week at peak times. Outside of semester, the balance eases.
Our cadets study a Bachelor of Construction Management through the University of Newcastle, which is available fully online. This means you can be based in Albury or Canberra and study without needing to relocate. The degree is directly aligned to the work you’ll be doing at Joss, with graduate outcomes that include project manager, estimator, and HSEQ manager. A background in STEM subjects, ideally including construction-related subjects at school, is the ideal starting point. Some cadets have also transitioned from civil engineering degrees, so if you’re already enrolled in a related program, it’s worth having a conversation with us.
Yes, and this is exactly who the cadetship is designed for. If you’re finishing school and considering your options, a Joss cadetship is a great reason to pursue a construction-related degree. We’re happy to talk with you before you’ve enrolled – you don’t need to have everything mapped out to start a conversation with us. Reach out anytime!
 

Our cadetship is run out of our Albury office, with additional locations in Canberra and Griffith. You’ll work on projects across regional NSW and the ACT, including the Albury-Wodonga region, Canberra and surrounds, and the Riverina.

Being based locally, or being willing to relocate, is important. Working regionally has real advantages. You’ll be part of a close-knit team, gain exposure to a wide variety of project types, and have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the communities you work in.

Our cadets have contributed to school buildings, health facilities, TAFE campuses, defence projects, manufacturing facilities and high-end residential builds, among many others.

No two weeks are the same. One day you might be on site working alongside the construction team. The next you might be in the office involved in document management, contract administration, design management, or coordinating with subcontractors. Your rotations will take you through different parts of the business progressively, so your experience and confidence build over the full duration of the cadetship.
Yes. A Joss cadetship is full-time employment from day one. You’ll receive a competitive salary, including your paid study day each week. This is not an internship or a work experience placement. You are a Joss employee from the moment you start. In fact, when you pass your university subjects, Joss will reimburse you for most of your subject fees, meaning you’ll finish your degree with five years of experience, five years of earning, and almost no HECS debt!
From day one, you’ll be paired with an experienced mentor who’ll guide you through your work, answer your questions and help you grow, both technically and professionally. You’ll be treated as a genuine member of the Joss team. Beyond day-to-day mentoring, Joss invests in your wellbeing as well as your performance. Our culture is built on looking after each other, and that extends fully to our cadets. Whether you’re navigating a challenging project, managing study pressures or dealing with something personal, you won’t be going it alone.
When you finish your cadetship, you’ll graduate with a university degree and five years of real, hands-on experience. That combination is hard to replicate any other way. Rather than starting from scratch as a new graduate, you’ll already have the experience, the relationships and the practical knowledge to take on more senior responsibilities sooner. At Joss, the typical progression moves from Contract Administrator through to Contract Manager and then Project Management, though paths into Estimating and HSEQ are also well-established routes. Many of our current leaders started exactly where you’d be starting.

IS THIS RIGHT FOR ME?

You might be a great fit if...

  • You have a genuine curiosity about the construction industry and want to be part of building it
  • You want to earn a real income while you study, not just accumulate debt
  • You learn better by doing things, not just reading about them
  • You want structure, mentorship and a team behind you from day one
  • You’re thinking long-term and want to graduate with real experience, not just a qualification
  • You’re not afraid of hard work. This isn’t a role you can coast through, and that’s exactly the point

"If you're looking for a career within the construction industry, I would highly encourage you to apply for the Joss cadetship. It bridges the gap between theory and practice, allowing you to apply what you learn in class to real-world situations. The Joss cadetship is an excellent stepping stone for anyone who is eager to learn, motivated, and looking to build a strong future."

Hunter Browne, Construction Cadet
Joss Group

CAREER PROGRESSION

Where a cadetship can take you.

We’re proud that many of our leaders started their careers exactly where you’d be starting. At Joss, we invest in early careers because we see long-term potential. A cadetship opens doors to opportunities you simply can’t access from a lecture theatre alone.

Roles our cadets progress into:

  • Contract Administrator
  • Contract Manager
  • Project Coordinator
  • Project Manager
  • Site Supervisor / Foreman
  • Estimator
  • Construction Manager
  • HSEQ roles
  • Business Operations and Management

"Once you complete the cadetship you are a fully qualified new graduate, but you already have 4–5 years of experience behind you. I don't feel like I'll be starting from scratch. That gives me a genuine sense of confidence about where my career is heading."

Harrison Lawes, Construction Cadet
Joss Group

Meet our people

Real careers that started here.

Some of the most respected people in our business began their careers as Joss cadets. Here are a few of their stories.

"What makes the Joss cadetship stand out is the unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience whilst still studying at university, across a variety of real projects, while being mentored by industry professionals. Joss' strong focus on safety, quality and teamwork creates a culture which encourages continuous learning."

Hunter Browne, Construction Cadet

Joss Group

"You will have the privilege to work alongside and learn from some of the best in the industry, connecting with company directors, project managers and interesting clients. The cadetship allows you to take on responsibilities you wouldn't expect at this stage of your career."

Angus White, Construction Cadet

Joss Group

“What I really enjoy about the Joss cadetship is the real-time exposure to the construction industry… every day I can apply my studies to my everyday tasks.”

Oliver Lepkhammany, Construction Cadet

Joss Group

READY TO START?

Let's have a conversation.

If you’re looking for a practical entry into the construction industry with real support, real pay and a genuine pathway to grow, Joss is the place for you.

If you’re not sure whether this is the right path for you, or if you have questions about how the program works, please reach out. We want to hear from you and help you make a great start in the industry.

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST

Contact

Brett McClellan,
Cadetship Program Manager

Parents: if your child is weighing up their post-school options and you’d like to understand more about how the program works, we’re very happy to talk with you too. Please get in touch using the details above.