I had no idea what I wanted to do other than leave school. I worked in retail, hospitality and as a labourer for the first few years of my working life and completed a TAFE course in Travel and Tourism. I was unable to secure work in that field so I started asking my friends…
I began my mining and industrial operations career at Bell Bay Aluminium as a shift operator. During my time there, I progressed through a variety of roles, including Process Controller, Supervisor, and Trainer and Assessor, gaining extensive experience in operations, leadership, and workforce development. After five years, I transitioned into Maintenance Coordinating, where I was…
I didn’t know what I wanted to do, so I studied Commerce as I thought that was general enough to keep my options open. When looking for jobs, everything sounded dull, except one – Graduate Energy Trader. To me, that sounded really fun and interesting, and thankfully I got the job! 6 months in I…
My journey has been shaped by a deep connection to community, culture, and creating opportunities for others. Growing up, I saw both the challenges and the strength that exist within our communities, which inspired me to pursue a career focused on making a difference. As a proud Indigenous woman, I have always believed that meaningful…
When I was at school, I enjoyed science and math but was also really interested in business management. I wanted to study something that had a clear and defined job at the end so chose Engineering & Business Management. When I finished university, I became a Project Engineer and started working on site at an…
Becoming an engineer was not my first option. I initially wanted to be a doctor, but luckily I realised soon enough that, not being able to withstand blood wouldn’t take me too far in medicine. I took professional advice from a psychologist who told me I should choose a career that did BIG VISIBLE things.…
When I finished school, I thought university was the only pathway to success. I completed two university degrees and spent years working in government compliance before realising I wanted a career where I could build something tangible every day. Starting a bricklaying apprenticeship as an adult completely changed my life. Today I’m one of Australia’s…
With over 20 years’ experience in the education sector, I began my career as a Physical Education teacher before moving into Senior Schooling and career development. Throughout my career, I have enjoyed helping students discover and achieve their desired pathways during and beyond school. As both an educator and business owner, I have always seen…
My teaching journey began as a secondary science teacher, driven by a passion for making science engaging, relevant and accessible for all students. Alongside classroom teaching, I took on the roles of STEAM Coordinator and Science Outreach Coordinator at Beenleigh State High School, where I developed innovative, curriculum-aligned programs, built partnerships with universities and research…
I have been working in education for over 30 years as a high school teacher, teaching in classrooms across Australia and the UK. Throughout my career, I have taught across multiple faculties, including Creative Arts and STEM, which has given me a broad perspective on student learning and development. Over the past five years, I…
After coming to senior school teaching later on in my working life, I found myself in a series of roles in the education space outside of the traditional classroom. These roles were supporting disengaged young people back to learning, training and employment and they have now evolved into my current role as a VET Coordinator.…
Before discovering my passion for education, I built a successful career in business, leading finance, operations and strategic improvement across multiple industries. That experience shaped my strengths in systems thinking, data analysis and organisational leadership, which I brought with me when transitioning into teaching 7 years ago. After completing a Master of Learning and Teaching…
With more than ten years of experience in this regional leadership role, Peta-Anne has led and supported a broad range of collaborative projects and strategic partnerships that create meaningful opportunities for students, staff, schools, and local communities. She is passionate about bringing people together to build strong networks that enhance educational outcomes and strengthen community…
My journey into education began unexpectedly when a desire to travel led me to accept a teaching position in South Korea. What started as an overseas adventure quickly became a rewarding career, inspiring me to complete a Master of Education (Education Technology), which combined my creative arts and digital media background and ultimately led me…
My journey as an educator is shaped by resilience, curiosity, and a deep commitment to expanding opportunity. After immigrating to Australia as a skilled professional, I built a career in education spanning over 15 years across Careers, VCE and VET in Computing, Digital Media, and Chinese. I have led curriculum innovation as Head of Digital…
My journey as an educator has spanned more than 27 years across mathematics and STEM education. Throughout that time, I have held a variety of leadership and teaching roles, but my passion has always remained the same: helping students discover their potential through learning. I believe education is most powerful when students are challenged to…
I grew up on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland and didn’t have any special talents – just a strong interest in maths and science, and a preference for learning by doing. I also knew I wanted a career that got me outside. At different points in my life I wanted to be a vet, physicist,…
In high school, I wanted to be a journalist. I left after Year 10 and went to secretarial school instead. At 16, I started working as a Records Officer for Dept Transport. I fell pregnant and was let go, so I moved on to admin jobs in law offices until my son was born. To…
In high school, physiotherapy was often suggested as a career path because I was strong in STEM and enjoyed sport. But I wanted variety and problem solving, so I chose to study a degree in Construction Management instead. That decision shaped a career I’m incredibly proud of. Construction has given me the variety I wanted…
During high school I had no idea what career path I would take – I had a passion for dancing (at one point I actually thought I wanted to pursue that full time) but also enjoyed academics. I ended up studying a dual degree of Journalism and Law at university – not because I knew…