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…
I studied chemical engineering in uni because I enjoyed math and chemistry in high school, even though I wasn’t completely sure what career it would lead to. I knew an engineering degree would open doors and give me options. In my third year, I started exploring what those options could look like through internships. I…
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…
Throughout school, my main focus was competing in athletics and sport. I enjoyed being active and challenging myself, and my favourite subjects included biology, physical education, and humanities. While I enjoyed learning, I didn’t have a clear idea of what I wanted to become after school and struggled to see a career path that felt…
My journey is not so different to most others, I had NO clue what I wanted to do all throughout school and even through my first years of university. I stuck to studying what I liked and what I was interested in (economics and psychology), purely so I wouldn’t get bored during the long 4…
As a kid, I was obsessed with re-planning my room and begged my parents to take me to open house inspections, imagining how I’d redesign every space. After high school, I wasn’t sure what to do—architecture sounded amazing, but the maths and science felt scary at the time. I finished a Bachelor of Commerce, but…
All through high school I had no idea what I wanted to do but after completing a business diploma I realised, I wanted a career that blended creativity with analytical thinking and ultimately one day be a fearless boss lady. That led me to a double degree in business (marketing) and design (visual communication), where…
I had no idea what I wanted to do when I left school, just that I liked maths and that was about it. Off I went to study a Maths and Finance degree. At the end of uni, I really wanted to find a practical application of maths and so I landed a graduate role…
I often say I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up – and honestly, do we ever really know? I once wanted to be a fashion designer but instead chose the broadest degree I could think of to build a strong foundation. I believe it’s my attitude, willingness to learn, and…
I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do when I left school, but I knew I wanted to work with people and have variety in my day. I took a gap year to work and travel, exploring different paths. After experiences in retail, hospitality, and travelling to Italy, I realised I enjoyed helping others…
From a young age, I knew I wanted to pursue a trade. I entered the resources industry straight out of school and earned my Mechanical Trade qualifications four years later. My career has taken me across oil and gas, construction, building maintenance, mining, and rail – both in Australia and overseas. Often the only woman…
Driven by curiosity about how business works, I started my career in marketing and brand management and made it all the way up to Director of Marketing and Public Relations for the Russian Bobsleigh Federation. To take it to the next step, I went to Singapore to study an MBA. At that time innovation and…
While my corporate career hasn’t followed a traditional path, I consider myself a collaborative, commercially astute, and action-oriented leader, who has a proven track record of driving benefits-led organisational change, process improvement, and digital transformation programs within large, complex, and heavily regulated operating environments. During the past 5+ years with Origin Energy, I have developed…
When I was in high school, I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to do. I enjoyed graphics and physics, which naturally pointed me toward engineering. While I found engineering interesting, I struggled with the theory-heavy side of university, and maths was never my strongest area. To make sense of it all, I looked for…
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…
I lacked a clear career path after school. In year 10, a 3-day multimedia class at the University of Queensland sparked my interest in the field, and I planned to pursue it after high school. However, family influence steered me towards an undergraduate degree in Information Technology (Systems). After graduating during the Dot Com bubble,…
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…
Coming out of high school, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. So I enrolled in a bachelor of commerce, majoring in actuarial studies. Later in university, I discovered a passion for econometrics—the use of statistics and data to understand and predict economic trends. I went on to complete honours and a master’s in…
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…