Assistant minister for the public service Ben Morton said on Wednesday the Australian Public Service Academy would begin its work supporting teaching and development for bureaucrats by mid-2021.

The academy will lease a space in the provisional Parliament House building, and will lead training for bureaucrats in "public service craft", or skills needed to operate successfully in the bureaucracy.

It will connect to existing APS training facilities, academic institutions and specialist training providers, and create a single approach to training staff within the public service, a statement from Mr Morton said.

The academy will not be a "bricks and mortar" institution, but will be headquartered as a tenant in Old Parliament House, he said.

His announcement follows a review last year of the future role for the public service commission's Centre for Leadership and Learning in supporting training for public servants.

The review, finished in December, recommended establishing an academy to lead training within the bureaucracy rather than building skills of all types across agencies.

Mr Morton said locating the new academy in Old Parliament House reinforced the critical role of the public service in Australia's democracy.