Meet Dr. Kudzai Kanhutu - Infectious Disease Physician at the Royal Melbourne Hospital

Public Health has always been an important part of a functioning society. Now more than ever, Public Health measures are helping to protect the health and safety of Australians - and the world at large.

Today, as part of our series on career mentors in Public Health, we’re shining a light on DR KUDZAI KANHUTU - Infectious Diseases Doctor, Telehealth Clinical Lead and Deputy Chief Medical Information Officer at the Royal Melbourne Hospital in Victoria.

As a self-confessed health tech nerd, Dr Kudzai Kanhutu also currently sits on the board of the Health Informatics Society Australia and is the clinical reference lead for the Australian Digital Health Agency.


Guest Blog by Dr Kudzai Kanhutu

“My healthcare leadership journey began at a vaccination clinic in the outskirts of Harare, Zimbabwe.

My aunt was a nurse in charge; tasked with ensuring that all the local kids were up to date with their immunisations. Each day she saw a steady stream of mums, babies, toddlers and the occasional gangly teen trying to act cool!

My cousin, reigning under 10’s sprint queen, would patrol the clinic entrance ready to pounce on any would-be escapees! Notoriously chatty, it was my job to play the part of the vaccine evangelist - cheerfully extolling the personal and public health benefits of vaccination.

My Aunt saw leadership potential in my 8-year-old self and I intend to honour that.

Since qualifying as a doctor I have worked in sexual health clinics, with the refugee and migrant community, promoting science careers for girls and now in the burgeoning world of health technology. In all these contexts the importance of gender-aware decision making is front of mind.

Indeed, my eventual decision to become an infectious diseases specialist was driven by the pained realisation that individual outcomes from the HIV pandemic were deeply gendered. This has everything to do with structural injustice and nothing to do with the virus.”

In 2017 Dr Kudzai Kanhutu was jointly awarded the Victorian Public Healthcare Award for excellence in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse care.

A diverse and impactful career pathway

“Every day is a little bit different! But I have 4 main jobs:
1) Infectious Diseases / Public Health Doctor
2) Hospital in the Home Doctor
3) Health IT Consultant
3) Board Director

So some days I might be out on the road doing nursing home visits, seeing patients in the clinic or chatting with the IT team about things we'd like to improve with our electronic medical record system.”

Ready to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic

With a love of learning and helping people stay healthy, Dr. Kanhutu is “curiously fired up and optimistic” about the current state of the world. “A challenge of this magnitude forces us to re-imagine and refocus our energies on what really matters most to us.”

Dr. Kudzai Kanhutu’s advice for young women interested in a career in Public Health

Get some qualifications in public health. This doesn't have to be a Masters of Public Health. It might be a relevant qualification in community health for example. Through that education process, you will start to get an understanding of what area of public health really interests you most.

Find out more about the amazing work that Dr. Kudzai Kanhutu does via the Science and Technology Australia website.

Spotlight on Australia's Leading Public Health Practitioners

Today, as apart of our Pathways in Public Health feature, we are spotlighting the amazing female Public Health practitioners, who play a pivotal role in keeping Australia safe and healthy.

In partnership with Science and Technology Australia, we are excited to share the stories and incredible work of Australia’s leading Public Health Practitioners.

Kate Cole

Scientist, Engineer and Certified Occupational Hygienist (COH)

With an extensive and award-winning scientific and engineering career under her belt, Kate Cole has channeled her expertise to protect the health and safety of workers on some of Australia’s most iconic infrastructure projects.

As a Certified Occupational Hygienist (COH), Kate Cole’s key focus is on the control of respirable crystalline silica, more commonly known as “silica dust”. This direction was informed by her completion of the Winston Churchill Fellowship and her work across major construction and tunneling projects both in Australia and internationally.

Through starting her independent consultancy, Cole Health, Kate works with organizations to help businesses prevent illness and disease of their workers in high-risk industries such as construction, tunneling, demolition, and contaminated land remediation. Her work in enabling businesses to develop streamlined processes to protect their workers has positively impacted the infrastructure sector and rightfully it has awarded her recognition as one of the Top 100 Women of Influence by the Australian Financial Review and one of the Science and Technology Australia’s Superstars of STEM.

Dr. Teresa Wozniak

Epidemiologist and Research Fellow at the Menzies School of Health Research

Anyone who has come across the term ‘antibiotic resistance’ or ‘superbugs’ is well aware of the risks associated with healthcare practitioners choosing the right antibiotics for their patients. The choice resides on a delicate balance of one of two healthcare outcomes - timely recovery or treatment failure. The consequence of the latter goes far beyond the patient to become a contribution to the growing spread of superbugs.

Dr. Wozniak’s dedicated work ensures that these decisions are supported by local and timely antibiotic resistance data. Through mapping superbug hotspots across regional Australia, her aim is to provide simple solutions to curb the urgent spread of superbugs.

Starting out in medical research, Teresa later trained as an epidemiologist and currently holds a PhD in Immunology from the University of Sydney (2007) and in Public Health from University of NSW (2016).

Amongst her busy schedule, Dr. Wozniak applies her enthusiasm for diversity of thought into developing the Women in Tropical Health mentoring program to support local talent in achieving their best.

Associate Professor Heidi Smith-Vaughan

Microbiologist and Principal Research Fellow at the Menzies School of Health Research

Heidi is a microbiologist by trade with nearly 30 years experience in building an exciting career in health research in remote Australia and in neighbouring countries in the Asia-Pacific region. She has lead lab teams in antibiotic and vaccine trials, which had been integral to informing health practice and policy.

Heidi also co-developed HealthLAB, a program that travels around the Northern Territory to educate members of the public on how to measure their own health markers and perform health and lifestyle check-ups. This initiative first hand is helping to improve the lifestyle behaviours and equipping rural communities with the power to measure and asses their own health.

Alongside some of the most underrepresented women in STEM, Heidi actively works to increase women’s participation as scientists and leaders in Australia. To address the diversity divides in this industry, by helping to develops and promote school ambassador programs, gap-year traineeships, and other initiatives that create pathways for Indigenous youth in remote Australia.

Dr. Kudzai Kanhutu

Infectious Diseases Physician, Telehealth Clinical Lead and Deputy Medical Information Officer at the Royal Melbourne Hospital

Dr. Kudzai Kanhutu’s motivation for her pathway towards becoming an Infectious Diseases Physician stems from her professional and personal experiences of health inequality in her birth country Zimbabwe and in regional Australia.

In 2017, Dr. Kudzai Kanhutu was jointly awarded the Victorian Public Healthcare Award for excellence in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse care. The award paid recognition to the work she has done to develop and implement a purpose-built electronic health record and telehealth model of care for the remote management of refugee patients.

Currently, Kudzai’s research is centered around areas of virtual care, digital literacy and the impact of housing stress on refugee health outcomes.

To find out more about the incredible work that each of these Public Health Practitioners does, visit Science and Technology Australia.

Meet Georgie Swan - Head of Teach to Lead at Teach for Australia

Today, as part of our Pathways in Education spotlight, we’re sharing the insights and career journey of the fabulous Georgie Swan - Head of Teach to Lead at Teach for Australia. From majoring in Finance and Political Science at university to pursuing a purposeful career in education, Georgie embodies the true meaning of finding passion and fulfilment in one’s career.

Guest Blog by Georgie Swan

“Where to even start! I went to university straight out of secondary school as I had no real direction of what a career could look like for me. I didn't even know what a 'career' really meant.

I studied double Bachelors’ degrees in Commerce and Arts giving me a broad range of subject choices to choose from. This suited me well as I continued to not have a great deal of clue what I wanted to do post university - it was also a 5-year degree, again … I took my time!

I ended up majoring in Finance and Political Science, with a minor in Economics, and my mind started to tick over into understanding the world around me a little more.

During my uni years I was fortunate to undertake a student exchange for a semester and I chose to go to Monterrey, Mexico. Driven by wanting to go somewhere a bit different, non-english speaking and where I knew absolutely no one, I jumped on the plane full of excitement and arrived to a sinking feeling of dread - what had I done?!

But long story short - the opportunity, challenge and eye-opening experience truly shaped some of who I am today. I began to understand who I am as a person in the world, what contribution I could make, the privilege I experience and the value my education had afforded me.

I returned to Australia about 18 months later to a graduate job at PwC. This role for me taught me how to work, how workplaces operate, how to interact with different groups of people and that the corporate world - while an important grounding for me - wasn't where my passions lie. I spent 3 years at PwC and was lucky to have two of those working within the Corporate Social Responsibility Team.”

Foundation for Young Australians - Putting purpose over profit

“I always had a strong sense of social justice, and in a profit-earning workplace, I wanted to be part of the side of the business that shared their knowledge, skills and resources with the non-profit sector. This made me motivated to move into the non-profit sector.

Education felt like a natural fit for me: I see education as one of the ultimate equalisers in our society and seek to remove as many barriers as possible for young people to receive the education they deserve, regardless of where they live or were born.

This led me to the Foundation for Young Australians where I was again lucky enough to work with some really extraordinary people. I learned quickly, I was given responsibility quickly and I failed ... heaps ... but learnt to bounce back. At FYA, I worked across a number of areas of the business with one of my proudest achievements being the design and implementation of the $20 Boss program for high school students across Australia. This program reached over 6,000 students in the first year, giving them the opportunity to build a business, build their enterprise skill sets and earn themselves a profit.”

Edrolo - A brave new world of education technology!

“After three and a half years at FYA, I was ready to change things up and moved to Edrolo - an Australian education technology startup - with the vision to improve education. I was tasked with building digital resources for students in their VCE and HSC years and seeking some of Australia's best educators to support with content creation and provide students the opportunity to learn from other expert teachers beyond their own.

Edrolo reminded me (not that I ever forgot) that teachers are the ACTUAL BEST - they care so deeply for young people and build their skills and knowledge throughout schooling. Teachers, like all of us, are also constantly learning - and at Edrolo I was able to support a bunch of amazing teachers with the tech side of learning - how to get the best from Edrolo products and how to work differently with students using different techniques - all with the aim of maximising learning for young people.”

City of Melbourne - Supporting Startups + Smart Cities

“Following this, after a few conversations with former colleagues, I took up the chance to go and work at the City of Melbourne in the Smart City and emerging technology space. My role was to support the City Council on their startup action plan, which enabled me to bring together my skills in education and startups.

Throughout the year, I also had the opportunity to collaborate on the design and delivery of Melbourne Knowledge Week (MKW). MKW was 120+ events across the course of a week to showcase innovation and knowledge in Melbourne, which included everything from medical simulations using robotic technology, to the future of food in Australia. It was an incredible experience to be part of!”

Teach For Australia - Democratising Education For All

“And yet, the draw back to education was powerful. I looked around for opportunities that could bring together many of my skills, knowledge and experiences to work on creating a more equitable education system. This led me to the powerhouse that is Teach For Australia.

Teach For Australia has a bold and critically important vision, focused on equity, where every child, regardless of their background, has a greater choice for their future. We do this by recruiting and developing exceptional people to teach and lead across Australia. I found this a compelling vision. And for me, an organisation’s vision and mission are some of the most important reasons to work within them!

Teach To Lead Fellows (2018/2019) at their Expo Celebration event

So what's my role now? I get to work with aspiring leaders in schools across Australia, in particular, schools facing educational disadvantage. Through designing and delivering an effective leadership program and building up the leadership skills of teachers in leadership and change, Teach for Australia equips teachers so that they are best placed to lead their schools and students to the futures of their choosing.

It’s incredibly rewarding work and something I look forward to each and every morning! I have an AMAZING team that I work with - powerful, smart, driven educators and leaders who enable and empower each other to be their best and to deliver really excellent programming and mentoring.

Teach For Australia has for over 10 years inspired 1000's of people to become teachers and to lead schools, and I'm so proud to be part of the movement!”

Georgie’s Tips: Finding A Career That’s Right For You!

OK. So I still don't completely know what a 'career' means yet, but I do know what's worked for me!

1. Look for organisations doing things you believe in

   Work in something you care about and feel like you can contribute to with passion. For me, I tried out lots of different things, across all different sectors and have now realised that education is where I need to be.
   

2. Try things out, listen, listen, listen, make lots of mistakes - then learn from them

   All the different pathways I have taken (and will continue to take) have been rocky, yet the people I have met along the way - the inspiring role models, those who have come before me, are coming up with me - they all make it well worth it! Treasure the relationships you build with people that fire you up, because they’re the people who will sustain you!

Thanks for sharing your career story with us, Georgie!

To find out more about Teach for Australia, visit their website here.

The Future of Education: 4 Ways Education is Changing for the Better

Based on predictive findings by Fast Company and Teach Thought, the future of education is going to go through a much-needed shake-up in coming years, not withstanding the recent disruption COVID-19 has already caused to teaching and learning across the planet.

Gone are the days of rote learning for the sole purpose of ‘getting a job’. The next generation of students will experience learning in exciting personalised, differentiated and technology-driven education models, that will equip them with key skills for both life and work.

1. Personalised Learning

COVID has certainly thrown a few spanners in the works in recent times, especially when it comes to everyday schooling. In the future, it is predicted that as a society we will continue on this path of remote, mobile, autonomous and self-directed learning to make way for a highly personalised approach that places a greater emphasis on “how to learn” as opposed to “what to learn”.

This move to a more personalised and differentiated model will enable students to learn in a way that best suits them, connect them to the real world, and also help them build critical skills in independence, self-regulation and self-determination to set them up for future success.

2. Changes to Curriculum

The notion of ‘mastery’ will no longer be based on old-fashioned academic standards but instead on the degree to which today’s students can be skilled to step into tomorrow’s modern, technology-driven societies with more fluid workforces, and emerging industries tackling global issues.

Students’ knowledge and understanding will be measured by a range of non-academic factors, including their ability to build, demonstrate and master key real-world, transferrable employability skills including critical thinking, teamwork, creativity, intercultural competency, digital literacy and adaptability.

3. Education for purpose

Motivations for gaining an education will shift from going to school simply for the sole purpose of getting an education or ‘getting a job’ to critically learning about the world in relation to the self so students can better understand and contribute to ‘what must be done’ to benefit society, community and the planet.

Purposeful careers, as opposed to pure earning potential, will become the main driver behind why the next generation of students will be motivated to learn. Ultimately, this has the potential to develop macro shifts in how both economies and societies function.

4. Rethink Higher Education

Expensive degrees and increasing student debt combined with the new requisite for students to demonstrate real-world employability skills is threatening the sustainability of many universities across the world. This leaves room for innovation and the potential to unbundle traditional degrees to allow for students to move away from rote learning and instead build their own ‘stackable’ degrees, dive into real-world industry challenges and gain microcredentials through fast-tracked diplomas.

Read more at Fast Company and Teach Though.

Meet Jessica Castro - Pursuing a Pathway in the Education Sector

Guest Blog by Jessica Castro

“Hi everyone! My name is Jessica Castro and I’m in my final year studying a Masters of Teaching (Secondary) Research Pathway at The University of Melbourne. I am passionate about equipping students with critical thinking skills that get them ready for the future. My teaching philosophy is that all students should have equal access to educational opportunities and success regardless of their background. 

I am currently writing a research proposal that explores how pre-service teachers develop the skills to teach Asia Literacy in a critical way that encourages and strengthens intercultural understandings, and am also investigating pedagogical strategies for teaching Asia Literacy in current educational practice. 

Alongside my Masters, I have explored education in different settings including producing educational content for disability providers, museum education, higher education publishing and education research.

Education should be equal for all

I understand the value of education in improving opportunities in life. I am motivated to ensure that education is equally accessed and that educational success is not determined by capital. 

After graduating with my Bachelor of Arts, I aspired to build a career that would help young people.

My love of media education led me to undertake a position at The Australian Centre for the Moving Image as a volunteer facilitator of educational programs and workshops, and it was through this experience that I discovered my love of teaching.

The positive experience galvanised me to continue volunteering and teaching at non-for-profit media organisations and enrolling in the Masters of Teaching at The University of Melbourne. My Masters has awarded me with the practical experience of teaching coupled with a strong theoretical understanding of education.

My love for learning

I love being able to constantly learn! In education I have gained deeper knowledge and interest in my teaching subjects and have also experienced the priceless joy of seeing students progress in their learning.

I also love being able to assist in facilitating strong discussions that develop a student’s curiosity and critical thinking. And a bonus of working in education is being around passionate individuals and educators with values and commitment to improving the educational outcomes and wellbeing of all students.

An education degree opens doors to diverse career pathways 

There are a myriad of ways in which women can carve out successful careers in education. When we think of female educators, we often just think about the career pathway being to become a primary or high school teacher. But the reality is there are so many exciting and diverse ways in which women can get involved in the education space. This includes working as an education researcher, education publisher or even working as an education consultant. 

If you aren’t sure if you can imagine yourself as a teacher, there are so many skills and job opportunities you can explore within the education sector. Moreover, the skills you develop within teaching such as social intelligence, collaboration and sense-making are skills that are easily transferred to other professions.

An education in education really is a wise investment!

I am currently open to all opportunities to explore education in all its facets whether that be inside or outside the classroom. And at the moment I am tossing up between writing a PHD exploring Asia Literacy, working in higher education publishing or perhaps working as a politics teacher! 

Jessica’s Tips - Education and Teaching Career Pathways

1. Get out there and try it out!

   You never know what you can do until you try it! Education is diverse so don’t be afraid to apply for different opportunities - and be proactive! There are also many volunteer opportunities, internships and practical placements to explore in education. Get out there and see where they take you!
   

2. Find a mentor and ask for feedback

   If a lesson didn’t work out how you had meticulously planned for it to go, ask for feedback from your mentor. Are there areas where you could have structured the lesson better? Was there enough student agency in the lesson? Was the lesson appropriately differentiated? Seeking feedback and being reflective improves your teaching. 
   

3. Build healthy relationships with students

   You can’t teach without positive and healthy relationships. Regardless of how perfect your lesson plans are and how organised you may be, if you don’t have a positive relationship with students it just won’t work. So get to know your students and let your students know that you care by asking questions. This ensures that you can link learning and content to what they are really interested in! 
   

4. Self-care is important

Make sure you schedule some time on weekends or at night to just chill. This is easier said than done especially during placement and exam time. But it’s important to think about the self you are bringing into the classroom and to students every day. Think about what do you need to do in your spare time to ensure that you feel energised and refreshed so you show up as your best self for students.

Learn more about studying education as a career pathway.

Career Pathways in Education

Ever wanted to empower and equip the next generation? Or improve the educational outcomes for Australia’s youth from diverse backgrounds? Or change the Australian school curriculum for the better?

A career in education offers diverse opportunities to be able to leave your mark on the next generation and improve the outcomes for Australian communities.

Here are some of the career options for aspiring educators:

Early Childhood Teacher

A career as an Early Childhood Teacher is perfect for those who love working with young children. This role helps to foster and guide the development of children’s social skills, confidence, and literacy and numeracy skills.

Primary School Teacher

Primary School Teachers are tasked with educating students from ages 5 to 12. These teachers are usually generalists, instructing in subjects across the curriculum.

Secondary School Teacher

Secondary School Teachers are tasked with educating high school students in years 7 - 12.

This role requires you to specialise in 1 or 2 subject areas such as mathematics, science, English and literature, the arts, technology and enterprise, humanities and social sciences, health and physical education, or languages.

School Principal

Once qualified, teachers with substantial experience can progress and become School Principals. Successful school principals need to have outstanding communication, leadership, and organisational skills.

Education Policy

Working in education policy at the Australia Department of Education, Skills and Employment enables you to contribute to the future of Australian education on a national and international scale.

University Professor

If you dream of a life in academia, becoming a University Professor is the role for you! You’ll need a PhD in your chosen field of study in order to become an Associate or Full Professor.

To find out more about these pathways in education, visit the Mallory Australia Career Guide.

Meet Melissa Lyon - A Lawyer Doing It Differently

Melissa Lyon is an Associate Principal at Hive Legal and has successfully crafted a meaningful and fulfilling career pathway.

Today she generously shares her insights and tips on how she’s challenged the traditional constraints of the legal profession to build her ‘dream job.’

GUEST BLOG BY MELISSA LYON

"I ‘fell’ into the law. I didn’t have any lawyers in my family. My marks were good and the course looked interesting.

After university I set off with a steely focus on the traditional legal career path, and became a graduate in a law firm. I followed the general career trajectory by being promoted to Senior Associate, and then onto become a Partner practicing commercial litigation.

I had always wondered what it would be like to work as a lawyer in a top tier law firm … so I did that too.”

Joining the Dots Toward a Fulfilling Career

“But…. I always knew that I wanted to do something different and that’s when I reflected on what I had really enjoyed studying and the parts of my job that were fulfilling and motivating. I realised that I loved joining the dots, bringing things, ideas, concepts, skills, experiences and, most importantly, people, together to create better outcomes that worked for people.  That’s when I began my series of ‘career pivots’ - and I celebrate those pivots every single day!”

The Initial Pivot

“My first move was into a business development role, helping lawyers build better relationships with their clients. My next pivot was to join an innovation law firm, Hive Legal, where I could bring together my understanding of the legal industry, business development skills, creativity and a different way of thinking to improve the experience for the people I work with and our clients.

So … now I am a Design Thinker. I encourage people to be empathetic, creative, collaborative and to be willing to experiment. In doing so, I help our clients to design human-centred solutions for their problems.

I also help lawyers to develop the mindset they need to design solutions for their clients, which ranges from products and processes to strategies. And I also work with my fellow ‘Hivesters’ so we have a workplace that continues to improve the experience for all those involved.

Day to day I get to do some really cool things such as working collaboratively with lawyers and digital designers to develop an animated privacy policy, and build chatbots to help people work out the purpose of their projects (Bee Purposeful).”

Bringing a Human-Centered Approach to Law

“Why do I do what I do now? Because there is a growing appetite to change the way the legal profession works. Traditional constraints are being challenged and, even though it is slow progress, the profession is starting to see how important it is to bring a more human approach to law.

I love being part of that change and I think my pivots have allowed me to do that. They have also helped me get to a place in my career where I feel fulfilled and challenged. For that reason, my personal purpose is to work towards changing things up so that those coming in to the legal profession, and especially women, get to enjoy their experiences working in the law as soon as they can, and perhaps way before I got to!”

My Top 5 Tips For Those Interested In A Legal Career

o    Don’t get stuck on one path - look for your pivots!

o    Be brave and dare to think differently

o    Be purposeful

o    Talk to people and learn from their experiences

o    You don’t have to be a lawyer - there are diverse roles in the legal industry

Learn more about Melissa Lyon’s work.

10 Jobs you can do with a Law Degree

In Australia approximately 15,000 law students graduate each year into an industry where only 66,000 solicitors in total are practicing. Therefore, competition for legal careers in today’s employment market is astoundingly high.

However non-legal career options and emerging jobs for new law graduates as well as established lawyers are on the rise. Below are 10 diverse career pathways for those wanting to take their hard-earned legal skills in another direction.

1. Journalism

Practicing lawyers and law graduates possess key skills that make them excellent journalists - high attention to detail, natural scepticism, writing skills and knowledge of Australia's complex political and legal system.

Famous Australian journalists who have law degrees under their belt include Waleed Aly, Andrew O’Keefe, Liz Jackson and Annabel Crabb.

2. Management Consulting

A law degree teaches you how to think critically and problem solve - some of the key skills required for becoming a management consultant. Top tier management consulting firms such as Boston Consulting Group and McKinsey & Company encourage law graduates to apply to their annual graduate programs.

Practicing lawyers are also in high demand for management consulting firms as they have great experience working with corporate organisations and wealthy clients.

3. Human Resources

Lawyers and law graduates often make an easy transition to HR as they have the ability to apply employment laws and mitigate risks relating to employees’ health and safety.

4. Politics

Lawyers and law graduates transition easily into working in the world of politics as their skills for argumentation, advocacy and a critical understanding of Australia’s political system are very useful in Parliament.

Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and former Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop both have law degrees.

5. Judge's Associate

The role of a judge’s associate, whilst still in the legal industry, allows you to develop your legal research skills in a different capacity to that of a lawyer. The additional benefit of this pathway is that the salary is often higher in comparison to that of graduate roles in law firms.

6. Wealth management + Investment Banking

Legal knowledge is incredibly helpful for wealth managers and investment bankers who want to find a way around banking laws and loopholes to deliver the best financial outcomes for clients and institutional investors.

Practicing lawyers easily transition into banking and finance as they have an innate understanding of the corporate world and know how to manage and bill time effectively.

7. Police Prosecutor

Not too far removed from the legal system, police prosecutors are tasked with investigating crimes and deciding whether or not the circumstances satisfy instigation of legal proceedings.

In the past, law graduates would have needed to spend three years in the police force to become a police prosecutor. However, since 2008, graduates in NSW have been able to apply for an Accelerated Prosecutors Recruitment Program.

8. Advocacy

The advocacy pathway enables law graduates to apply their argumentation, attention to detail, critical thinking skills and ability to influence decisions for causes they feel strongly about.

The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) often list positions online and is a great place for law graduates to start their search for a job in advocacy.

9. Consulting

Different from management consulting, the “Big Four” accounting firms - PWC, KPMG, Deloite and EY - have their own legal services arms.

As a lawyer or law graduate, moving into a role within a consulting or accounting firm enables you to expand your skillset and expertise beyond traditional legal firms.

10. Legal Recruitment

Legal recruitment is a great option that lawyers can easily transition into using their expansive knowledge of the legal industry, legal skills and utilising their professional contacts.

Learn more about legal careers and the job market in Australia.

Meet Dr. Susanna Cramb - Pursuing a Purposeful Career in Mathematics

Dr. Susanna Cramb is a Strategic Research Fellow at the Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation at the Queensland University of Technology. As a Superstar of STEM, she is currently uncovering the disparities that influence chronic disease outcomes through mathematics.

Guest Blog by Dr. Susanna Cramb

“Do you enjoy manipulating numbers but feel maths is too theoretical to make a real-world difference?
Think again!

Part of the challenge in choosing a career is that at school we are taught the building blocks, but it’s nothing like working in the field. Most biologists don’t dissect toads each day, and most mathematicians/statisticians aren’t spending their time manually solving calculus.

Instead, a career in maths allows you to take your passions and interests, and combine it with data analysis or modelling to create your dream career.”

People + purpose

“My main drive is to help people. Because I did well in science and maths in high school, medicine seemed to be an obvious choice. No-one ever suggested I could take my skills in maths and use them to help people!

But through a series of unlikely events I came to work in epidemiology and statistics-related research and absolutely loved it! Not only can I help my students pursue their career goals and develop as independent researchers, but I have seen the government act on my research to make it easier for patients living in rural areas of Queensland to access medical treatment.

I am now very enthusiastic about encouraging others to pursue a career in maths/statistics. But how do you know if it’s for you?”

My top tips for finding your dream career in maths!

1.   Try it out

Take every opportunity to experience what it is like to work in maths/statistics. Do internships (e.g. APR.Intern and others offer great opportunities in this realm), or summer vacation scholarships at your local university to try it out.

2.   Expand your interests

Join professional associations – they normally offer cheap rates for uni students and also often feature career nights and other relevant activities. Get involved in their councils and network with other members. This could help you understand more about what job opportunities are possible, and may land you internships or job offers also.

Not at university yet? Engage with a citizen science project with a mathematical component, like the Virtual Reef Diver. Or get your school to engage with Mathscraft, where you can experience maths in action! Attend maths-inspired public talks at the World Science Festival and other events like public lectures, or listen to podcasts like this one - https://acems.org.au/podcast.

3.   Be true to yourself!

Do you love numbers but find your eyes glazing over with extensive formulae? Then go for an applied option. Find the opposite to be true? Then aim to focus on theory. The sky is the limit as you fashion a career to match your unique skills and interests.

4.   Build your communication skills

Applied mathematicians have a diverse group of people they need to communicate with including industry, government, peers, scientists, community groups and more! Try out different mediums. I have created lego videos explaining statistical concepts (e.g. The Risky Odds, available at: https://tinyurl.com/LegoOdds), spoken about my research at Pint of Science, engaged with school students through individual presentations and during panel sessions, and presented at government symposia and large international conferences. Social media is a powerful tool to communicate and also engage with others, so create a professional account for your career purposes.

5.   Finally, make sure you enjoy the journey!

Throughout your life you keep changing and growing, and a career that is perfect one day may leave you unfulfilled the next. So keep stretching yourself and be willing to change direction. A career in maths enables great variety and flexibility!

I wish you all the very best as you pursue your dreams!
If you’d like to hear more about my journey, see https://tinyurl.com/SusannaC

Learn more about Dr Cramb’s work.

Career Spotlight: Meet Australia's Leading Female Mathematicians

Maths can sometimes get a bad wrap. But the reality is, maths helps us understand the world and enables society to solve complex and real problems - like pandemic infection rates, predictive analytics and patterns of climate change!

In fact, it is only through maths that we can explain water contamination in third-world countries; the science behind some of the world’s most impressive architecture (think of Gaudi’s phenomenal La Sagrada Familia); and space-time theory that enables us to learn more about how the universe works!

Actually, the application of maths, and in particular mathematical modelling, has been critical to guiding policies and analysing data on the COVID-19 virus in Australia and throughout the world. Without maths, we wouldn’t be able to meaningfully communicate and protect one another during times of crisis, and understand incidence patterns of infection and mortality.

So this week, to celebrate the field of mathematics, we’re shining a spotlight on Australia’s most amazing female mathematicians who are making their mark on the world.

Dr. Beena Ahmed

Senior Lecturer, School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications,
University of New South Wales

Dr. Beena Ahmed is actively using data and machine learning algorithms to improve our lives and assist in the work of healthcare providers. Through collecting data on our speech, heart rate and brain waves non-invasively, Dr. Ahmed works at the intersection of health and technology to find solutions for disordered speech detection, dementia detection from speech, disordered sleep monitoring and stress prediction and self-regulation.

Dr. Ahmed received her PhD in 2004 from the University of New South Wales, where she is currently the Senior Lecturer at the School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications.

Professor Asha Rao

Associate Dean of Mathematical Sciences, School of Science, RMIT University
Founding Chair of ‘Women in Maths.’

Professor Asha Rao is a trans-disciplinary researcher whose work has ranged from mathematics and communication technologies to social media and architecture. Her highly regarded research addresses the issues of fraud and money-laundering, which has resulted in invitations to participate in national and international bodies, including the 4th United Nations Intergovernmental meeting on Cybercrime in 2018.

As Program Director for Information Security, Professor Rao has holistically incorporated management and business into a highly technical degree, equipping her students with the tools and critical thinking to address the complexities of the cybersecurity industry.

On top of her incredible work, Professor Rao is also the Founding Chair of Women in Maths, where she has played a pivotal role in introducing initiatives to improve gender equity within the mathematical sciences.

Dr Kate Selway

Earth Scientist, ARC Future Fellow,
Macquarie University.

Dr Kate Selway is a passionate Earth Scientist who uses mathematical models of her data, taken from the earth’s surface, to explore ore deposits and improve measurements of ice loss from ice sheets.

Awarded with a PhD from the University of Adelaide in 2007, Dr Selway continued working in research positions, including an ARC Postdoctoral Fellowship, until 2012. She has also worked abroad in postdoctoral research positions at Yale University (2012-2013), Columbia University (2013-2015) and the University of Oslo (2015-2016).

Dr Selway commenced an ARC Future Fellowship at Macquarie University in 2017, where she has led research teams through the deserts of central Australia, the savannas of East Africa and the frozen landscapes of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets.

Dr Susanna Cramb

Strategic Research Fellow, Institute of Health & Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology.
Honorary Fellow, Menzies School of Health Research.

Dr. Susanna Cramb is a Strategic Research Fellow whose research aims to quantify and uncover the differences in chronic disease outcomes that occur from survival disparities such as one’s geographical location.

As someone who initially wanted to pursue a career in medicine, it was only after Dr. Cramb studied a Bachelor of Applied Science in Medical Science and Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine from QUT, that she discovered her love for statistics.

In 2015, Dr. Cramb was awarded a PhD in Biostatistics. To date, her work has played a pivotal role in informing government policy aimed at reducing cancer inequalities based on residential location.

To meet and learn more about some of the amazing career pathways in mathematics, please visit ACEMS Women in Maths Spotlight.

Source: Science & Technology Australia

Meet Sarah Ward-Ambler - A Pathway to Policy

A current Bachelor of Arts student and SUPERSTAR editor of girledworld’s upcoming book, You Are Not Your Face, Sarah Ward-Ambler shares her experiences and wisdom as a young woman paving a pathway in the world of policy making.

Guest Blog By Sarah Ward-Amber

“Hi everyone! I’m Sarah Ward-Ambler and I’m currently studying a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Melbourne, majoring in Politics and International Relations, and History.” 

My pathway from Arts to Politics         

“I’ve always been incredibly interested in the power structures that underpin our society, and the reasons behind the policy and law as they exist today.

When I started my Arts Degree, I was really unsure of where I wanted it to take me. Mainly I was looking for a social, intellectual and personal challenge from a transition into University and residential College.

I was also really excited to spend the next three years growing and developing myself, regardless of what came in my life and career pathway after university.

I started my Arts Degree on a very broad path. For my first year and a half, I focused on Philosophy and Art History, hoping these would be my majors. Sitting in lectures felt like watching a Ted Talk that you never want to end, and tutorials were energising conversations full of intellectual rigour and emotional drive!

Coffee Break on campus at the University of Melbourne

In fact, I was loving being at Uni so much that I started to look at what would be required of me to complete a Masters after my Arts degree, and how this might translate into a career post-graduation.

Upon looking at the subject breakdowns of Masters courses, I realised that one of the most important things in my chosen career pathway is the ability to make an impact on the world, and to make tangible, progressive change. And this is what led me to reconsider the path of my Arts degree, and change my majors to Politics and International Relations and History.

After this move, I felt actively involved in the path my university course was taking. Class discussion mirrored one I could see myself having in a career, and the people around me had similar visions to me about where they wanted to end up.

I was, and still am as I finish my third year, actively excited about my course and the pathway it could take me in the future! “

My passion for real-world global change

“What I love most about my field is the real-life application that I can see in my studies. My specialisation of Cold War Asia as it relates to US policy has real-world ramifications with legacies that are evident to this day. Through learning about the Cold War conflicts in Korea and Vietnam and how it has shaped the global arena, my knowledge and experience of the countries’ current political operations are enriched. 

I also love that this pathway opens me up to so many options that can enact real, noticeable change in Australia, and the world. Plus, this is a field that is so broad and diverse that my career could naturally evolve and allow me to live anywhere.

The bonus is that the people I’ve come across in my course are smart, hard-working, inspired and so motivating to talk to! They’re passionate about their field and are endlessly supportive in helping me get started in policy.”

So where am I headed next?

“After my graduation, I’m looking at completing either a Masters of International Development or a Masters of International Relations. I’m also hoping to get some work experience in big NGO’s such as the Red Cross, Human Rights Watch or Amnesty International, plus I will also be applying for internships in the State and Federal governments in Australia. I am currently building a portfolio of policy writing pieces, and researching the type of graduate jobs that would align with what I want from the early years of my career!”

Tips for anyone thinking about a career pathway into policy and politics

1: Be thoughtful and considerate in your opinions

Try to consume news and academic publications that don’t necessarily align with your natural political stance. Being able to do well in these areas isn’t necessarily about whether you can make the best argument, but about how well you can consider all evidence and make a reasonable judgment from it. 

2: Start conversations

Try and start conversations with your friends and family about things that you’re interested in. This is an excellent way to learn and challenge your opinions, and you never know what types of insights into politics or policy they can let you in on!

3: Just start!

It’s ok if you don’t know what you’re interested in, or which career pathway you want to take. But the best way to learn is to start exploring by reading, watching, learning and talking to people from a diverse range of fields!

Meet Hannah Beder - Computer Scientist and 2020 NSW Young Woman of the Year

GUEST BLOG BY HANNAH BEDER

ABOUT HANNAH
An accomplished computer scientist and 2020 NSW Young Woman of the Year, Hannah Beder is passionate about addressing the gender disparity in STEM by mentoring other young women in the technology industry.

Hannah’s visibility and professional success help to combat the notion that 'you can't be what you can't see'. She currently works as a Creative Technologist with Creatable, holds teaching positions with UNSW, Code Like A Girl and MoneyGirl, and through her phenomenal work empowers scores of other young women in the technology industry to exist safely, envision bright futures and succeed.

From school to study choices to real-world skill-building.

“When I was younger I had several creative hobbies and a seemingly disparate set of skills. At school my subjects were equally divided with music and languages on one side, and maths and physics on the other. It was a pretty tricky set of hobbies to distill into one pathway, but I knew that I enjoyed problem-solving so engineering seemed like a good place to start!

I came to uni completely new to the field of engineering, never having programmed before. But when it came to technical skills I arrived with nothing and left with everything. I explored subjects ranging from data structures and algorithms to databases, concurrency to human-computer interaction, web application development to data compression and search. I was even able to take some music subjects within my Computer Science degree, too!

I was also given the opportunity to be an academic tutor and lab demonstrator. This role consolidated my technical knowledge while building my skills in empathy, education, and communication. The reality is that as a software engineer, both technical skills and interpersonal skills are necessary in the workplace, so I’m grateful to have learned those human skills while studying, too. 

How to find your people and unlock your passions.

What I love about my career in technology is the community. The most valuable thing I took away from my time studying was the support of my peers and teachers. Particularly, my thesis supervisor Dr Nadine Marcus was instrumental in guiding me through my Honours and encouraging me to apply for the UNSW CSE Anita Borg Award, which I received in 2017.

This recognition for and encouragement of my work promoting women in STEM was incredibly humbling. It pushed me to continue my pursuits in this field and to be open and upfront about where my passions lie.

Passion is contagious! The communities around me have been incredibly supportive, and the award in 2017 provided a stepping stone to be awarded 2019 ‘Young Urban Inspirational Woman of the Year’ by Rotary Darling Harbour and 2020 ‘NSW Young Woman of the Year’ by the NSW Government. 

Tech career pathways from Google to Creatable.

My career has also taken me to many places. I’ve enjoyed Software Engineering internships with Google in both Sydney and Seattle, I’ve worked at a small AI start-up and more recently at Macquarie Bank.

I’ve also continued teaching programming to young people at UNSW and beyond, with entities like Girls’ Programming Network and Code Like A Girl. I currently work as a Creative Technologist with Creatable, a creative technology program that ignites a passion for creativity expressed through technology and prepares young women for the future of work.

And remember, everything is learnable!

The most interesting things happen at the intersections of different disciplines and industries, and sitting in that overlap is one of the best parts of my profession. Without a guiding purpose, programming can seem a lot harder than it truly is.

The real power lies in its ability to bring ideas to life and solve real-world problems. Framing programming and other STEM skills in this way also makes it feel far more accessible to women and other minorities who may not recognise their aptitude within the realm of STEM.

For any young women considering a career in technology, please know that you already have everything within you that you need to succeed. Everything is learnable. Finding friends and learning new things together can make the task seem less daunting. And just remember - it’s meant to be fun!

Meet Jeanette Cheah - Co-founder of Hacker Exchange + Youth Catalyst

GUEST BLOG by JEANETTE CHEAH

I'm Jeanette Cheah, Co-founder and CEO of Hacker Exchange.

Hacker Exchange works with students and early-stage founders all around the world, helping them to turn their ideas into reality and launch their very own startups.

We work across great startup and entrepreneurship ecosystems such as Silicon Valley in California, Tel Aviv in Israel, Singapore, Melbourne in Australia, virtually, and more. 

Before I founded Hacker Exchange in 2017, I actually worked for about 14 years at some of Australian's biggest companies like ANZ Bank and Origin Energy. That experience gave me a really good background in understanding how a business works from the inside.

From an academic perspective, my studies were in economics, sociology, and postgraduate marketing. Plus I also up-skilled in user experience design because I thought it was really important for me to understand the technology side of things, and how a business person can translate their knowledge into tech.

But when it came to me transitioning from the corporate world to the startup world, there were a few things that definitely influenced that decision. 

Firstly, I was looking for an opportunity so I could stretch my muscles and run as fast as I possibly could, without the constraints that are around you when you're in a corporate business. Don't get me wrong - the restraints are there for a reason! They are important to protect a company's shareholders and customers. But for me, I felt like that environment was putting a lid on how quickly I could move and how far I could reach as an individual. And I wanted to really challenge myself to see what I could achieve without boundaries.

Secondly, it was about passion. I found myself becoming increasingly passionate about helping people: to get their voices heard, turn their ideas into reality, and discover their potential. So by becoming an entrepreneur in the education sector, it was a chance for me to channel that passion into something that could tangibly - and actually - change lives and career trajectories. 

Finally, from a financial and lifestyle perspective making that step and transition was a huge change for me. It was a big change from even the way I think, act and dress! Gone were the suits, the 'work mask' and a fear of speaking out of turn, and in came the t-shirts, my authentic voice - and a true expression of who I am!

I am more than grateful for the decision I made over 3 years ago.

However, in hindsight, I probably wasn't 100% ready for all of the ups and downs and twists and turns of entrepreneurship!

And when I reflect on the journey, neither corporate nor startups are better than the other - I'm just really glad I got to experience both. But, now, as an entrepreneur, I get to live my passion and work with people that I love every single day. And if I do my job well as a CEO, one day my startup could grow into a big business too!

For anyone who is curious about getting into entrepreneurship or starting their own business, I have three simple bits of advice.

Tip #1: TAKE SMALL STEPS

Be action-orientated. Take a really small step in the direction that you're passionate about, even the small actions can have a big payoff. They'll also help you build confidence as you see the progress you're making. 

Tip #2: FIND YOUR TRIBE

Really embrace your community. The people around you have your back and they'll support you as you go through the journey, it's pretty tricky to do it alone. I loved finding a tribe of founders who I could bounce ideas off whenever I was stuck. 

Tip #3: BE SEEN

Be courageous! As Brene Brown says, courage is about stepping up and letting yourself be seen. And now more than ever, we need more courageous entrepreneurs and innovators to change the world. 

Good luck! I can't wait to see the new innovations and startups that will come from this next generation!