What brought me to UNIQ You two years ago is exactly what keeps me here: a bold, innovative, and proven collective approach to tackling a stubborn and complex challenge — one that sits squarely at the crossroads of skills shortages, gender equality, educational equality, and STEM education.
UNIQ You’s fresh approach continues to resonate with industry and education, their commitment and partnership is what is driving us rapidly forward with our national expansion and scale goals.
Being responsive to trends in Australia’s evolving labour market, providing educators and students with easy access to labour market information in a real-time, trusted, and powerful format – conversations – is what sets us apart from all others.
In this article, I’ll share deeper insights into how UNIQ You is intentionally scaling for impact, along with some of the significant achievements we’ve reached in the first quarter of 2025 and how you can help accelerate impact and change.
Scaling for Impact
While many resonate with Marian Wright Edelman’s famous statement, “You can’t be what you can’t see,” UNIQ You believes that in today’s world — overwhelmed by information, noise, social media, and curated images — simply seeing is not enough.
Young people need to see themselves in it before they can truly consider that they might be it. To extend further on this: when students genuinely connect with a person and their story, they begin to believe that ‘it’ — the pathway, the job, the role, the life — is truly available to someone just like them. This belief then builds the confidence they need to pursue and ultimately become ‘it’.
UNIQ You, by focusing on strengthening the early stages of the talent pipeline, is expanding the pool of female talent who are seeing and considering roles that lead to employment in rapidly growing, under-represented industries facing critical skill shortages. Our emphasis is on growing the overall talent pool — not simply giving organisations a competitive edge in attracting talent from the existing limited pool.
As an outcome-driven organisation with access and equity as a key strategic priority, ‘reaching those who need us most’ is one of UNIQ You’s strategic priorities. ‘Those who need us most’ are students and educators whose access to career pathways and support is often limited not only by where they live, but also the intersecting factors of gender, socio-economic background, race, ethnicity, and language.
Providing genuine access to a diverse pool of relatable real-time stories to students via real-time conversations with a choice of more than 100 UNIQ You Advisors, expands their circle of influence beyond natural networks and geographical limits by literally bringing the world to them.
UNIQ You has 3 outcome measures; knowledge, curiosity and confidence. These 3 measures form the basis of our Measurement, Evaluation and Learning framework.
We are sharpening our focus on Measurement, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL)— last year UNIQ You’s MEL framework was strengthened by the introduction of stakeholder focus groups and interviews, and this year we are taking it a step further by working closely with some of our education partners to gain deeper insights into the most significant points of influence and engagement for young women when they see and consider careers in underrepresented fields. By strengthening our MEL framework, we’ll ensure that our programs continue to deliver meaningful, relevant and measurable change.
In addition, through our Major Partnership with Rio Tinto, we are running a pilot program focused on professional learning for educators and career development practitioners designed to achieve sustained impact beyond initial engagement.
Our long-term goal is to conduct a longitudinal study tracking the pathway of students from points of influence in secondary school all the way through to employment.
UNIQ You is a ground-breaking service, and at risk of sounding cliched, UNIQ You’s service does smash stereotypes and does bust myths. Most students struggle to find authentic role models they can truly relate to, it’s not enough to simply show career pathways, they are very savvy and need real people and trusted connections.
View our 2024 Impact Report and video here.
UNIQ You – Q1 2025
The first quarter of 2025 marked a significant milestone in UNIQ You’s growth journey. As UNIQ You expands, so too have our team, partnerships, Advisor Library, and school memberships.
- In February, we welcomed Rebecca Jeffrey to the team as our first Western Australia-based employee. Rebecca joins us as National Program Manager.
- We are also pleased to announce and welcome our newest industry partner, Construction Skills Queensland, who joined us in April.
- Our Advisor Library has grown by 24 new advisors this year, with another 32 currently being onboarded.
- 14 new schools accessed our service in Term 1.
Some of the key milestones from Q1 are highlighted in more detail in the sections below:
- Record-Breaking Term 1 Results
- National Expansion – Northern Territory and Western Australia
- UNIQ You’s Reconciliation Action Plan
- Raising UNIQ You’s Voice
Record-Breaking Term 1 Results
The impact UNIQ You made in the first few months of 2025 is a testament to the collective effort of the UNIQ You team, industry partners, schools, and—most importantly—the incredible women and students engaging in career-shaping conversations.
In Term 1 alone, 928 students engaged in conversations with UNIQ You Advisors — representing 45% of the total number reached across all of 2024.
National Expansion
One of the most exciting milestones this quarter has been expanding our reach into Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
In March, I visited both WA and NT, officially launching UNIQ You in Darwin and meeting with key representatives from the education sector in both regions to discuss the potential for a strategic, state- and territory-wide rollout.
I also had the privilege of sitting in on UNIQ You’s very first sessions in each location — a significant moment for our team and mission.
NT Launch
On 1 April, supported by our valued Major Partner BMD Group, UNIQ You proudly launched into Northern Territory. This marked a major milestone for BMD, UNIQ You and young women across the Northern Territory. The event, attended by over 80 guests, brought together leaders from education, industry, and government to celebrate the expansion of UNIQ You into the Top End.
I emphasised the critical need to open more opportunities for young women to explore careers in industries like construction, where female representation remains low. BMD’s ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion reflects the power of partnerships in driving real change, and we are thrilled to continue to work alongside them to create new pathways for the next generation. With more than 100 Advisors from 17 corporate partners nationwide, UNIQ You is now proudly collaborating with Northern Territory schools and employers to empower young women, break down barriers, and foster a more diverse and inclusive workforce for the future.
First WA & NT Sessions
WA’s first session was at St Mark’s Anglican Community School on 12 March with Angela Gu – UNIQ You a Specialist Productivity Analyst from Rio Tinto, in a small group conversation with 6 year 11 biology students.
“Launching at St Mark’s Anglican Community School was a powerful moment in our journey to extend our reach and impact. It’s inspiring to see passionate WA educators embrace the service and champion student career exposure—and just as exciting to witness that spark in students as they explore new career paths and ask their burning questions.”
NT’s first session was at O’Loughlin Catholic College on 31 March. The advisors were Trang Pham and Demi Pye, Trang is a Civil Engineer at Aurecon and Demi is a Health, Safety and Environment Manager at Hutchinson Builders. Kerryn Byrom, UNIQ You’s Operations Manager, visited O’Loughlin Catholic College during their first week with our service. She met with staff, observed a session, and witnessed the powerful impact Trang and Demi had on the students. The school’s enthusiasm for the program was clear, and we are excited to continue building a strong partnership with them.
Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)
As we scale and expand nationally, it is vital that we also invest in understanding how our service can thrive in remote and regional areas across Australia.
A key focus for UNIQ You during this time of rapid growth is ensuring our service is relevant and accessible to all — especially First Nations students and communities. This means listening, learning, and co-designing solutions that reflect the unique challenges and aspirations of these students. We are committed to working closely with local leaders, schools, and industry partners to ensure that every girl — regardless of where she lives — feels seen, supported, and empowered to pursue the career pathways she dreams of.
Another significant step in our journey toward inclusivity and greater impact is the commencement of the development of our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) during 2025. This is a critical commitment to deepening our engagement with First Nations communities, embedding cultural awareness into our organisation, and ensuring that UNIQ You is a space where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls, particularly those participating in our service, feel valued and supported.
By working alongside First Nations advisors, educators, and industry partners, we aim to create genuine opportunities for young Indigenous women to see themselves in careers across Australia — honouring culture, identity, and lived experience.
Our RAP represents just the beginning of a broader, long-term commitment to reconciliation embedded in everything we do.
Raising Our Voice
With our rapid growth, impact and momentum, a critical component of our growth strategy is to increase our visibility and connection with our service and story. The past few months have been packed full of these opportunities.
Impact Report Launch
In March, despite Tropical Cyclone Alfred’s attempt to dampen celebrations, although a little later we proudly launched our 2024 Impact Report and Video alongside our industry and education partners at an event held at ‘The Pit’ in Rio Tinto’s Brisbane office.
Attended by 47 guests, the event celebrated the incredible progress made throughout 2024. The impact data and stories shared in the report are a powerful testament to what is possible when industry leaders step up and invest in the next generation.
We were honoured to hear from Assistant Minister to the Deputy Premier, Rebecca Young, who shared her inspiring personal journey of resilience and determination, reinforcing the importance of the work we do in opening up new career possibilities for young women.
Our Chair, Jacqui Walters, spoke about the vital role UNIQ You plays in shaping the futures of young women and acknowledged the outstanding community of support that makes our work possible.
One of the highlights for me was sharing the news that in 2024, we doubled our impact. This kind of exponential growth is a testament to the incredible efforts of our team, partners, and Advisors.
I’m grateful to everyone who continues to be part of this journey, and to Rio Tinto for providing the perfect setting for such a meaningful celebration.
If you haven’t seen the video or read the report yet, I encourage you to take a look—it’s a powerful reminder of why this work matters.
View our 2024 Impact Report and video here.
International Women’s Day
During the month-long celebration of International Women’s Day, UNIQ You was honoured to present at several key events.
I joined the Women in Economics Network event alongside Demi Pye (UNIQ You Advisor from Hutchinson Builders), the Women in Energy Network breakfast hosted by Michelle Holmes from Iberdrola, and were scheduled to present at the Port of Brisbane’s event, which was unfortunately cancelled due to Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
It was an absolute pleasure to attend and present at these events — each one offered new knowledge, valuable connections, and fresh ideas to take forward.
Locate 25 Geospatial International Conference
In April, I was invited by the Geospatial Council of Australia to present at the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) | Locate 25 Geospatial International Conference.
It was a pleasure to present alongside Paul Mead from SheMaps and others during a workforce session, where we highlighted the workforce gap in the geospatial and surveying sectors and contributed to a global conversation on innovation in workforce attraction strategies and practices — including UNIQ You’s approach and the celebration of our geospatial Advisors’ contribution: Jennah Williams, Jacinta Burns, Mary-Ellen Feeney, Madeleine Seehaber and Maxine Price.
Accelerating Change
We acknowledge there is still much work to do. Yet, together with our industry and education partners, we are moving faster toward a future where gender is never a barrier to opportunity.
As a not-for-profit organisation, we are only as strong as the commitment of our industry and education partners. It’s a simple equation: partnership growth and sustainable commitments lead to long-term impact — truly shifting the dial on gender equality, expanding educational opportunity, and addressing critical skills shortages.
How can you help accelerate this change?
It starts with a conversation.
- If you are an existing partner, we warmly welcome introductions to like-minded organisations that may align with our collective movement for change.
- If you are new to UNIQ You, we would love to connect — please reach out and schedule a conversation with us.
- If you are from state or federal government, we invite you to get in touch to discuss our government engagement strategy.
Looking Ahead
With 793 students already scheduled for conversations, we are confident that strong momentum will continue as we move into Q2 of 2025.
This quarter, we are excited to host our official WA launch in Perth in June, and we will soon announce details for our annual International Day of the Girl fundraising breakfast event.
We would warmly welcome any conversations — please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or any member of the team.
Val Ridley
CEO, UNIQ You
