Science was never on my radar growing up. I was the drama, history, and literature kid, until a diving trip to Thailand changed everything. My instructor had this way of explaining the complex ecological relationships happening right in front of us underwater, and something clicked. I didn’t just want to see it; I wanted to…
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…
I had no idea what I wanted to do when I was finishing school. I’d studied maths, physics and any of the hands-on elective courses that I could literally get my hands on (electronics, automotive, woodwork), because I really enjoyed taking things apart and figuring out how they worked and then putting them back together…
My journey into sustainability wasn’t a straight line. I even did an extension year in high school studying jazz guitar, but I always knew I was drawn to STEM and fascinated by buildings. I grew up and went to school in Brisbane, then moved to Melbourne to study Architecture at Deakin University. I chose architecture…
I began my construction journey in Year 10 as a non- ATAR student, where I completed a TAFE Trade Taster course and quickly realised I loved the industry. This led me to compete in the Australian WorldSkills Carpentry competition for Queensland, where I placed third. In Year 11, I completed a Certificate I in Construction…
When I left school, I had no idea I’d end up in construction — I actually studied videography. After travelling Europe on my OE, I landed a job in London with an infrastructure company, and that’s where everything changed. I realised I loved being part of something real — where ideas turn into buildings you…
I experienced a catastrophic earthquake in my home country in 2008. That’s the starting point of my career focusing on disaster management and natural hazards research. In 2015, I moved to Australia to do my PhD in Disaster Management, during which I conducted fieldwork and research to investigate the disaster management following the 2010-11 Christchurch…
When I finished high school, I took a gap year before enrolling in a Bachelor of Arts (Writing). I chose this degree because while I knew I wanted to go to uni, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to be when I grew up, but I’ve always been a “words person”. After I graduated, I…
Some people grow up knowing exactly what they want to be; that was definitely not me! High school was not a great time for me, and I missed a big chunk of my senior years due to illness. After graduating, I enrolled in a dual engineering/science degree and picked aerospace for my engineering major (because…
My journey may be slightly different than the rest! Before graduating from high school, I was offered a scholarship to study at an engineering university in Malaysia, one owned by the national oil company. That opportunity set my early career path towards the oil and gas sector, which suited my desire to travel and work…
In my final year of school, I was unsure about what career I wanted to pursue. I chose to study a dual degree in Biomedical Science and Commerce because I was interested in both areas and wanted to keep my options open. At university, I enjoyed learning and trying new things, and during my final…
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…
In year 10 my school advertised an Australian School Based Apprenticeship (ASBA) called ‘Women in Construction’. The program enabled school girls to attend site 1 day a week for 24 months, rotating between different trades every 3 months. Having no clue what I was passionate about or what I would pursue after school I gave…
My career path has evolved through a series of defining pivots. When I left school, I initially planned to pursue criminology, inspired by a version of the field that didn’t quite match the reality once I explored it further. After one semester, I shifted to studying International Politics at the University of Queensland, where I…
When I was at school, I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up, and honestly, I’m still working it out. I went to university hoping it would buy me some time, so I enrolled in a science degree at UQ and sampled everything: engineering, psychology, technology, human movements… basically career…
I did not originally plan to become a surveyor after leaving school and considered careers such as accounting, medicine, and engineering. While waiting for my STPM results (equivalent to the SSCE), I completed LCCI Levels 1–3 and considered pursuing accounting before accepting an offer to study Geomatic Engineering at a local university. After graduating, I…
In Year 10, I was torn between engineering and architecture, so I did work experience in both fields. I chose engineering because of the diverse career pathways it offered. During university, I worked part-time as a cadet engineer for a structural consulting firm while completing my degree. After three years in structural consulting post-graduation, I…
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…