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Paula Douglas

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…

Sharnte Butler

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…

Pooja Arora

I’ve always believed that when you take care of people, success follows naturally. As a child, I dreamed of becoming a teacher, tutoring kids who couldn’t afford lessons. Science fascinated me, leading me to a master’s in software engineering while keeping my passion for dance alive. Excelling academically, I secured top placements. After moving to…

Rose Pedler

I was living in Queensland from 12 years old and completed my Cert 3 in Business Administration straight out of high school because I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I also knew that university wasn’t for me as I struggled to study and complete assignments. I now know that I am ADHD. After…

Claudia Zapata Aquino

Since I was a kid, I loved maths, which led me to pursue engineering. From a young age, I was captivated not just by how things were built, but by how they were made. By 15, this curiosity drove me toward Industrial Engineering, where I could combine my analytical (math) skills with my interest in…

Cristina Olivie Molina

I enrolled in Industrial Engineering in Madrid after school mainly because it was a broad field, and, although I knew I had an interest in engineering, I wasn’t sure what career I wanted. Through various courses, I found Electrical Engineering interesting and decided to study it further. I spent a year abroad in the US,…

Sana Fazal

I had a set journey right from the beginning where I knew I had to choose between two career paths – medicine or engineering. I chose electrical engineering with a focus on power generation, which led to an exciting opportunity with a major power generation, transmission, and distribution company in Pakistan. My career began as…

Piper Workman

In high school, I was always into maths and science, which led me to pursue engineering. I’ve always had a passion for the environment, and I knew I wanted a career that would make a real difference, so I decided to specialise in photovoltaic engineering, in other words solar panel engineering! During university I landed…

Kethmi Upeka

When I was younger, I wanted to be a doctor. But growing up in a Sri Lankan family, becoming an engineer was one of the top professions my mum encouraged me to consider. Looking back, I’m so glad I chose this path because it suits me perfectly, and the work-life balance at Department of Transport…

Katherine Hall

I really didn’t know what I wanted to do when I left school, though I felt pulled to go to university. I decided to hedge my bets, and study a double degree in Business (Advertising) and Creative Industries (Media & Communication). There were elements of my degrees that I really enjoyed (consumer behaviour, strategic communication,…

Brodie Barker

After graduating high school with some uncertainty clouding my career path, I embarked on a journey to explore various interests and passions. I stumbled upon the intricacies of law, intrigued by its ability to shape and safeguard society with the possibility of being able to help people. With a newfound determination, I pursued a law…

Kiersten Graae

My journey started with a simple mantra from my parents: ‘You’re either earning or learning.’ Uncertain about my future, I bypassed immediate university entry, opting for real-world experience. After graduation, I landed a full-time receptionist role at a small construction firm, but faced a setback when I lost the job at 19 due to taking…

Brooke James

I am a Construction Coordinator in Civil Construction. When I left school, I was like many others in my year and didn’t quite know what I wanted to do next. After many conversations with my parents, we thought I’d enjoy being a beauty therapist, so I went and completed a Diploma in Beauty Therapy. I…

Navjot Kaur

As an average student in Year 10 I hated Maths, Economics, Physics etc (anything with numbers) but coped well with other Science subjects like Biology and Chemistry. My dad was an agricultural scientist and I visited his University. I liked the campus and decided to take the entrance exam for Agriculture Science. To my surprise,…

Stephanie Castaldo

I left “mainstream school” at the end of Year 10 because I knew I wasn’t going to do well in my exams and get a good ATAR. I could never sit still or concentrate very well and was easily distracted. I moved to a sports school for Netball, to complete my Year 11 and 12…

Saba Munir Ahmed

I studied Electrical Engineering overseas and then I got married. Soon after graduation I came to Australia. My husband and I started our family and I decided to be a stay at home mum until kids were in school. Now I am a mother to 2 boys and now that they are in school I…

Chantelle Love

I grew up in NSW riding horses and playing hockey. I moved to QLD when I was in grade 6 and started going to work with my dad during the school holidays. I studied woodwork & engineering at school as electives. In grade 12 I was offered a position at Gold Coast School of Construction…

Darcy Modina

I’m Darcy, a Senior Development Manager with a civil engineering and construction background, passionate about building communities and breaking stereotypes in the construction and property industries. I started my career as a civil engineer, delivering infrastructure and subdivision projects onsite before transitioning into property development. Now, I lead projects from concept to construction, working with…