Some people know exactly what they want to do after school – some don’t. I thought I did, starting a Bachelor of Business in Marketing and Management, but soon discovered my passion lay in project management. While working in estate management, I gained experience in sales strategies, budget management, estate maintenance, and civil construction. I…
I grew up wanting to be a Cardiologist in high school, however, when it got time to actually applying for universities, I applied for a Bachelor of International Relations at the Australian National University. After one semester, I had already made the decision I did not want to spend my whole life arguing politics, and…
If someone had told me in high school where I’d end up, I would have laughed. I was born in Bulgaria (Eastern Europe), and my childhood was marked by very rough economic and political conditions in the country. At school I was very diligent and always striving to do well academically. I attended a specialised…
Having migrated from Sri Lanka, I completed my last two years of high school in Australia before attending university to complete my Bachelor of Civil Engineering. I started my construction career as a graduate engineer on a major highway project. Here I was exposed to bulk earthworks, concrete batch plant operations, and concrete pavement construction.…
My journey to becoming an Electrical Engineer has been anything but typical. Although I loved physics at school, my strength in English led me to study it at university. I quickly realised it wasn’t the right path and left to start an Engineering apprenticeship—becoming the only girl among 100 apprentices! After qualifying, I worked as…
When I was in school, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I knew that I wanted to take a gap year after school and not go to university straight away. During that year I worked at Bunnings and began by working on the cash register. After 5 years with Bunnings, I decided to…
Leading up to the end of high school, I struggled to pick a career I wanted to study for, torn between my ‘competing’ interests in graphics, legal studies, and physics. My first part-time job as a jewellery sales assistant also sparked my passion for problem-solving, customer communication, and people management. When it came time for…
As Operations Manager at a purpose-driven organisation like UNIQ You, the role is central to ensuring that day-to-day activities run smoothly and strategically align with the organisation’s mission. This includes overseeing internal systems and processes, managing timelines and resources across multiple projects, and supporting a high-performing team environment that enables impactful delivery. The Operations Manager…
I was inspired by the idea that as an educator, I could help shape minds, foster creativity, and empower students to discover their potential. I see education not just as a profession, but as a mission—one that involves patience, empathy, and a commitment to lifelong learning. Pursuing additional qualifications and taking opportunities for continual learning…
When I left school, I knew I wanted to pursue a trade. I’d enjoyed technical drawing and applied to the Polytechnical Institute to study architectural design drafting. Over the years, I changed careers several times but I always found my way back to drafting. The tools of the trade have evolved dramatically, from pens, paper…
After high school, I enrolled in university with an interest in fashion and marketing, though I wasn’t certain about my career direction. Initially considering a gap year, I chose to start university to broaden my horizons and meet new people. During my studies, I spent a lot of time traveling. It was in my final…
My professional journey began in Uruguay, working in my family’s business while studying law. After graduating and gaining legal experience, I felt a strong desire to broaden my horizons. Together with my husband, we ventured overseas to explore new cultures and improve our English, eventually settling in the vibrant landscapes of New Zealand. Our journey…
Growing up in regional Queensland, I didn’t always have a clear idea of what I wanted to do with my future. It felt uncertain – like a blank page. But over time, I realised that not knowing gave me the freedom to explore, to dream big, and to figure out what truly inspired me. When…
All through school, I was known as the sporty kid, I won age champion every year and just loved being active. I always knew I wanted to do something sport or exercise related when I finished school, but I had no idea exactly what that would be. I went to university and studied a Bachelor…
Station officers are in charge of emergency incidents, their crews and their fire trucks. When we are not attending emergencies, we are making sure the community is safe in other ways by checking our trucks, our equipment, delivering fire education programs, completing training and having fun!
I had wanted to become a firefighter since I was a child! At the age of 17, I knocked on the door of the local fire station. This station was auxiliary firefighters (on call in small communities), and I was told that I was too young! With that in mind, I found a fulltime management…
As an infrastructure advisor, I work with organisations to solve complex problems that they can’t solve themselves. No two days are ever the same and I work on a wide-range of projects from transport projects to stadiums – I could be working closely with engineers on a social infrastructure project like hospitals or stadiums to…
When I was in grade 7, I knew I was going to be a lawyer. Initially I thought I would become a divorce lawyer. But I quickly knew I wanted to do more than just be in a court room and argue about cases theoretically. While it took me a while to navigate towards the…
As a General Manager Strategic Projects I work across our integrated aluminium business leading small teams to find better ways of doing things. Aluminium is made through 3 stages – bauxite is mined and then transferred to a refinery to be made into alumina and is then sent to the smelter to make aluminium. A…
At high school I really enjoyed geography and in particular how water shapes coastal landforms. I was good at math, physics and chemistry. So, at a university career day I spoke to someone about a new course starting in civil and environmental engineering and I was assured this course involves working with water and landforms.…