STEM Careers Handbook 2020-21 by GradAustralia

THE STEM CAREERS Handbook

Published by

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CONTENTS Introduction

Chapter 2: Industries

Foreword �� 2 How to use this guide �� 4

Accounting and advisory ��102 Aerospace ��108 Agriculture ��112 Banking and financial services ��114 Charity, social work and volunteering ��132 Chemical and materials processing ��134 Construction and property services ��136 Cybersecurity ��146 Defence ��152 Education and training ��164 Electronics ��168 Energy and utilities ��170 Engineering services ��176 Health ��188 Law ��190 Management consulting ��194 Manufacturing ��200 Maritime ��204 Mining, oil and gas ��206 Pharmaceuticals ��224 Public sector ��226 Retail and consumer goods ��246 Technology ��256 Telecommunications ��272 Transport and logistics ��274

Employer directory listing Employers hiring STEM graduates �� 6

Chapter 1: Degrees

Engineering degrees ��19 Aerospace engineering ��20 Chemical engineering ��22 Civil engineering ��24 Electrical and electronic engineering ��26 Environmental engineering ��28 Manufacturing engineering ��30 Marine engineering ��32 Materials engineering ��34 Mechanical engineering ��36 Mining engineering ��38 Petroleum engineering ��40 Renewable energy engineering ��42 Robotics and mechatronics engineering ��44 Mathematics degrees ��47 Actuarial science ��48 Mathematics ��50 Statistics ��52 Technology degrees ��55 Artificial intelligence ��56 Computer graphics and animation ��58 Computer systems and networks ��60 Cybersecurity ��62 Data science ��64 Design and user experience ��66 Software engineering ��68 Science degrees ��71 Agriculture ��72 Biochemistry ��74 Biology ��76 Chemistry ��78 Earth science ��80 Environmental science ��82 Food and nutritional science ��84 Forensic science ��86 Marine science ��88 Medicine and medical science ��90 Physics ��92 Psychology ��94 Sports science ��96 Veterinary science ��98 Published by: GradAustralia Writing and editing: Jaymes Carr, James Davis, Brianne Turk, Melody Dexter Creative producer: Patricia Anne Bellido Additional design: Iya Briones Advertising: Geoff Adams: geoff.adams@prosple.com Grant Robson: grant.robson@prosple.com Jordan Hunt: jordan.hunt@prosple.com Sam McDonald: sam.mcdonald@prosple.com Jeremy Farrugia: jeremy.farrugia@prosple.com Publisher: Prosple ISBN: 978-0-6484930-3-7 ISSN: 2209-234X Volume 3, October 2020

Chapter 3: Women in STEM Women in STEM ��280

Chapter 4: Preparing for university Specialist vs generalist ��290 Five year checklist ��293 Researching and choosing the right organisation ��294 Writing a CV and cover letter ��296 Sample cover letter ��298 How to ace an interview ��300 What to expect at an assessment centre ��301 Getting an offer ��302 Managing social media ��303

Chapter 5: Surviving and thriving Understanding probation ��306 Handling performance reviews ��307 Establishing strong professional relationships ��308 Managing your time ��310 Learning how to resign ��311 Dealing with bullying and discrimination at work ��311 Maintaining mental health ��312

Copyright GradAustralia owns copyright of this publication. A reasonable portion of the content may be reproduced for personal use only. The content may not otherwise be reproduced and must not be distributed or transmitted to any other person or used in any way without the express approval of GradAustralia. Accuracy & reliability of information Although every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of the content contained in this publication, GradAustralia, its officers, employees, and agents disclaim all liability (except for any liability which by law cannot be excluded), for any error, inaccuracy in, or omission from the content or any loss or damage suffered by any person directly or indirectly through relying on the content. GradAustralia undertakes no responsibility to keep the content up to date.

©GradAustralia, October 2020

www.gradaustralia.com.au

FOREWORD

www.gradaustralia.com.au

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

FOREWORD

Foreword I’ve spent my career in astrophysics using some of the world’s most powerful telescopes to study the inner workings of the universe. It is an amazing privilege to be part of the world of scientific research. The places it takes you are incredible. As the pace of technology grows, careers requiring science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills are amongst the fastest growing in the market. And the scope of STEM is huge – from astronomy to zoology, from medical research to marine conservation. But a career in STEM rarely equates to becoming a traditional scientist working in a lab. STEM is really about solving problems to make the world a better place. It could involve programming computers to translate languages in real time, to developing technologies to put the first humans on Mars. In this STEM careers guide there are many career options you may not have even considered. Rising to the technological challenges facing the world requires new approaches and a diversity of thought. One challenge in particular is gender stereotypes, which prevent the equal participation of women and people from diverse backgrounds in some areas of STEM. Having a monoculture in any field leads to a continuation of old, outdated practices and does not help to grow the ideas-bank.

Building our future is everyone’s job. That’s why it is so important that we cultivate genuine diversity in the cohort of young people mastering these skills. It is vital that everyone contributes their talents, passions and interests to solve the important societal challenges we face: from a changing climate to clean water, sustainable agriculture to prevention of disease, and automation in manufacturing to the ethical use of artificial intelligence. With the broadest mix of talent, life experience, motivation and outlook we will have a killer team creating the technologies of the future. I hope that will include you. Thank you for reading The STEM Guide. I hope it inspires you to pursue a career in STEM, to have the privilege of solving problems on behalf of all humanity and to leave the world in better shape than you found it. Good luck! Professor Lisa Harvey-Smith, Astrophysicist, Australian Government Women in STEM Ambassador, University of New South Wales.

www.gradaustralia.com.au

HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE

www.gradaustralia.com.au

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE

How to use this guide Chapter 1

Chapters 2 & 3

Discover where your degree can take you.

Plan the career path and employment options you want to pursue.

DISCOVER

In the first section of this guide, you’ll find overviews of different degree areas, from civil engineering to data science. These overviews answer the questions most commonly asked by STEM graduates, such as: what will I be expected to do in this area of STEM? What are my career prospects? And how do I get a foot in the door?

Plan

The next step is to plan the career path you want to pursue. The second section of this guide covers employment options, laying out important information related to salaries, career advancement opportunities, and other pros and cons.

Chapter 4

Chapters 5 & 6

STUDY A STEM DEGREE AND UNLOCK YOUR CAREER OPPORTUNITIES.

Thrive as a young professional and make the most of your graduate experience.

STUDY

In this section we help you prepare for and thrive in university. We’ll guide you through choosing subjects for year 11 and 12, crushing it in year 12 and choosing a degree and university that’s right for you. We also cover how to thrive in university and land a fantastic graduate job at the end.

THRIVE

The first few years of your career can involve a steep learning curve. That’s why, in the final section of this guide, we’ve brought together some important advice on how to succeed as a graduate. You’ll learn how to establish strong working relationships, take advantage of opportunities for professional development, and ensure, at all times, that you give sufficient attention to your personal commitments and mental health.

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DIRECTORY LISTING

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DIRECTORY Employers hiring STEM Graduates Employer

Type of opportunities

Location

Hiring graduates for

Learn more

Areas with opportunities

Alcoa Australia

Graduate jobs Varies Internships Varies

AMP

Graduate jobs 15-20

AngloGold Ashanti Australia

Graduate jobs 10-15 Internships 10-15

Appian

Graduate mechanical engineer, graduate electrical engineer, graduate research scientist, graduate mine engineer, graduate chemical engineer, graduate chemist

See page 208 to learn more

Technology graduate, financial services graduate

See page 116 to learn more

AMP Capital: Public markets, global distribution & business MGMT, real estate, accounting & finance

Graduate and vacation roles: Mining engineer, geotechnical engineer, geologist, mine surveyor, metallurgist, mechanical and electrical engineer

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ alcoa-australia

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/amp

See page 209 to learn more gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ anglogold-ashantiaustralia

Associate consultant, associate solution engineer

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ appian

Engineering, property & built environment, sciences, Business & management, Humanities, arts & social sciences, IT, law

See page 138 to learn more

As Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s national statistical agency we recruit for a range of STEM roles, such as data scientists, statistical methodologists and ICT graduates

See page 228 to learn more

Multiple

See pages 154-155 to learn more

Graduate jobs 5-10

Aurecon

Graduate jobs 110 Internships 90

Australian Bureau Of Statistics

Graduate jobs 40

Australian Defence Force

Graduate jobs Varies

www.gradaustralia.com.au

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ aurecon-australia

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ australian-bureau-ofstatistics-abs

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ australian-defence-force

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Employer

Type of opportunities

DIRECTORY LISTING

Location

Hiring graduates for

Learn more

Digital graduate, digital cadet

See page 242 to learn more

Areas with opportunities

Australian Government Digital Emerging Talent Programs

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ australian-government-digital-emerging-talent-programs

Graduate jobs 30-60 Internships 30-60

Australian National Audit Office

Graduate jobs 30

Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation

Performance analyst, assurance auditor, IT auditor, IT analyst, analystâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;accounting technical

See page 229 to learn more

Various

See page 230 to learn more

ACT

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ australian-nuclearscience-and-technologyorganisation

Graduate jobs 10 Internships Varies

Australian Prudential Regulation Authority

Graduate analyst

Data analyst

Technologist Graduate Program

Graduate jobs 100+ Internships 30+

BHP

Graduate jobs 120 Internships 120

See pages 234-235 to learn more gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ australian-securityintelligenceorganisation-asio

Graduate jobs Varies

BAE Systems

See page 232 to learn more gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ australian-securitiesand-investmentscommission

Graduate jobs 20

Australian Security Intelligence Organisation

See page 231 to learn more gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ australian-prudentialregulation-authority-apra

Graduate jobs 20-30

Australian Securities and Investments Commission

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ australian-nationalaudit-office-anao

Graduate engineers across a variety of disciplines including but not limited to software, ICT/IT, mechatronic, mechanical, aerospace and hardware

See pages 156-157 to learn more

We have internship and graduate positions in varied disciplines including (but not limited to) engineering, technology, health science, and science

See pages 212-213 to learn more

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ bae-systems

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/bhp

www.gradaustralia.com.au

DIRECTORY LISTING

Employer

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Type of opportunities

Location

Hiring graduates for

Learn more

Areas with opportunities

Graduate and Internship: Financial products, analytics & sales, representative

Bloomberg

Graduate jobs Varies Internships Varies

Internship only: News summer intern

Engineers

See pages 214-215, 248-249 to learn more

Engineer, process engineer, mechanical engineer, IT, finance

See page 210 to learn more

Graduate software engineer (Java backend), graduate software engineer (JavaScript frontend),

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ canva

Data analyst, software engineer, developer, PMO analyst, business analyst, project coordinator, systems analyst, data scientists, inventors

See pages 196, 285 to learn more

Graduate engineer

See page 202 to learn more

Graduate jobs 6 Internships 4

Canva

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ bloomberg-lp

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ bp-australia

Graduate jobs 5 Internships 6

Caltex Australia

See pages 120-121 to learn more

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/caltex-australia

Graduate jobs Varies Internships Varies

Capgemini

Graduate jobs 50

Cochlear

Internships

Graduate jobs 8-10

Coles

Graduate jobs 10

www.gradaustralia.com.au

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ cochlear

Varies

Carlton & United Breweries

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ capgemini-australia

Supply management trainee, technology management trainee, analytics management trainee

See page 178 to learn more

Digital graduates keen to tackle the challenges of an ASX Top 30 company and one of Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest retailers

See pages 250-251 to learn more

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ carlton-united-breweries

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/coles

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Employer

Type of opportunities

DIRECTORY LISTING

Hiring graduates for

Location

Learn more

Areas with opportunities

Graduate

Commonwealth Bank

See pages 122-123 to learn more gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ commonwealth-bank

Graduate jobs 160 Internships 130

Postgraduate science, mathematics, IT and engineering roles

CSIRO

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/csiro

Undergraduate IT and business roles

Graduate jobs Varies Internships Varies

CSL

Graduate jobs 10-16

Daimler Truck and Bus

Engineering graduate, manufacturing graduate, quality graduate, R&D graduate, commercial operations graduate, finance graduate, supply chain graduate, IT graduate

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/csl

Varies

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ daimler-truck-and-bus

Graduates from a wide variety of disciplines

See page 233 to learn more

We recruit all STEM disciplines for roles across 14 streams including research and innovation, engineering, ICT and for technical intelligence roles

See pages 148-149, 158-159 and 236-237 to learn more

Graduate project officer, graduate planner, forest & fire management officer, graduate emergency management, environmental planner, water graduate

See page 238 to learn more

Our graduate development program is a generalist program where graduates will complete three rotations throughout the department.

See pages 150, 239 to learn more

Graduate jobs Varies Internships Varies

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment Graduate jobs Varies ACT

Department of Defence

Graduate jobs Approx 250 Internships Approx 50

The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning and the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions Graduate jobs 15-20

Department of Home Affairs

Graduate jobs 50 ACT

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ department-ofagriculture-water-andthe-environment

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ department-of-defence

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/thedepartment-of-environmentland-water-and-planningdelwp-and-the-department-ofjobs-precincts-andregions-djpr

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ department-of-homeaffairs

www.gradaustralia.com.au

DIRECTORY LISTING

Employer

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Type of opportunities

Hiring graduates for

Location

Learn more

Areas with opportunities

Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications

Graduate jobs 20-30

DHL

See page 240 to learn more gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ department-ofinfrastructure-transportregional-developmentcommunications

Graduates

See page 241 to learn more

ACT

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

Graduate jobs Approx 30

Policy officer, team member, graduate

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ department-of-theprime-minister-andcabinet-pmc

ACT

IT graduate, HR graduate, operations graduate

See page 286 to learn more

All disciplines

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ deutsche-bank

Business and management, engineering and mathematics, IT and computer science

See pages 180-181 to learn more

Application developer, business analyst, consultant, corporate, cybersecurity, project management, sales, software/systems engineer

See page 258 to learn more

Graduates

See page 262 to learn more

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/dhl

Graduate jobs 20

Deutsche Bank Graduate jobs Varies Internships Varies

Downer Group

Graduate jobs Varies

DXC Technology

Graduate jobs Varies

Ericsson

Internships

Associate software development engineer intern

www.gradaustralia.com.au

Varies

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ dxc-technology

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ ericsson

Graduate jobs 10-20

Expedia Group

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ downer-group

See page 259 to learn more gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ expedia-group

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Employer

Type of opportunities

DIRECTORY LISTING

Location

Hiring graduates for

Learn more

Graduate traders

See page 117 to learn more

Areas with opportunities

Exponential Trading

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ exponential-trading

Graduate jobs Varies

Graduate, vacationer

See page 104 to learn more gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ ey-australia

Graduate jobs 600+ Internships 550+

Sales, technical sales, customer services, digital consulting, data & applications, finance, supply chain, UI & UX designer analyst, cyber security, IT operational support, human resources, architecture, events coordinator, strategy & marketing intelligence, portfolio & alliances, project coordinator, server administrator

Fujitsu

Graduate jobs Varies

GHD

Graduate jobs 100+ Internships 50-100

Glencore

Graduate jobs 50+ Internships 100+

Goldman Sachs

Graduate jobs Varies Internships Varies

Herbert Smith Freehills

See page 260 to learn more gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ fujitsu-australianew-zealand

Graduate engineer, graduate environmental scientist, graduate architect, graduate geologist, advisory graduate, digital graduate

See pages 182-183 to learn more

Engineering â&#x20AC;&#x201C; chemical, civil, electrical, mechanical, mining, geotechnical, finance, environmental science, HR, IT, logistics & marketing

See page 211 to learn more

Business & management, creative arts, engineering & mathematics, humanities, arts & social sciences, it & computer science, law, legal studies & justice, medical & health sciences, property & built environment, sciences, teaching & education

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ goldman-sachs

Vacation clerk, graduate lawyer

See pages 192-193 to learn more

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ ghd-australia

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ glencore

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ herbert-smith-freehills

Graduate jobs Varies Internships Varies

Graduate engineer, graduate business analyst, graduate commercial analyst, IT analyst

Hydro Tasmania

Graduate jobs 15-25 Internships 8

See page 172 to learn more gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ hydro-tasmania

TAS

www.gradaustralia.com.au

DIRECTORY LISTING

Employer

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Type of opportunities

Hiring graduates for

Location

Learn more

Areas with opportunities

IAG

Data + engineering graduate, innovation graduate, technology graduate

See page 118 to learn more

Graduates, junior contracts administrators, graduate estimators, building coordinators

See page 139 to learn more

Technology associate (IT graduates) - multiple intakes across the year August (mid) and end of year

See page 261 to learn more

Business, finance and analytics, engineering and mathematics, IT and computer science, digital

See page 276 to learn more

Business analyst

See page 197 to learn more

Graduate jobs Varies

Icon

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ iag-australia

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/icon

Graduate jobs 15-20

Infosys

Graduate jobs 150

Jetstar

Graduate jobs 6

Kearney

Kraft Heinz Company

Quality & assurance, research & development, supply chain graduates

See pages 252-253 to learn more

Graduates software engineer, graduate systems engineer, graduate systems admin, graduate project coordinator, graduate business development analyst

See page 160 to learn more

Software engineering graduates, hardware engineering graduates, subcontract administrator associate

See pages 110-111 to learn more

Graduate jobs 6

Leidos

Lockheed Martin

Graduate jobs 26

www.gradaustralia.com.au

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ jetstar

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ kearney

Graduate jobs Varies Internships Varies

Graduate jobs 20-30 Internships 5-10

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ infosys

ACT

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ kraft-heinzcompany-australia

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ leidos

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ lockheed-martin

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Employer

Type of opportunities

DIRECTORY LISTING

Location

Hiring graduates for

Learn more

Areas with opportunities

Marsh

Graduate jobs 15-20

McGrathNicol

Graduate jobs Varies Internships Varies

MECCA Brands

Graduate analyst, graduate sales analyst, finance graduate, operations graduate, marketing graduate

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ marsh

Computer science, cyber security, data analytics, information technology, mathematics, software engineering, statistics

See page 103 to learn more

Graduates

See page 254 to learn more gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ mecca-brands

Graduate jobs 5-10

Mercedes-Benz

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ mcgrathnicol

Graduate engineer

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ mercedes-benz-australia

Software engineer, cloud solutions architect, specialist, partner technical architect, technical account mgr, account technology strategist

See page 264 to learn more

Graduate engineer, graduate construction management, graduate health, safety and environment, graduate accounting, graduate human recourses

See page 179 to learn more

Graduate, cadet

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ multiplex

Graduate, summer intern, tech intern

See page 119 to learn more

Graduate jobs 1-5 Internships 1-5

Microsoft

Graduate jobs Varies Internships Varies

Monadelphous

Graduate jobs Varies Internships Varies

Multiplex

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ microsoft

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ monadelphous-australia

Graduate jobs 45

NAB

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/nab

Graduate jobs 70-90 Internships 20-50

www.gradaustralia.com.au

DIRECTORY LISTING

Employer

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Type of opportunities

Location

Hiring graduates for

Learn more

Graduate, all disciplines

See page 243 to learn more

Areas with opportunities

National Indigenous Australians Agency

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ national-indigenousaustralians-agency-niaa

National Indigenous Australians Agency

Graduate jobs Varies

Newmont

ACT

Mining, mechanical, electrical, geotechnical and electrical engineering, geology and metallurgy

See page 220 to learn more

Graduate

See page 161 to learn more

Graduate jobs 15 Internships Varies

Northrop Grumman

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ northrop-grummanaustralia

Graduate jobs 5 Internships 5

Nous Group

Management consultant

See page 198 to learn more gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ nous-group

Graduate jobs Varies Internships Varies

Nova Systems

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ newmont-australia

Graduate engineer, graduate logistics, graduate marketing

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ nova-systems

The NSW Government graduate program offers graduates a diverse experience regardless of degree or discipline

See page 244 to learn more

Graduate consultant

See page 199 to learn more

Summer intern, including 1 Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Scholarship

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ oliver-wyman

Graduate jobs 25

NSW Government

Graduate jobs Approx 200

Oliver Wyman

Graduate jobs 10+ Internships 5+

Optiver

Graduate jobs 5 Internships 7

www.gradaustralia.com.au

Trader, performance researcher, risk manager, software developer, production engineer, quant researcher, FPGA developer

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ nsw-government

See pages 126-127 to learn more gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ optiver

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Employer

DIRECTORY LISTING

Type of opportunities

Location

Hiring graduates for

Learn more

Areas with opportunities

Optus

Graduate jobs 35

Probuild

HR graduate, graduate engineer, IT graduate, Optus business graduate, marketing graduate, TV & content graduate, finance graduate

See page 265 to learn more

Engineering & mathematics, property & built environment

See pages 140-141 to learn more

Impact intern

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ project-everest-ventures

Graduate consultants in:

See page 105 to learn more

Technology consulting, internal audit, risk & compliance, business process improvement

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ protiviti

Graduate engineer

See page 203 to learn more

Graduate jobs Varies

Project Everest Ventures

Internships

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ optus

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ probuild

Varies

Protiviti

Graduate jobs 30

Prysmian Group

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ prysmian-group

Graduate jobs 2 Internships Varies

PwC

Graduate/interns

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/pwc

Graduate jobs Varies Internships Varies

Rheinmetall Defence

Engineering: mechanical, electrical, design, systems & software.

Graduate jobs 5-10 Internships 1-5

Finance graduates, project planning & controls graduate.

Rio Tinto

Graduate jobs 90

See pages 106-107 to learn more

Graduate engineer, graduate data scientist, graduate mining eng., graduate mechanical eng., graduate civil eng., graduate robotics eng., graduate electrical eng.

See page 162 to learn more gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ rheinmetall-defenceaustralia

See pages 216-217, 218-219 to learn more gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ rio-tinto

www.gradaustralia.com.au

DIRECTORY LISTING

Employer

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Type of opportunities

Hiring graduates for

Location

Learn more

Areas with opportunities

SAAB

Graduate jobs 14-18 Internships 8-12

Santos

Engineering: electrical/ electronics, computer systems/computer science, software, mechanical/mechatronics, ICT & cyber security

See page 163 to learn more

Engineers: petroleum, chemical, mechanical, mechatronic electrical, civil

See page 221 to learn more

Geoscientists: geologists, geophysicists

Graduate jobs 15-20 Internships 45-50

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ saab-australia

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ santos

Environmental engineers

Associate systems engineer

SAS

See page 268 to learn more gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/sas

Graduate jobs 1 ACT

Shell

Graduate jobs Varies Internships Varies

SIG

Engineering: chemical, petroleum, electrical, mechanical, civil, production, process, mechatronics, safety, environmental, contracts & procurement, geology, trading

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ shell-australia

Trading intern, graduate quantitative trader, graduate buy side researcher, graduate technologist

See pages 124-125, 266-267 to learn more

Technology graduate, actuarial graduate, business graduate, finance graduate

See page 130 to learn more

Associate - Leadership Development Program

See pages 166-167 to learn more

Graduate jobs 10-15 Internships 5

TAL

Graduate jobs Varies Internships Varies

Teach For Australia

Graduate jobs 15-25 Internships 10-12

www.gradaustralia.com.au

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ tal-australia

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ teach-for-australia

Graduate jobs 150+

TechnologyOne

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/sig

Graduate developer, graduate business analyst, graduate consultant, graduate R&D program, management coordinator, graduate support consultant

See pages 269, 284 to learn more gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ technologyone

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Employer

Type of opportunities

DIRECTORY LISTING

Location

Hiring graduates for

Learn more

Areas with opportunities

Tetra Pak

Graduate engineer

Graduate jobs 2

Thiess

Graduate jobs 18 Internships 20

ThoughtWorks

Graduate mining engineer, graduate mechanical engineer, graduate mechatronic engineer, graduate surveyor, graduate geologist, graduate health & safety

See page 222 to learn more

Graduate software developer

See pages 270, 287 to learn more gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ thoughtworks

Graduate jobs 20

Tibra Capital

Graduate jobs 5-10 Internships 5-10

Urban Utilities

Graduate jobs 6-10 Internships 5-10

Vocus

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ thiess

Quant trader - junior Quant trader - winter internship (4 weeks) Quant trader - summer internship (10 weeks)

See pages 128-129 to learn more

Urban grad Grad programs: engineering, data science, applied science Technical officer

See page 173 to learn more

Business analysis, developers, network engineers

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ vocus

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ tibra-capital

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ urban-utilities

Graduate jobs 1-5 Internships 5-10

Watpac

Graduate engineers, site engineers, construction management cadets

Graduate jobs Varies Internships Varies

Western Power

Graduate jobs 6-10 Internships 5-7

Graduate engineer, graduates in the STEM fields

See page 174 to learn more gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ western-power

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DIRECTORY LISTING

Employer

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Type of opportunities

Location

Hiring graduates for

Learn more

Areas with opportunities

Woodside Energy

Graduate jobs Varies

Worley

Graduate jobs 60 Internships 30

WSP Australia

Business and management, creative arts, engineering and mathematics, humanities, arts and social sciences, IT and computer science, medical and health sciences, property and built environment, sciences

See page 223 to learn more

Graduate engineer, graduate law, graduate scientist, graduate commerce, graduate human resources, graduate finance, graduate construction management

See page 184 to learn more

Graduate engineer

See page 143 to learn more

Graduate jobs

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gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ worley

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ wsp-australia

Graduate jobs 120

Yarra City Council

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ woodside-energy

Business & management, engineering & mathematics, humanities, arts & social sciences, it & computer science, medical & health sciences, property & built environment

gradaustralia.com.au/ graduate-employers/ yarra-city-council

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

Chapter 1

Part 1: Engineering Degrees Aerospace engineering ��20 Chemical engineering ��22 Civil engineering ��24 Electrical and electronic engineering ��26 Environmental engineering ��28 Manufacturing engineering ��30 Marine engineering ��32 Materials engineering ��34 Mechanical engineering ��36 Mining engineering ��38 Petroleum engineering ��40 Renewable energy engineering ��42 Robotics and mechatronics engineering ��44

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Aerospace engineering

70% Aerospace engineering versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

From the first hot air balloon in 1793 to the first manned aeroplane flight in 1903, people have long dreamed of using the principles of science to achieve the power of flight. Nowadays, those principles are applied by aerospace engineers, who lead the way in designing vehicles for use within, and beyond, the earth’s atmosphere. Aerospace engineers draw on computer science, physics, earth sciences and maths to design, build and test flying machines. This profession includes aeronautical engineers, who focus on aircraft and astronautical engineers, who focus on spacecraft. They are responsible for mastering the intricacies of topics such as propulsion, aerodynamics, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, flight mechanics and structural analysis. Due to the demanding nature

of these disciplines, many aerospace engineers choose to specialise and often have specific job titles, such as design aerospace engineer, computational fluid dynamic engineer and materials aerospace engineer. If you’re planning a career in aerospace engineering, it’s important you can demonstrate a high degree of aptitude in the maths and sciences. Indeed, this is necessary to enter and successfully graduate from the growing number of aerospace engineering degrees. Once you begin your career, it will be advantageous to possess curiosity, creative thinking skills and the ability to work well within diverse teams. You may also benefit from continuing your education by completing a relevant master’s program or pursuing professional accreditation.

Once you begin your career, it will be advantageous to possess curiosity, creative thinking skills and the ability to work well within diverse teams.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Aerospace Engineering GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Management consulting

page 194

Defence

page 152

Engineering services

page 176

Construction and property services

page 136

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Government and public services

page 226

Aerospace

page 108

Technology

page 256

Transport and logistics

page 274

Education and training

page 164

Electronics

page 168

Banking and financial services

page 114

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Cybersecurity

page 146

Telecommunications

page 272

EMPLOYERS HIRING Aerospace Engineers Airbus

Boeing

Jetstar Read more on page 276.

Nova Systems

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Master of Engineering (Aerospace) Melbourne City

Master of Engineering (Aerospace) North Terrace

Master of Engineering (Mechanical with Aerospace) Parkville

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Relevant bachelor’s degree with > 2.0/4.0 GPA; OR related postgraduate qualification; OR 10 years industry experience.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Relevant four-year bachelor’s degree.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Bachelor’s degree with at least 25 points (2 subjects) in Calculus 2 and Linear Algebra or equivalent subjects; AND 25 points in Physics or equivalent; AND > 65% WAM.

3 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Find out more www.postgradaustralia.com.au

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Chemical engineering

70% Chemical engineering versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

Chemical engineering involves the development, manufacture and practical application of chemical products, usually in industrial quantities. This often entails the assessment of the processes and equipment used to produce chemicals. It also involves supervising the use of those chemicals to generate secondary products, such as plastics, metals, pharmaceuticals and food products. Chemical engineers receive a broad education in the fundamentals of chemistry, physics, mathematics and engineering itself. This prepares them for stimulating roles across a range of industries, from mining to manufacturing.

In addition to their technical skills – the importance of which can’t be overstated – chemical engineers also benefit from accuracy, meticulousness, a commitment to process-based thinking and a strong sense of responsibility. Given the range of roles in which chemical engineers may find themselves, it’s important they have strong interpersonal skills and the ability to thrive in diverse workplaces. Find out more www.gradaustralia.com.au

Chemical engineers also benefit from accuracy, meticulousness, a commitment to process-based thinking and a strong sense of responsibility.

Jacinta studied chemical engineering and pharmaceutical science at Monash University and is now a packaging team leader at Carlton & United Breweries - Abbotsford Brewery.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Chemical Engineering GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Engineering services

page 176

Cybersecurity

page 146

Management consulting

page 194

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Defence

page 152

Government and public services

page 226

Energy and utilities

page 170

Technology

page 256

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Construction and property services

page 136

Manufacturing

page 200

Education and training

page 164

Electronics

page 168

Banking and financial services

page 114

Retail and consumer goods

page 246

EMPLOYERS HIRING Chemical engineers Santos Read more on page 221.

Shell

Urban Utilities Read more on page 173.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Master of Engineering (Chemical major) Joondalup

Master of Engineering (Chemical Engineering) Melbourne City

Master of Engineering (Chemical) Parkville

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, engineering technology or engineering science.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Relevant bachelor’s degree and honours with credit average or higher; must contain research component constituting at least 25% of full-time annual load; OR relevent experience.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Bachelor’s degree with at least 25 points (2 subjects) in Calculus 2 and Linear Algebra or equivalent subjects; AND 25 points in Chemistry or equivalent; AND > 65% WAM.

3 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Find out more www.postgradaustralia.com.au

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Civil engineering

90% Civil engineering versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

The work of civil engineers (also known as structural engineers) is behind much of the built environment that surrounds you each day. Civil engineers draw on a strong understanding of physics, maths, hydraulics, geology and various other principles. They then apply this knowledge to the safe construction of buildings, dams, roads, bridges and more. Their overall goal is to modify the natural environment in ways that make it more conducive to human endeavours, while ensuring such modifications are sustainable and low-impact. Civil engineers are employed by a broad range of industries, including construction, consulting, mining and transportation. They may have various responsibilities. For example, consultant engineers often assist in the development of blueprints for an

entire project or advise on the practicality of existing designs. This can mean borrowing insights from fields such as economics, demography and ecology. Other civil engineers may focus on more specific building projects, such as the laying of pipes or the construction of railways. Hence the proliferation of specialist titles such as ‘transportation engineer’ and ‘water resources engineer’. To become a civil engineer, it helps to augment your technical skills with a strong work ethic, highly developed communication skills and a penchant for working methodically through complex problems with great accuracy.

Their overall goal is to modify the natural environment in ways that make it more conducive to human endeavours, while ensuring such modifications are sustainable and low-impact.

Vish Nagendra studied a Bachelor of Civil Engineering and Bachelor of Architecture at Monash University and is now a structural engineer at GHD.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Civil Engineering GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Engineering services

page 176

Cybersecurity

page 146

Construction and property services

page 136

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Defence

page 152

Management consulting

page 194

Energy and utilities

page 170

Government and public services

page 226

Transport and logistics

page 274

Technology

page 256

Telecommunications

page 272

Education and training

page 164

Electronics

page 168

Banking and financial services

page 114

Manufacturing

page 200

EMPLOYERS HIRING Civil Engineers Aurecon Read more on page 138.

Downer Group Read more on pages 180-181.

GHD Read more on page 182-183.

WSP Read more on page 143.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Master of Engineering (Civil) Bundoora

Master of Engineering (Civil) Parkville

Master of Engineering (Civil) St Lucia

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in engineering; OR honours in related field.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree with at least 25 points (2 subjects) in Calculus 2 and Linear Algebra or equivalent subjects; AND 25 points in first year science (any); AND > 65% WAM.

3 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Bachelor of Engineering with 5.0/7.0 GPA.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Find out more www.postgradaustralia.com.au

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Electrical engineering

90% Electrical engineering versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

Electrical engineers oversee the design, development and manufacturing of tools and equipment used in the production and distribution of electricity. This equipment commonly includes generators, transformers, electric motors and electric ignition systems. Electrical engineers have been behind several transformative innovations, such as the development of modern audio encoding protocols (such as MP3), as well as new advances in virtual reality. For what it’s worth, Rowan Atkinson – whom you may know better as Mr Bean – also has a degree in electrical engineering.

electrical devices in modern life, science and technology means electrical engineers are highly sought after. Many electrical engineers choose to specialise, which can result in slightly different titles. For example, an electronics engineer focuses on the components – including capacitors, transistors and microprocessors – that comprise larger electrical devices. While a high degree of technical aptitude is vital when dealing with electricity, attributes such as curiosity, perseverance and a passion for science are also highly advantageous.

To achieve their goals, electrical engineers apply concepts from physics, mathematics, computer science and engineering. The omnipresence of

Rowan Atkinson – whom you may know better as Mr Bean – also has a degree in electrical engineering.

Tahereh Noohi graduated with a PhD in electrical engineering at the University of Sydney and is now a data science specialist at BHP.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Electrical Engineering GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Engineering services

page 176

Defence

page 152

Construction and property services

page 136

Education and training

page 164

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Management consulting

page 194

Telecommunications

page 272

Technology

page 256

Energy and utilities

page 170

Government and public services

page 226

Aerospace

page 108

Cybersecurity

page 146

Electronics

page 168

Banking and financial services

page 114

Manufacturing

page 200

EMPLOYERS HIRING Electrical Engineers BP Read more on pages 214-215, 248-249.

Carlton & United Breweries Read more on page 178.

Leidos Read more on page 160.

Shell

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Master of Engineering (Electrical major) Gardens Point

Master of Engineering (Electrical Engineering) Melbourne City

Master of Engineering (Electrical) Parkville

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Relevant Bachelor of Engineering.

1 year full-time

Feb, Jul

Relevant bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree with > 2.0/4.0 GPA; OR related postgraduate qualification; OR 10 years industry experience.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree with at least 25 points (2 subjects) in Calculus 2 and Linear Algebra or equivalent subjects; AND 25 points in Physics or equivalent; AND > 65% WAM.

3 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Find out more www.postgradaustralia.com.au

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Environmental engineering

90% Environmental engineering versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

Environmental engineers tackle the challenges posed by waste management. In this context, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;wasteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is a broad term that applies to solid waste, wastewater, toxic waste, hazardous materials and air pollution. Every industry produces waste in some form or another and as a result, the field of environmental engineering is very broad. Generally, its practitioners focus on one of three environments: air, land or water. By drawing on a nuanced understanding of physics, mathematics, ecology and chemistry, environmental engineers seek to understand the relationship between industry and its environmental impact before advising on ecologically sound and economically viable solutions.

In doing so, they also aim to prevent or mitigate the consequences of poor waste management practices, which can include air pollution, water contamination and public health crises. For example, they may work with a chemical processing plant to develop ways to render dangerous substances inert before they are disposed of responsibly. Environmental engineers require a strong command of the physical sciences and also benefit from excellent written and verbal communication skills. Find out more www.gradaustralia.com.au

Environmental engineers seek to understand the relationship between industry and its environmental impact before advising on ecologically sound and economically viable solutions.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Environmental Engineering GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Engineering services

page 176

Cybersecurity

page 146

Construction and property services

page 136

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Management consulting

page 194

Defence

page 152

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Energy and utilities

page 170

Government and public services

page 226

Transport and logistics

page 274

Technology

page 256

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Education and training

page 164

Electronics

page 168

Banking and financial services

page 114

Maritime

page 204

EMPLOYERS HIRING Environmental Engineers AngloGold Ashanti Read more on page 209.

BHP Read more on pages 212-213.

GHD Read more on pages 182-183.

Rio Tinto Read more on pages 216-217, 218-219.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Master of Environmental Engineering Nathan, Brisbane

Master of Engineering (Environmental Engineering) Melbourne City

Master of Engineering (Environmental) Parkville

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Related bachelor’s degree or work experience.

1.5 years full-time

Jun

Relevant bachelor’s degree and honours with credit average or higher; must contain research component constituting at least 25% of full-time annual load; OR relevent experience.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Bachelor’s degree with at least 25 points (2 subjects) in Calculus 2 and Linear Algebra or equivalent subjects; AND 25 points in Physics, Chemistry or Biology.

3 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Find out more www.postgradaustralia.com.au

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Manufacturing engineering

90% Manufacturing engineering versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

Manufacturing engineers oversee a broad range of processes related to the research and design of new products, as well as the tools, processes and equipment required to produce them. In this context, the manufacturing process encompasses all the steps involved in efficiently turning a raw material (or variety of raw materials) into a finished product. Because manufacturing often involves, for example, chemical, mechanical or robotic challenges, ‘manufacturing engineer’ is a label sometimes applied to other engineering specialists who choose to focus on the manufacturing process. This might include some chemical engineer. However, a specialist manufacturing engineer is distinguished by his or her holistic focus on manufacturing, which often involves dealing with overarching concepts such as fabrication

and automation, as well as methodologies including ‘agile’ or ‘lean’ manufacturing. To improve efficiency and cost-effectiveness, manufacturing engineers draw on principles from various sciences, such as statics, mechatronics, circuit analysis and fluid mechanics. They may also implement principles from project management and business studies. Thanks to their adaptability, manufacturing engineers are employed in various industries from IT to defence that rely on the consistent output of high-quality products. Successful manufacturing engineers possess a keen eye for detail, the ability to focus on the big picture and highly developed interpersonal skills.

A specialist manufacturing engineer is distinguished by his or her holistic focus on manufacturing, which often involves dealing with overarching concepts such as fabrication and automation

Laly Navarro studied a Master of Engineering (Manufacturing) at RMIT University and is a continuous improvement and performance manager at Carlton & United Breweries.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Manufacturing Engineering GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Management consulting

page 194

Construction and property services

page 136

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Government and public services

page 226

Defence

page 152

Technology

page 256

Energy and utilities

page 170

Engineering services

page 176

Electronics

page 168

Education and training

page 164

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Banking and financial services

page 114

Manufacturing

page 200

Cybersecurity

page 146

Transport and logistics

page 274

EMPLOYERS HIRING Manufacturing EngineerS Cochlear Read more on page 202.

CSL

Carlton & United Breweries Read more on page 178.

Kraft Heinz Read more on pages 252-253.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Master of Engineering (Manufacturing) Bundoora

Master of Engineering (Manufacturing) Melbourne City

Master of Engineering Science (Manufacturing Engineering and Management) Kensington

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in engineering; OR honours in related field.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Relevant bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree with 2.0/4.0 GPA minimum; OR related postgraduate qualification; OR 10 years industry experience.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Bachelor of Engineering with > 75% WAM.

2 years full-time

Feb, Sep

Find out more www.postgradaustralia.com.au

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Marine engineering

70% Marine engineering versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

The ocean is this planetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s final frontier, with the American National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimating that only five per cent of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ocean has been explored. Marine engineers are at the forefront of efforts to finish the task, taking responsibility for the design, construction and maintenance of water vessels and structures, as well as equipment used in ocean research. They also work in industry, designing such things as oil rigs and the systems that control steering, propulsion and other critical functions on a range of vessels. Marine engineering is a broad field and its practitioners come from a range of backgrounds, including mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and environmental engineering. This reflects the complexity of marine vessels and

oceanic research equipment, the development and maintenance of which involves innumerable tasks from creating drawings and technical schematics, to calculating price estimates and construction schedules. Marine engineers must also conduct environmental and performance tests and manage other personnel throughout the manufacturing or repair process. In addition to a recognised degree in engineering, marine engineers are generally expected to have a strong grasp of maths and highly developed computer skills (the ability to generate predictive models is greatly valued). You will also need strong communication skills and likely a willingness to travel at short notice.

Marine engineers are generally expected to have a strong grasp of maths and highly developed computer skills.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Marine engineering GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Engineering services

page 176

Cybersecurity

page 146

Management consulting

page 194

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Defence

page 152

Government and public services

page 226

Energy and utilities

page 170

Technology

page 256

Maritime

page 204

Construction and property services

page 136

Electronics

page 168

Education and training

page 164

Transport and logistics

page 274

Banking and financial services

page 114

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

EMPLOYERS HIRING Marine engineers Department of Defence Read more on pages 148-149, 158-159, 236-237.

Australian Defence Force Read more on pages 154-155. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet Read more on page 241.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Master of Marine Engineering North Terrace

Master of Maritime Engineering Launceston

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Bachelor of Engineering (Honours).

1.5 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Bachelor of Engineering.

1.5 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Find out more www.postgradaustralia.com.au

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Materials engineering

70% Materials engineering versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

Materials engineering is about understanding the properties and mechanics of polymers, metals, composites, nanostructures and other material types to assess their suitability for a variety of applications. With a degree in the field, you can develop new uses for existing materials or develop new ones, enabling advancements in medicine, technology, infrastructure and more. Everything we interact with in the physical world is underpinned by a material selection, whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the silicon used in the chip powering your phone or the carbon fibre fuselage of a modern plane. A relatively recent example of materials innovation is the development of graphene, a flexible material that conducts electricity and is 200 times stronger than steel. For their development of graphene, physicists

Andre Geim and Konstantin Novosolov shared the 2004 Nobel Prize in Physics. Other innovations include the development of synthetic diamond (which is used in drill tips) and metal foam, a porous material that is ultralight but very resilient. Today, most of the innovation in materials science is performed by specialist materials engineers. These engineers fall into three broad categories: metallurgical engineers, plastics engineers and ceramic engineers. Students in materials engineering degrees learn how materials are extracted, created and processed. They learn about advanced composites, biomaterials and eventually process design problems such as the production of fuel cells, computer parts, jets, fibreoptic cables, transport systems and more.

Everything we interact with in the physical world is underpinned by a material selection.

Shahana Moon studied a Bachelor of Engineering (Materials Science and Engineering) / Master of Engineering (Biomedical Engineering) and is now a systems engineer at Cochlear.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Materials Engineering GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Management consulting

page 194

Cybersecurity

page 146

Engineering services

page 176

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Government and public services

page 226

Defence

page 152

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Energy and utilities

page 170

Technology

page 256

Transport and logistics

page 274

Construction and property services

page 136

Electronics

page 168

Education and training

page 164

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Banking and financial services

page 114

Telecommunications

page 272

EMPLOYERS HIRING Materials Engineer Australian Defence Force Read more on pages 154-155.

Glencore Read more on page 211.

Visy

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Master of Engineering (Materials) Parkville

Master of Materials Science Nathan, Brisbane

Master of Materials Science and Engineering Newcastle

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Bachelor’s degree with at least 25 points (2 subjects) in Calculus 2 and Linear Algebra or equivalent subjects; AND 25 points in Physics, Chemistry or Biology.

3 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Related bachelor’s degree with > 5.0/7.0 GPA.

2 years full-time

Jan, Jun

Bachelor’s degree in relevant science or engineering disicipline.

2 years full-time

Feb, Aug

Find out more www.postgradaustralia.com.au

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Mechanical engineering

90% Mechanical engineering versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

The broadest of the engineering specialisations, mechanical engineering involves the application of concepts from physics, engineering and other hard sciences, to the development, construction and maintenance of mechanical systems or machinery. In this context, a mechanical system is one that uses controlled forces and movements to regulate the transmission of power. In Australia, mechanical engineers must study for four years and complete three years of appropriate work experience. Their coursework often covers various topics like engineering, maths and science, including calculus, thermodynamics, product design, fluid mechanics and mechatronics. This inclusive

education means graduate mechanical engineers can be found in a range of industries, such as the construction industry, the petroleum industry and the manufacturing industry. The field of mechanical engineering changes frequently as its practitioners take advantage of new innovations and technologies. For this reason, continuing education is an important part of a mechanical engineering career. In addition to keeping their technical skills up to date, mechanical engineers benefit from strong analytical thinking skills, advanced computer literacy and the ability to communicate complex ideas in a readily comprehensible way.

The field of mechanical engineering changes frequently as its practitioners take advantage of new innovations and technologies.

Catherine Glassenbury studied â&#x20AC;&#x2039;a Master of Mechanical Engineering at The University of Melbourne and is now a field service engineer at Honeywell.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Mechanical Engineering GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Engineering services

page 176

Banking and financial services

page 114

Construction and property services

page 136

Cybersecurity

page 146

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Management consulting

page 194

Telecommunications

page 272

Government and public services

page 226

Energy and utilities

page 170

Technology

page 256

Transport and logistics

page 274

Defence

page 152

Manufacturing

page 200

Education and training

page 164

Aerospace

page 108

EMPLOYERS HIRING Mechanical Engineers Capgemini Read more on pages 196, 285.

Glencore Read more on page 211.

Rheinmetall Defence Read more on page 162.

Rio Tinto Read more on pages 216-217, 218-219.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Master of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering) Gardens Point

Master of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering) Melbourne City

Master of Professional Engineering (Mechanical) Camperdown

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Related engineering bachelor’s degree with > 4.0/7.0 GPA.

1 year full-time

Feb, Jul

Relevant bachelor’s degree with > 2.0/4.0 GPA; OR related postgraduate qualification; OR 10 years industry experience.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Bachelor of Engineering; OR bachelor’s degree in non-Engineering discipline with at least 1 year full-time study in cognate; AND > 68.5% WAM.

3 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Find out more www.postgradaustralia.com.au

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DEGREES

Mining engineering

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

90% Mining engineering versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

Mining is one of Australia’s primary industries, employing approximately 242,800 people and delivering about $250 billion in exports to the economy each year.

projected costs, environmental impact and overall viability. They then select mining methods and use complex models to predict the quantity of resources they can expect to extract.

Mining engineering is central to the enterprise and encompasses the processes involved in the location, extraction and refinement of mineral deposits. These processes include designing and building mines, devising ways to bring minerals to the surface and evaluating the cost-effectiveness of potential mining sites.

If they’re designing an underground mine, they will determine the location and number of mine shafts, and oversee their construction. Once the mine is operational, mining engineers will perform safety reviews, oversee maintenance and monitor air quality, efficiency and the mine’s environmental impact.

Mining engineers focus on several stages of the mining process. First, they review geological data to determine the potential productivity of a new mining operation and produce reports on the operation’s

Mining engineers are generally expected to supplement their technical skills with a strong work ethic, the ability to focus on both broad patterns and minor details, and exceptional communication skills.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Mining engineering GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Cybersecurity

page 146

Engineering services

page 176

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Construction and property services

page 136

Defence

page 152

Management consulting

page 194

Energy and utilities

page 170

Government and public services

page 226

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Technology

page 256

Electronics

page 168

Education and training

page 164

Transport and logistics

page 274

Banking and financial services

page 114

Maritime

page 204

EMPLOYERS HIRING Mining engineers Alcoa Read more on page 208.

BHP Read more on pages 212-213.

Thiess Read more on page 222.

Woodside Energy Read more on page 223.

Rio Tinto Read more on pages 216-217, 218-219.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Master of Engineering (Mining Engineering) Wollongong

Master of Mining Engineering Kensington

Master of Engineering (Mining) North Terrace

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Bachelor of Engineering with minimum 60% WAM or equivalent.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Bachelor of Engineering with minimum 65% WAM or equivalent.

1.7 years full-time

Feb, Jul, Sep

Bachelor of Engineering or equivalent in a related discipline.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Petroleum engineering

70% Petroleum engineering versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

Petroleum is used to manufacture a wide range of materials, including gasoline, asphalt, plastics and some pharmaceuticals. In other words, it’s a ubiquitous resource, which makes petroleum engineering – the application of engineering principles to the recovery, processing and use of petroleum – a profession that’s vital to the global economy. The process whereby petroleum is extracted and converted into a consumer product involves multiple stages and as a result, petroleum engineers often end up in one of several specialty areas. For example, reservoir engineers collaborate with geoscientists to calculate how much oil is available from a new reservoir and determine the best way to extract it. Similarly, drilling engineers oversee the creation

of new oil wells, drawing on a sound knowledge of geological principles to select equipment and advise on drilling methods. The high average pay offered within the petroleum industry means that vacancies for engineers are often very competitive. As a result, applicants are expected to have exceptional marks and high aptitude in maths, physics, engineering and the other hard sciences. In addition, petroleum engineers should be creative, hard-working and open to the idea of traveling (often to remote or regional areas) for work. Find out more www.gradaustralia.com.au

Petroleum engineers should be creative, hard-working and open to the idea of traveling (often to remote or regional areas) for work.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Petroleum Engineering GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Management consulting

page 194

Cybersecurity

page 146

Engineering services

page 176

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Defence

page 152

Government and public services

page 226

Energy and utilities

page 170

Technology

page 256

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Construction and property services

page 136

Electronics

page 168

Education and training

page 164

Transport and logistics

page 274

Banking and financial services

page 114

Maritime

page 204

EMPLOYERS HIRING Petroleum Engineers Downer Group Read more on pages 180-181.

Shell

Woodside Energy Read more on page 223.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Graduate Diploma in Petroleum Engineering Online

Master of Petroleum Engineering North Terrace

Master of Petroleum Engineering St Lucia

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Bachelor of Engineering or Bachelor of Technology degree, with equivalents considered.

1 year full-time,

Jul

Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (or equivalent) in a discipline other than petroleum engineering. Other degrees with a strong science and mathematics component also considered.

1.5 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Bachelor honours degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field with > 5.0/7.0 GPA. Relevant industrial experience may be considered.

1.5 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Online

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Renewable energy engineering

45% Renewable energy engineering versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

Extreme climate change and dwindling natural resources demand prompt, intelligent responses to keep our planet habitable. With a degree in renewable energy engineering, you can be part of the solution. Students gain knowledge of energy acquisition, conversion, storage and distribution through the use of photovoltaics, wind, biomass, geothermal, oxyfuels, hydropower and more, with different institutions offering their own focus. These courses utilise industry insights and placements to develop critical thinking and reasoning capabilities. The theory and practice behind design, testing and implementation of renewable systems are essential components. As renewable energy markets continue growing, so do employment opportunities in both the private and public sectors. Graduates of renewable energy degrees are highly sought after in the energy sector

and will naturally have an advantage in renewable energy specific roles. Mechanical, chemical, electrical, aerospace and industrial engineers also make up an important part of the sector, so studying one of these degrees can also lead to a job in renewables. It’s also possible to become an environmental consultant for governments, think tanks, NGOs or corporations. If you’re passionate about finding engineering solutions to the biggest global challenge of our time, then this degree is for you. It’s not the only way you can make an impact on climate change, but if you prefer to work on the technical and practical solutions, rather than policy or climate science, then it’s a very good place to start. Find out more www.gradaustralia.com.au

If you’re passionate about finding engineering solutions to the biggest global challenge of our time, then this degree is for you.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Renewable energy engineering GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Management consulting

page 194

Cybersecurity

page 146

Engineering services

page 176

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Government and public services

page 226

Defence

page 152

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Energy and utilities

page 170

Technology

page 256

Electronics

page 168

Construction and property services

page 136

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Education and training

page 164

Transport and logistics

page 274

Banking and financial services

page 114

Retail and consumer goods

page 246

EMPLOYERS HIRING Renewable energy engineerS Hydro Tasmania Read more on page 172.

Appian

Shell

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Master of Engineering (Sustainable Energy) Bundoora

Master of Engineering Science (Renewable Energy) Kensington

Master of Sustainable Energy St Lucia

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Bachelor degree (or equivalent) in engineering, science, IT, physics or chemistry with > 2.0/4.0 GPA.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Bachelor of Engineering with > 75% WAM.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Bachelor honours degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field with > 5.0/7.0 GPA. 3-5 years practical experience in a related field is preferred.

1.5 years full-time

Feb, Jul

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Robotics and mechatronics engineering

45% Robotics and mechatronics versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

The modern world relies on a multitude of autonomous systems and machines that serve our daily needs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a reliance that will only grow in the future. With a degree in robotics and mechatronics engineering, you could be one of the minds behind the next great leaps in technological systems. Mechatronics is the intersect between mechanics, electronics and software. Students can learn relevant pieces of electrical and electronic engineering, computer science, systems engineering, optical engineering and more. They do this for the benefit of industries utilising computer-aided design, automotive engineering, robotics, microcontrollers and many others. Emerging advancements like the Internet of Things (IoT), which is the networking of software and sensor equipped physical devices, and biomechatronics, the integration of humans and mechanical parts, make this a very exciting time.

Companies around the world continually seek improvements to their smart machines. As a mechatronics engineer, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be improving upon previous technology by designing, testing and building new machines while maintaining the old ones. Your efforts could then be applied to streamlining a manufacturing process or completing tasks simply too dangerous for humans to handle, like precarious mining operations, deep-sea exploration or even bomb disposal. Having an insatiable curiosity and desire to improve is essential to careers in mechatronics engineering. If you can see yourself questioning and improving current processes, machines, software and testing alternatives, this could be your degree. Find out more www.gradaustralia.com.au

With a degree in robotics and mechatronics engineering, you could be one of the minds behind the next great leaps in technological systems.

Saahil Relan studied a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechatronics/Space) / Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Sydney and is now a trader at Exponential Trading.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Engineering services

page 176

Banking and financial services

page 114

Management consulting

page 194

Defence

page 152

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Telecommunications

page 272

Government and public services

page 226

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Technology

page 256

Energy and utilities

page 170

Construction and property services

page 136

Transport and logistics

page 274

Education and training

page 164

Electronics

page 168

Cybersecurity

page 146

Aerospace

page 108

EMPLOYERS HIRING Robotics and Mechatronics Engineers AMP Read more on pages 116.

Appian

Rio Tinto Read more on pages 216-217, 218-219.

Nova Systems

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Master of Engineering in Mechatronics Canberra

Master of Engineering (Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering) Melbourne City

Master of Engineering (Mechatronics) Parkville

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Bachelor of Engineering with > 5.0/7.0 GPA.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Relevant bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree with 2.0/4.0 GPA minimum: OR related postgraduate qualification: OR 10 years industry experience.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree with at least 25 points (2 subjects) in Calculus 2 and Linear Algebra or equivalent subjects; AND 25 points in Physics or equivalent.

3 years full-time

Feb, Jul

ACT

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

SIG’s graduate developer program involves being mentored by “some of the best technologists in the world”. Under their tutelage, you’ll develop and execute cutting-edge trading systems and infrastructure.

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

Chapter 1

Part 2: Mathematics Degree Actuarial science ��48 Mathematics ��50 Statistics ��52

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Actuarial science

90% Actuarial science versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

Actuarial science describes the application of maths and statistics to the assessment of risk in finance, insurance and other professions. A form of applied mathematics, actuarial science, borrows concepts from economics, statistics, and finance. People who work in the actuarial sciences are known as actuaries. Traditionally, their focus has been on calculating rates of mortality to produce life tables, which show the probability that a given individual – after taking into account variables – will die before his or her next birthday. While this may sound morbid, it generates data of immense importance to researchers and insurance companies (who price their products accordingly). Actuaries’ skills are also useful when developing public health policies, and they’ve even begun making contributions to criminal justice by using multivariable models to predict recidivism rates.

In Australia, ‘actuary’ is a protected job title only awarded to people who meet the rigorous requirements of the Institute of Actuaries. One must complete an accredited actuarial degree with a minimum credit average. The next steps are overseen by the Institute, and involve further education, practical experience and the completion of several exams that one may only attempt twice. The reward for passing through this stringent process is professional recognition within a stable career. Needless to say, you will need to have a strong grasp of maths to pursue a career in actuarial sciences. It also helps to have an eye for detail and the ability to relate to people from various walks of life in a clear and patient way. Find out more www.gradaustralia.com.au

In Australia, ‘actuary’ is a protected job title only awarded to people who meet the rigorous requirements of the Institute of Actuaries.

Sarah Khoo studied a Bachelor of Actuarial Studies and Commerce at the University of New South Wales and is now a senior analyst in financial risk management at TAL Australia.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Actuarial GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Management consulting

page 194

Telecommunications

page 272

Technology

page 256

Construction and property services

page 136

Engineering services

page 176

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Government and public services

page 226

Defence

page 152

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Energy and utilities

page 170

Banking and financial services

page 114

Electronics

page 168

Education and training

page 164

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Cybersecurity

page 146

Transport and logistics

page 274

EMPLOYERS HIRING Actuaries Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet Read more on page 241.

Services Australia

SIG Read more on pages 124-125, 266-267.

TAL Read more on page 130.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Master of Actuarial Practice Robina

Master of Actuarial Studies Clayton

Master of Actuarial Science Parkville

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Undergraduate degree from a recognised institution and well-developed advanced mathematical abilities.

1.7 years full-time

Jan, May, Sep

Bachelor degree (or equivalent) in a technical, mathematical or scientific discipline with > 65% WAM; AND passed an introductory statistics unit or equivalent.

2 years full-time

Feb

Undergraduate or postgraduate degree with the equivalent of a major in mathematically based subjects.

2 years full-time

Mar

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Mathematics

90% Mathematics versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

It is probably unnecessary to define maths – it’s very likely you’ve been enjoying or enduring it for many years. However, for clarity’s sake: mathematics is the branch of science that is concerned with concepts such as quantity, shape, structure and change. Its overarching goal is to identify and understand patterns in the world around us. Mathematics exerts an influence on almost every other field of human endeavour, from engineering to art. Academic mathematicians often make a distinction between applied and pure mathematics. Applied mathematics has an immediate practical use and often accompanies deliberate attempts to solve specific problems in science, engineering, computer science and other fields. By contrast, pure mathematics focuses on abstract concepts – though many of these too turn out to have practical applications. For example, some ideas that

were originally generated in number theory (an area of pure maths) are now central to cryptography (an area of applied maths). The academic path of an aspiring mathematician involves enrolment in a science degree followed by the completion of a major in mathematics. This may lead to postgraduate study. Alternatively, it may lead to any number of careers – mathematicians and their analytical skills are employed in almost every sector. Successful mathematicians are comfortable sticking with problems that don’t have immediately obvious solutions. It’s also important that you can think creatively. Maths is, after all, as much of an art as a science. Find out more www.gradaustralia.com.au

It’s also important that you think creatively. Maths is, after all, as much of an art as science.

Audi Li studied a Bachelor of Mathematics and Finance (Honours) at the University of Wollongong, and is now a trader at IMC.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Mathematics GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Management consulting

page 194

Telecommunications

page 272

Technology

page 256

Defence

page 152

Engineering services

page 176

Construction and property services

page 136

Government and public services

page 226

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Banking and financial services

page 114

Aerospace

page 108

Education and training

page 164

Energy and utilities

page 170

Cybersecurity

page 146

Electronics

page 168

EMPLOYERS HIRING Mathematicians SIG Read more on pages 124-125, 266-267.

Teach for Australia Read more on pages 166-167.

Tibra Capital Read more on pages 128-129.

Western Power Read more on page 174.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Master of Science (Mathematical Sciences) Melbourne City

Master of Mathematical Sciences North Terrace

Master of Financial Mathematics Kensington

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Relevant bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree and honours with credit average or higher; must contain research component constituting at least 25% of full-time annual load; OR relevant experience.

2 years full-time

Mar, Jul

Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree (or equivalent) with significant mathematics component and > 5.0/7.0 GPA.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Bachelor of Mathematics or Science with a major in mathematics or statistics; AND > 65% WAM in level III mathematics and/ or statistics university courses.

1.7 years full-time

Mar

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Statistics

90% Statistics versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

Statistics is a branch of applied mathematics that involves collecting and analysing large amounts of numerical data. When information canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be gathered directly from a whole population (for example, the people of a country), statistics provides the tools required to generate meaningful insights by analysing a sample group (for example, a random selection of people living within a country). As a result, statistics are indispensable in fields such as psychology, the social sciences, finance, chemistry and biology. Though traditionally treated as a sub-branch of mathematics, the prevalence of statistics in other disciplines has led to its emergence as an independent major at many universities. Students from a range of faculties, including maths, science and the humanities, may choose to study statistics and in

many cases, are required to do so. They can expect to learn about topics such as experimental design, data aggregation and probability. According to CareerCast, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;statisticianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; came in as the number two job in 2019, with demand for the skills of talented statisticians expected to grow over the coming decade. Statisticians must be confident with numbers, creative, and good at looking for unexpected correlations in raw data. They often work for the government, scientific research organisations, finance and insurance companies, universities and colleges, and business consultancy firms. Find out more www.gradaustralia.com.au

Though traditionally treated as a sub-branch of mathematics, the prevalence of statistics in other disciplines has led to its emergence as an independent major at many universities.

Wil Undy completed a Bachelor of Arts (History) / Bachelor of Science (Statistics) at the University of Auckland and is now working as a graduate trader at Optiver.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Statistics GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Management consulting

page 194

Telecommunications

page 272

Engineering services

page 176

Construction and property services

page 136

Technology

page 256

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Government and public services

page 226

Defence

page 152

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Banking and financial services

page 114

Electronics

page 168

Education and training

page 164

Energy and utilities

page 170

Cybersecurity

page 146

Retail and consumer goods

page 246

EMPLOYERS HIRING Statisticians Australian Taxation Office

Capgemini Read more on pages 196, 285.

SIG Read more on pages 124-125, 266-267.

Tibra Capital Read more on pages 128-129.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Locations

Admission requirements

Master of Science (Statistics major) St Lucia

Master of Science (Mathematics and Statistics) Parkville

Master of Statistics Canberra

Duration

Intake

Undergraduate degree majoring in mathematics, statistics or physics; AND > 65% WAM.

2 years full-time

Feb, Aug

Undergraduate degree majoring in mathematics, statistics or physics; AND > 65% WAM.

2 years full-time

Mar, Jul

Undergraduate degree with mathematics unit(s) covering calculus and linear algebra; AND > 65% WAM.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

ACT

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Being such a large and diverse business, Commonwealth Bank have a vast range of opportunities for you to take hold of. Their graduate and summer intern programs are a challenging and rewarding way to kick-start your career.

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

Chapter 1

Part 3: Technology Degrees Artificial intelligence ��56 Computer graphics and animation ��58 Computer systems and networks ��60 Cybersecurity ��62 Data science ��64 Design and user experience ��66 Software engineering ��68

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Artificial Intelligence

70% Artificial Intelligence versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

In the last few decades, our machines have gotten smarter alongside us. With a degree in artificial intelligence, you can be at the frontier of all the latest developments. Artificial intelligence encompasses a variety of elements, such as machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, robotics, neural networks and more. It’s an arm of computer science that allows machines to eventually understand and complete complex tasks to a higher standard than any human. These degrees will introduce you to relevant theory in statistics, mathematics, software engineering, data structures and algorithms before giving you the chance to specialise further. Deep learning, data mining, machine learning and more, are all within the scope of these courses.

The applications for this field are enormous, from clerical work to brain tumour imaging. Many daily tasks can be carried out with the help of virtual AI assistants, which you’ve likely encountered before in the form of Alexa, Siri or Cortana. The things you haven’t noticed are equally impressive, like predicting traffic, price estimates for ride sharing fares, social media predictive algorithms, data collection, customer support and much more. The future is equally exciting (or terrifying, depending on your opinion). We’re now seeing things like AI counsellors who help people through emotional trauma. Who knows where it will end? Many companies require some form of AI to effectively carry out their routine activities or rely upon it heavily for their business.

The things you haven’t noticed are equally impressive, like predicting traffic, price estimates for ride sharing fares, social media predictive algorithms, customer support and much more.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Artificial Intelligence GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Engineering services

page 176

Cybersecurity

page 146

Management consulting

page 194

Telecommunications

page 272

Technology

page 256

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Government and public services

page 226

Defence

page 152

Banking and financial services

page 114

Energy and utilities

page 170

Education and training

page 164

Electronics

page 168

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Construction and property services

page 136

Aerospace

page 108

EMPLOYERS HIRING Artificial Intelligence Graduates Appian

Aurecon Read more on page 138.

Australian Taxation Office

Fujitsu Read more on page 260.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Master of Machine Learning and Computer Vision Canberra

Master of Applied Artifical Intelligence Burwood

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Relevant bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree with > 5.0/7.0 GPA.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Honours degree in a related discipline; OR no Honours AND two years relevant work experience; OR Graduate Cert of Applied Artificial Intelligence (or equivalent); OR equivalent academic capability.

2 years full-time

Mar

ACT

Find out more www.postgradaustralia.com.au

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Computer and graphics animation

70% Computer graphics and animation versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

If you’ve ever watched the Avengers blowing something up, Geralt of Rivia romancing a sorceress, or been shot at by an abusive Fortnite player, you’ve likely interacted with computer graphics and animation. With a course in the subject, you could bring imaginative visions to life. Computer-generated imagery (CGI) experts use their knowledge of relevant data structures, algorithms, object-oriented programming and mathematics to visualise scientific data and develop technologies like virtual reality, in addition to games, TV and film. They utilise graphical software environments, motion capture and burgeoning technologies to assist in the development of increasingly realistic, fluid animation and graphics.

The applications for this field are quite expansive, particularly due to the ongoing development of virtual and augmented reality. New motion capture techniques, green screen utilisation (it’s still a thing!) and more require trained professionals to fully grasp the many opportunities. With streaming platforms and TV hits making the rounds in unprecedented quantities to unseen standards, work for intelligent graduates is likely to continue growing. Even if the golden age of TV somehow comes to an abrupt end, scientists will still need to model data, new technologies will continue being developed and someone’s bound to do a gritty reboot of Shrek. You heard it here first.

With streaming platforms and TV hits making the rounds in unprecedented quantities to unseen standards, work for intelligent graduates is likely to continue growing.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Computer graphics and animation GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Engineering services

page 176

Cybersecurity

page 146

Management consulting

page 194

Telecommunications

page 272

Technology

page 256

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Government and public services

page 226

Defence

page 152

Banking and financial services

page 114

Energy and utilities

page 170

Education and training

page 164

Electronics

page 168

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Construction and property services

page 136

Aerospace

page 108

EMPLOYERS HIRING Computer graphics and animation graduates Department of Home Affairs Read more on pages 150, 239.

Ericsson Read more on pages 262-263.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Master of Animation, Games and Interactivity Melbourne City

Master of Animation and Visualisation Ultimo

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree; OR at least 3 years experience in animation, games, interactivity and/or digital media.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree.

1 year full-time

Jan

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Computer systems and networks

70% Computer systems and networks versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

Computer systems and networks, commonly synonymous with IT, is the study of how computing and communications technology can be used to fulfil the demands of individuals and organisations. A degree in this subject will provide you the skills to solve complex problems using advanced technology. Computer systems and network administrators serve several important roles that enable organisations and public utilities to function efficiently. In addition to maintaining existing systems, they work closely with stakeholders to develop solutions that solve organisational problems and improve workflows. Professionals require an analytical mindset and excellent problem-solving skills to develop solutions that are stable, cost efficient and meet the requirements of the customer. They apply these skills to optimise choice of hardware and operating systems, and avoid bottlenecks in performance.

Professionals in this field aid in scientific computing, bioinformatics, data warehousing, transaction management, multimedia and far more, making them a cornerstone of modern technology in the present and a necessity for the future. A degree in computer systems and networks will teach you about network design and management, peer-to-peer networks and client-server networks. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll learn how to design context-appropriate network architecture, configure IP addressing schemes, analyse client requirements to meet their expectations and much more. Find out more www.gradaustralia.com.au

Professionals require an analytical mindset and excellent problem solving skills to develop solutions that are stable, cost efficient and meet the requirements of the customer.

Nevhan Ramadan studied a Bachelor of Science / Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical Engineering)(Computer Systems Engineering) (Computer Science)(Pure Mathematics) (Hons) at Monash University and is now working as an options strategy development Lead at IMC.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Computer systems and networks GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Technology

page 256

Construction and property services

page 136

Engineering services

page 176

Defence

page 152

Management consulting

page 194

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Telecommunications

page 272

Banking and financial services

page 114

Electronics

page 168

Government and public services

page 226

Energy and utilities

page 170

Education and training

page 164

Transport and logistics

page 274

Cybersecurity

page 146

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

EMPLOYERS HIRING Computer systems and networks graduates Australian Prudential Regulation Authority Read more on page 231.

Commonwealth Bank Read more on pages 122-123.

Coles Read more on pages 250-251.

NAB Read more on page 119.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Master of Information Technology (Networks major) Gardens Point

Master of Information Technology (Network and Distributed Systems major) Camperdown

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in any discipline with > 4.0/7.0 GPA.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in IT with > 65% WAM; OR Bachelor of Engineering with > 65% WAM and major sequence of study in computer engineering or software engineering.

1.5 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Find out more www.postgradaustralia.com.au

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Cybersecurity

70% Cybersecurity versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

Ransomware attacks on hospitals, rigged elections, massive government leaks, identity fraud and more are all threats in the digital age. With a degree in cybersecurity, you can learn to understand and prevent these catastrophes. Cybersecurity professionals practice ‘ethical hacking’ to test and refine the security systems of public and private organisations. As technology keeps advancing, new branches of cybersecurity are becoming pertinent, such as cloud security, critical infrastructure, network security, Internet of Things (IoT) security, anti-phishing measures and social engineering. Protecting information and calmly recovering from disasters when they occur is crucial.

Professionals in this field must learn to think like a ‘black hat’, or unethical hacker, in order to understand the motivations and methods of their adversaries. A solid grasp of programming languages like C, C++, PHP, Perl, Java and Shell are all useful, but will usually be covered in the degree (although it can’t hurt to start practising before you begin). In addition, knowledge of systems architecture, administration and management all assist in preventing breaches. Strong quantitative reasoning is key to becoming successful in this field, as well as investigative abilities. Cybersecurity professionals are as much investigators as they are programmers.

Professionals in this field must learn to think like a ‘black hat’, or unethical hacker, in order to understand the motivations and methods of their adversaries.

Jasmina Zito studied a Bachelor of Science in games development and network security at the University of Technology, Sydney and is a senior cyber threat intelligence specialist of the Cyber Intelligence Centre at Deloitte.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Cybersecurity GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Engineering services

page 176

Cybersecurity

page 146

Management consulting

page 194

Telecommunications

page 272

Technology

page 256

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Government and public services

page 226

Defence

page 152

Banking and financial services

page 114

Energy and utilities

page 170

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Electronics

page 168

Education and training

page 164

Transport and logistics

page 274

Construction and property services

page 136

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

EMPLOYERS HIRING Cybersecurity graduates Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Read more on pages 234-235.

Commonwealth Bank Read more on pages 122-123.

Department of Defence Read more on pages 148-149, 158-159, 236-237.

Department of Home Affairs Read more on pages 150, 239.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Locations

Master of Cyber Security (Online) Online Online

Master of Cyber Security Melbourne City

Graduate Certificate in Cyber Security Online

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Bachelor’s Honours degree in a related discipline; OR no Honours AND two years relevant work experience; OR grad certificate in same discipline; OR equivalent academic capability.

1-2 years full-time

Mar, Jul

Bachelor’s degree in computing, IT, software, electrical, electronics, communications, mathematics, or physics with > 2.0 /4.0 GPA; OR bachelor’s degree in a scientific, engineering, or technical field with > 1.5/4.0 GPA AND 3 years relevant work experience.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Bachelor’s degree in related field.

1-3 years part-time

Jul

Online

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Data science

70% Data science versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

The modern proliferation of mobile devices, the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the ubiquity of social media and their data-harvesting practices – these are just a few of the things responsible for the ‘information explosion’, with an estimated 2.5 quintillion bytes of data now generated in various formats across the world each day. Data science involves the study and application of techniques to capture, store, organise and analyse this data. ‘Data’ refers to various types of information, including text, images, audio files and videos. To understand and take advantage of this material, data scientists draw on an equally eclectic range of concepts from fields such as mathematics, statistics, computer science, computational analysis and database creation. They often process raw data into more easily accessible

visualisations and charts, and use complex modelling to generate predictive insights. Data scientists are employed in a range of sectors and organisations, focusing on a limitless range of tasks. For example, a data scientist within a corporation might use sales data to identify target markets for a new product, while a government data scientist might collaborate with epidemiologists to model the spread of a new disease. Whatever your responsibilities as a data scientist, you will need to be an expert when it comes to maths, statistics and computer science. It helps to have a talent for detecting patterns in large amounts of information and the patience to work through tricky problems in a methodical and precise way.

It helps to have a talent for detecting patterns in large amounts of information and the patience to work through tricky problems in a methodical and precise way.

Lucinda Boffa studied a Bachelor of Science with an extended major in mathematics at Monash University and is now a data analyst in enterprise data insights at NAB.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Data Science GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Engineering services

page 176

Telecommunications

page 272

Technology

page 256

Construction and property services

page 136

Management consulting

page 194

Defence

page 152

Government and public services

page 226

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Energy and utilities

page 170

Education and training

page 164

Electronics

page 168

Banking and financial services

page 114

Transport and logistics

page 274

Cybersecurity

page 146

Aerospace

page 108

EMPLOYERS HIRING Data scientists Australian Government Digital Emerging Talent Programs Read more on page 242.

DXC Technology Read more on page 258.

EY Read more on page 104.

PwC Read more on pages 106-107.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Locations

Master of Data Analytics Gardens Point

Master of Data Science Melbourne City

Master of Data Science Online

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Bachelor’s degree in any discipline with > 4.0/7.0 GPA.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Bachelor’s degree in computing, science, engineering, health, or statistics with > 2.0/4.0 GPA.; OR 3 years of relevant experience as a programmer, statistician or equivalent.

2 years full-time,

Feb, Jul

Bachelor’s degree.

1.5 years full-time

Jul

Online

Find out more www.postgradaustralia.com.au

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Design and user experience

70% Design and user experience versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

The field of design and user experience (UX) has changed and grown rapidly over the last decade. The emphasis that websites, apps, software and devices place on human design has dramatically increased and products that get this wrong are now rarely successful. With a degree in design and UX, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll learn how to make life easier for users. Design, UX and allied fields involve research, testing and analysis of varying layouts, interactivity of websites and other digital media. Huge amounts of work goes into the design of a palatable interface, through techniques such as rapid prototyping and defining user personas. Degrees in this field teach students a variety of useful skills, such as

evaluating designs through a multicultural and ethical framework, developing and proposing design solutions, programming and prototyping. For every piece of backend software, any client interaction is facilitated by a solid interface. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quite an art to making an interface self-explanatory, which is why companies inside and outside the IT sector need UX designers. Being able to develop accurate user stories and test a hypothesis are skills that can be taken not only throughout this sector, but software development generally. Find out more www.gradaustralia.com.au

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quite an art to making an interface self-explanatory, which is why companies inside and outside the IT sector need UX designers.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Design and user experience GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Engineering services

page 176

Cybersecurity

page 146

Management consulting

page 194

Telecommunications

page 272

Technology

page 256

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Government and public services

page 226

Defence

page 152

Banking and financial services

page 114

Electronics

page 168

Education and training

page 164

Energy and utilities

page 170

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Transport and logistics

page 274

Construction and property services

page 136

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

EMPLOYERS HIRING Design and user experience graduates Canva

Capgemini Read more on pages 196, 285.

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment Read more on page 233.

TechnologyOne Read more on pages 269, 284.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Master of Interaction Design and Electronic Arts Camperdown

Master of Interaction Design Ultimo

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree with credit average.

1.5 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree with no more than 25% of subjects failed.

1.5 years full-time

Feb, Jul

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Software engineering

70% Software engineering versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

Software engineering involves the development or refinement of new and existing software programs to meet a range of objectives. It is through software that raw computational power can be harnessed and directed towards the achievement of various goals, be it the creation of an immersive gaming experience or the improvement of an accounting tool. Generally, software engineers fall into two camps. Systems software engineers are responsible for software ecosystems in which various programs are linked together to meet an organisation’s requirements. By contrast, application software engineers design, create and modify specific computer applications.

The best software engineers in both categories tend to produce programs in which their efforts are concealed behind a smooth, intuitive and effective user interface. However, this doesn’t mean they receive no reward for their work – in fact, they’re often highly paid professionals, and it’s not unusual for outstanding achievers to find themselves ‘headhunted’ by well known organisations. Regardless of how you specialise as a software engineer, it’s probable that you’ll need strong problemsolving skills and a broad but deep understanding of both the fundamentals of computer science and various coding languages.

They’re often highly paid professionals, and it’s not unusual for outstanding achievers to find themselves ‘headhunted’ by well-known organisations.

Sadi Zahir studied a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechatronic Engineering) at the University of Queensland and is a software engineer at IMC.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Software engineering GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Engineering services

page 176

Cybersecurity

page 146

Technology

page 256

Telecommunications

page 272

Management consulting

page 194

Defence

page 152

Government and public services

page 226

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Education and training

page 164

Electronics

page 168

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Energy and utilities

page 170

Construction and property services

page 136

Aerospace

page 108

Banking and financial services

page 114

Transport and logistics

page 274

EMPLOYERS HIRING Software engineers BAE Systems Read more on pages 156-157.

Bloomberg Read more on pages 120-121.

Commonwealth Bank Read more on pages 122-123.

Ericsson Read more on pages 262-263.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Master of Technology (Software Engineering) Ballarat, Mt Helen

Master of Software Engineering North Terrace

Master of Computer Science (Software Engineering) Northfields

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Bachelor’s degree.

2 years full-time,

Mar, Jul, Nov

Bachelor’s degree with major in computer science or equivalent; OR Graduate Diploma in Computer Science.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Bachelor’s degree with >60% WAM.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Find out more www.postgradaustralia.com.au

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Woodside collaborate with research organisations, academic institutions and scientific professionals to build our understanding of diverse environments.

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

Chapter 1

Part 4: Science Degrees Agriculture ��72 Biochemistry ��74 Biology ��76 Chemistry ��78 Earth science ��80 Environmental science ��82 Food and nutritional science ��84 Forensic science ��86 Marine science ��88 Medicine and medical science ��90 Physics ��92 Psychology ��94 Sports science ��96 Veterinary science ��98

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Agriculture

70% Agriculture versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

Agriculture involves the cultivation of animals, plants and fungi, and their preparation for use as food, biofuel, medicine and other products, to support human life. Agricultural science focuses on ways to improve and better understand agricultural processes by drawing on insights from a range of other disciplines. Agricultural scientists perform several critical tasks related to improving agricultural productivity and efficiency. These include research into ways of increasing crop yields, transporting produce, mitigating environmental effects and improving the resistance of crops to diseases and adverse weather events. To meet these goals, they employ a diverse

range of tools from the social sciences and sciences, such as statistical analysis, computer science and bioengineering. It is easy to underestimate the impact that agricultural scientists can have. For example, by developing and promoting high-yield strains of certain cereals, such as wheat, the agricultural scientist Norman Borlaug is estimated to have rescued some one billion people from starvation. With the CSIRO predicting that climate change brought on by global warming will result in reduced domestic precipitation over the coming decades, agricultural scientists stand to play a crucial role in managing the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s food supply.

Agricultural science focuses on ways to improve and better understand agricultural processes by drawing on insights from a range of other disciplines.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Agricultural Science GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Management consulting

page 194

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Government and public services

page 226

Defence

page 152

Engineering services

page 176

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Banking and financial services

page 114

Energy and utilities

page 170

Education and training

page 164

Agriculture

page 112

Construction and property services

page 136

Transport and logistics

page 274

Technology

page 256

Retail and consumer goods

page 246

Cybersecurity

page 146

Maritime

page 204

EMPLOYERS HIRING Agricultural Scientists Commonwealth Bank Read more on pages 122-123.

AGCO Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment Read more on page 233.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Locations

Master of Sustainable Agriculture Orange

Graduate Certificate of Agricultural Health and Medicine Online, Industry

Master of Agricultural Sciences Parkville

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Relevant bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree.

1.5 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree.

1 year part-time

Mar, Jul

Undergrad degree or six years of relevant professional experience.

2 years full-time

Mar, Jul

Online

Find out more www.postgradaustralia.com.au

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Biochemistry

45% Biochemistry versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

Biochemistry deals with the chemical processes related to living organisms. It is primarily concerned therefore with the application of organic chemistry (the chemistry of compounds that contain carbon atoms â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the tissues of all living things), though it also encompasses the inorganic processes that affect our biosphere. Biochemical processes account for the complexity of life on earth. It is, in large part, thanks to advances in biochemistry that we can now better understand why certain organisms possess their defining qualities. The groundbreaking discovery of the molecular structure of DNA and subsequent decoding of the human genome are both considered watershed moments in the development of biochemistry. Biochemists primarily work in medicine, nutrition and agriculture. Generally, the work of individual biochemists involves an attempt to answer some

specialised variation on the question at the heart of their discipline: how does life work? By solving such mysteries, they aim to better understand the causes of disease, the effectiveness of agricultural tools and the role of biochemistry in human health. As the backbone of the modern life sciences, biochemistry contributes to numerous industries. Consequently, biochemists can be found in a range of settings, from hospitals where they might analyse samples, to universities performing cutting-edge research. To become a biochemist, it is vital that you have a confident mastery of biology, chemistry and maths, as well as the patience and meticulousness necessary for world-class research. Find out more www.gradaustralia.com.au

Thanks to advances in biochemistry, we can now better understand why certain organisms possess their defining qualities.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING biochemistry GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Management consulting

page 194

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Government and public services

page 226

Defence

page 152

Education and training

page 164

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Banking and financial services

page 114

Agriculture

page 112

Technology

page 256

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Engineering services

page 176

Pharmaceuticals

page 224

Cybersecurity

page 146

Retail and consumer goods

page 246

Construction and property services

page 136

Transport and logistics

page 274

EMPLOYERS HIRING Biochemists CSL

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Master of Science (Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics) Kensington

Master of Biomedical Science Crawley

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Contact university.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Relevant bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Find out more www.postgradaustralia.com.au

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Biology

70% Biology versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

Biology is the study of living things â&#x20AC;&#x201C; their origins, behaviours, structure, function and more. The successful practice of biology involves the application of cumulative insights from all of the other sciences. Life is complex, so achieving a deep understanding of it via biology requires a blend of maths, physics, chemistry, geology and patient observation. Biologists work in a variety of roles and settings. On a given day, an individual biologist may be focused on high-level research into a complex ecosystem; the development of a campaign to improve public health;

the conservation of an endangered habitat or species; or consultation with experts in medicine, economics, law and a range of other specialties. To become a biologist, you will need to focus on acquiring a well rounded education in the sciences. It also helps to pursue work experience in a target industry or participate in research projects that let you demonstrate your practical skills. Find out more www.gradaustralia.com.au

Life is complex, so achieving a deep understanding of it via biology requires a blend of maths, physics, chemistry, geology and patient observation.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Biology GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Management consulting

page 194

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Engineering services

page 176

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Government and public services

page 226

Defence

page 152

Education and training

page 164

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Construction and property services

page 136

Energy and utilities

page 170

Banking and financial services

page 114

Agriculture

page 112

Technology

page 256

Retail and consumer goods

page 246

Cybersecurity

page 146

Pharmaceuticals

page 224

EMPLOYERS HIRING Biologists Santos Read more on page 221.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Locations

Admission requirements

Master of Biological Sciences Canberra

Duration

Intake

Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree with eight cognate courses and > 70% WAM.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Relevant honours degree and > 70% WAM.

3-4 years full-time

Ongoing

Relevant bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree and > 65% GPA.

3 years full-time

Jan, Mar

ACT

PhD (Applied Biology & Biotechnology) Bundoora, Melbourne City

Master of Computational Biology Parkville

Find out more www.postgradaustralia.com.au

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Chemistry

90% Chemistry versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

Chemistry is the study of the nature, properties and composition of matter, and how these undergo changes. If you incinerate a sliver of magnesium, it produces a blinding light. Merely demonstrating this reaction is entertainment â&#x20AC;&#x201C; understanding why it happens is chemistry.

As a chemist, the work you do will depend on your specialisation and the sector in which you work. For example, a chemist in the tertiary sector might focus primarily on teaching, while a chemist working in the agricultural sector would likely spend more time (literally) in the field.

Chemistry falls into two (often overlapping) categories: organic chemistry, which focuses on carbon-based compounds including all living matter; and inorganic chemistry, which covers everything else, including metals and metallic compounds. Within these two categories are countless specialisations, from agrochemistry (the study of chemical processes important to agriculture) to femtochemistry (the study of chemical reactions that occur on short timescales).

Whether their objectives are practical or theoretical, almost all chemists spend a good deal of time involved in research. Consequently, the most successful chemists tend to be those who possess the capacity for creative thinking and methodical work, as well as the ability to communicate their findings in accessible terms.

Whether their objectives are practical or theoretical, almost all chemists spend a good deal of time involved in research.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING chemistry GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Management consulting

page 194

Construction and property services

page 136

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Government and public services

page 226

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Engineering services

page 176

Defence

page 152

Technology

page 256

Retail and consumer goods

page 246

Education and training

page 164

Electronics

page 168

Banking and financial services

page 114

Manufacturing

page 200

Cybersecurity

page 146

Pharmaceuticals

page 224

EMPLOYERS HIRING Chemists BHP Read more on pages 212-213.

Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development & Communications Read more on page 240.

DuluxGroup

IXOM

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Master of Science (Chemistry) Parkville

Master of Chemical Sciences Bundoora

Master of Science (Applied Chemistry) Melbourne City

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Undergraduate chemistry degree with >65% WAM in subject-relevant third-year units.

2 years full-time

Mar, Aug

Undergraduate chemistry degree.

2-4 years full-time

Mar, Jul

Relevant honours degree.

2 years full-time

Ongoing

Find out more www.postgradaustralia.com.au

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Earth science

70% Eart science versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

‘Earth science’ is a phrase used to describe the plethora of disciplines pertaining to our understanding of this planet. Significant earth sciences include geology (the study of the earth’s crust), hydrology (the study of the movement and distribution of water) and climatology (the study of weather patterns and atmospheric conditions). The sub-disciplines of earth science are often assigned to one of four categories that correspond to different planetary spheres: the lithosphere (the outer crust of the planet), the atmosphere, the hydrosphere (our bodies of water), and the biosphere (the planet’s living things). Though the earth sciences are considered part of the same interdisciplinary ‘family’, the phrase ‘earth scientist’ is uncommon. Instead, an individual’s career title will reflect their specialisation, be it

paleontology (the study of prehistoric life forms and their fossilised remains) or petrology (the study of rocks). This specialisation will also determine the daily activities of the scientist in question. Here too, there is a wide range of possibilities. For example, while a climatologist may work analysing large amounts of weather data, a geologist may work in the field, studying volcanoes. An earth scientist of any kind begins by completing an undergraduate science degree before specialising through industry experience or postgraduate study. The skills that most often help earth scientists to build successful careers include a strong attention to detail, a talent for understanding complex, macroscopic processes and the ability to communicate their research.

An earth scientist of any kind begins by completing an undergraduate science degree before specialising through industry experience or postgraduate study.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Earth science GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Management consulting

page 194

Cybersecurity

page 146

Engineering services

page 176

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Government and public services

page 226

Defence

page 152

Technology

page 256

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Education and training

page 164

Energy and utilities

page 170

Construction and property services

page 136

Maritime

page 204

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Electronics

page 168

Banking and financial services

page 114

Agriculture

page 112

EMPLOYERS HIRING Earth scientists Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Read more on page 238.

GHD Read more on pages 182-183.

Rio Tinto Read more on pages 216-217, 218-219.

Santos Read more on page 221.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

PhD (Geospatial Sciences) Melbourne City

Master of Science (Earth Sciences) Parkville

Master of Earth and Environmental Sciences Northfields

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Relevant honours degree.

3-4 years full-time

Ongoing

Relevant bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree and > 65% GPA.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree with relevant foundational subjects.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Environmental science

70% Environmental science versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

Environmental science is an interdisciplinary field that brings together key findings from a range of scientific specialisations in an effort to analyse the environment and address a range of complex environmental problems. Some of the disciplines that contribute to environmental science include ecology, biology, zoology, geology, climatology, physics and chemistry. Environmental science can be studied at various levels, from a Bachelor of Applied Science majoring in Environmental Science (three years) or Bachelor of Environmental Science (Honours) (four years); through to a Graduate Certificate in Environmental Science (one semester) or Master of Environmental Science (two years). Whereas ‘environmental studies’ is a social science focused on the way humans relate to the environment, environmental science focuses on the ways in which

the environment works and could be better conserved. Thus, key challenges in contemporary environmental science include improving waste management to reduce pollution, managing natural resources and mitigating the effects of global climate change. Environmental scientists might do this by working within industry organisations, performing research, educating the public or advocating for legislative change. Given the complex nature of environmental systems, it’s essential that aspiring environmental scientists possess the ability to see general patterns in large amounts of detailed data. Find out more www.gradaustralia.com.au

Key challenges in contemporary environmental science include improving waste management to reduce pollution, managing natural resources and mitigating the effects of global climate change.

Mitch Jones studied a Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science), majoring in environmental management at Western Sydney University and is now a sustainability and environment advisor at John Holland.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Environmental science GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Engineering services

page 176

Cybersecurity

page 146

Management consulting

page 194

Defence

page 152

Government and public services

page 226

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Construction and property services

page 136

Energy and utilities

page 170

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Transport and logistics

page 274

Technology

page 256

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Education and training

page 164

Maritime

page 204

Banking and financial services

page 114

Agriculture

page 112

EMPLOYERS HIRING Environmental scientists AngloGold Ashanti Read more on page 209.

BHP Read more on pages 212-213.

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment Read more on page 233.

GHD Read more on pages 182-183.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Master of Environment Nathan

Master of Environmental Science and Technology Melbourne City

Master of Environmental Science and Technology Parkville

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree with > 4.5/7.0 GPA.

2 years full-time

Feb, Jun

Contact university.

2-4 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Relevant bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree.

2 years full-time

Mar

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Food and nutritional science

45% Food and nutritional science versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

Food and nutritional science has been defined as the study of the effects that food can have on humans and animals, with regards to their health and performance. It also considers aspects of human behaviour that relate to the choices we make about food. The relationship between human health and human diet is a complex one. While there’s much we know already, researchers in food and nutritional science are still working out the finer points. Generally, a student who enrols in a nutrition degree or completes a Bachelor of Science with a relevant major, will study some combination of the following subjects: chemistry, biology, advanced biochemistry, food security, statistics and maths. Their broad educations

lead them to a range of careers, from advising on matters of public health to counselling patients in a private clinic. And there are those for whom research, either in the library or in the lab, is a full-time vocation. The joke usually goes that, to succeed in food sciences, you must love food. While this certainly helps, it’s not enough on its own. You’ll also need to have a scientific mind, the ability to strike up a rapport with people (diet can be a sensitive issue) and a knack for integrating ideas from various disciplines to reveal new insights. Find out more www.gradaustralia.com.au

The relationship between human health and human diet is a complex one. While there’s much we know already, researchers in food and nutritional science are still working out the finer points.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Food and nutritional science GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Management consulting

page 194

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Government and public services

page 226

Defence

page 152

Education and training

page 164

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Banking and financial services

page 114

Retail and consumer goods

page 246

Technology

page 256

Agriculture

page 112

Cybersecurity

page 146

Transport and logistics

page 274

Engineering services

page 176

Manufacturing

page 200

Construction and property services

page 136

Pharmaceuticals

page 224

EMPLOYERS HIRING Food and nutritional scientists Carlton & United Breweries Read more on page 178.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Locations

Master of Nutrition and Dietetic Practice Robina

Graduate Certificate of Human Nutrition Online

Master of Dietetics Clayton

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Bachelor’s degree in health science.

2 years full-time

May

Bachelor’s degree.

1 year full-time

Mar, Jul, Nov

Bachelor’s degree with chemistry/ biochemistry, human biology, human nutrition and research methods units.

1.5 or 2 years full-time

Jul

Online

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Forensic science

45% Forensic science versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

Forensic science is the application of science to law, most commonly used in criminal justice settings. With a degree in the subject, you can help the criminal justice system deliver accurate outcomes, be that convicting the guilty or exonerating the innocent. Forensic scientists use techniques like fingerprinting, autopsies, pathology, DNA analysis and toxicology to provide essential evidence in legal cases. It’s a multidisciplinary field, requiring knowledge of physics, chemistry and biology to fully make sense of crime scenes. Armed with this knowledge, even the smallest clues can become crucial to understanding the course of events at a crime scene. From a single hair found on a jacket to blood spatter patterns, all manner of details are open to the keen scrutiny of a forensic scientist.

Forensic science degrees tend to consist of learning practical skills, such as distinguishing between blunt and sharp force trauma, facial approximations, identifying what numerous injuries or causes of death look like, identifying remains, analysing blood work in a laboratory, DNA sequencing, general fieldwork safety, hygiene and more. Applying the scientific method to such grizzly subject matter isn’t for everyone. In addition to strong analytical skills, quantitative reasoning and critical thinking, it’s advisable to have a strong stomach. Being able to communicate your findings both verbally and through written reports is equally important to the integrity of any given case you may be working on.

In addition to strong analytical skills, quantitative reasoning and critical thinking, it’s advisable to have a strong stomach.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Forensic science GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Management consulting

page 194

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Government and public services

page 226

Defence

page 152

Education and training

page 164

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Banking and financial services

page 114

Agriculture

page 112

Technology

page 256

Transport and logistics

page 274

Cybersecurity

page 146

Maritime

page 204

Engineering services

page 176

Energy and utilities

page 170

Construction and property services

page 136

Health

page 188

EMPLOYERS HIRING Forensic scientists Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Read more on pages 234-235.

Department of Defence Read more on pages 148-149, 158-159, 236-237.

Department of Home Affairs Read more on pages 150, 239.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Master of Forensic Science Ultimo

Master of Forensic Science Crawley

Master of Forensic Science Broadway

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Relevant bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; degree.

1.5 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Relevant bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree with at least second-upper class honours.

1 year full-time

Any except Dec

Undergraduate degree in natural or physical sciences with chemistry or biology units.

1.5 years full-time

Feb, Jul

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Marine science

70% Marine science versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

Marine science is about building our understanding of life under the sea, including microorganisms, coral and fish. With a degree in this field, you could help learn from the ocean and preserve its inhabitants.

biochemistry, aquatic physiology, marine conservation, oceanography, coastal ocean processes, pollution, megafauna and more. This makes it an incredibly diverse field rich with career opportunities.

Marine scientists consider the ocean the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cradle of lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, being responsible for shaping Earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s climate, geography and providing resources. As such, their efforts to understand and protect the delicate ecosystems that surround each continent are essential to the survival of thousands of marine and terrestrial species.

Professionals in this field need a strong grasp of statistics, mathematics and the scientific method in order to accurately observe, test and model data they collect. Critical thinking, strong communication, experimental design and data analysis are all necessary for good marine science and are commonly taught throughout degree programs. More than anything, you should have a passion for understanding all that lies beneath the surface.

Marine scientists use specialised equipment to study organisms in laboratories and conduct extensive field work. This can involve scuba diving or spending time at sea. They do this to test hypotheses about marine

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Their efforts to understand and protect the delicate ecosystems that surround each continent are essential to the survival of thousands of marine and terrestrial species.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Marine Science GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Management consulting

page 194

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Government and public services

page 226

Defence

page 152

Engineering services

page 176

Energy and utilities

page 170

Education and training

page 164

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Construction and property services

page 136

Agriculture

page 112

Banking and financial services

page 114

Transport and logistics

page 274

Technology

page 256

Maritime

page 204

Cybersecurity

page 146

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

EMPLOYERS HIRING Marine scientists Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development & Communications Read more on page 240.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Master of Marine Science and Management Coffs Harbour

Master of Marine Science and Management Camperdown

Master of Marine and Antarctic Science Hobart

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Contact university.

2 years full-time

Mar, Jul

Bachelor of science in relevant discipline and > 5.0/7.0 GPA.

1.5 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Bachelor of Science (Life Sciences major) or equivalent.

1.5 years full-time

Feb, Jul

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Medicine and medicinal science

70% Medicine and medical science versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

Medicine and the medical sciences are concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease. Hippocrates, the ‘Father of Medicine’, decreed the chief goal of his profession should be ‘to use treatment to help the sick according to my ability and judgment, but never with a view to injury and wrong-doing.’ It is important to distinguish between medicine, which is a professional degree leading to a career as a doctor, and medical sciences, which covers much of the same territory, but omits the practical components and may also include specialised research into topics like genetics, medical technology and immunology.

By contrast, a Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery traditionally leads to an internship or residency, during which students gain professional guidance and practical experience while preparing to specialise. Career paths from both degrees can lead to a variety of roles, such as heart surgeon, genetic analyst, paediatrician, general practitioner, teaching professor, medical researcher, epidemiologist and microbiologist. Find out more www.gradaustralia.com.au

A medical sciences degree is often three to four years long and leads to a professional career, research and further study (for example, the pursuit of an honours degree or doctorate), or a postgraduate degree in medicine.

It is important to distinguish between medicine, which is a professional degree leading to a career as a doctor, and medical sciences.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Medicine and medical science GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Health

page 188

Construction and property services

page 136

Government and public services

page 226

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Management consulting

page 194

Defence

page 152

Education and training

page 164

Pharmaceuticals

page 224

Banking and financial services

page 114

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Engineering services

page 176

Agriculture

page 112

Technology

page 256

Transport and logistics

page 274

Cybersecurity

page 146

Maritime

page 204

EMPLOYERS HIRING doctors and medical scientists Australian Defence Force Read more on pages 154-155.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Doctor of Medicine Waurn Ponds (Geelong)

Doctor of Medicine Nathan

Doctor of Medicine Northfields

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Health-related undergraduate degree with > 5.0/7.0 weighted GPA; GAMSAT completed with 50 overall.

4 years full-time

Jan

Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree with > 5.0/7.0 GPA; scored > 50 in each GAMSAT section.

4 years full-time

Jan

Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree; GAMSAT completion.

4 years full-time

Jan

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Physics

90% Physics versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

Physics is one of the fundamental sciences confronting questions at the heart of the human experience. What is matter? How did we get here? What is the relationship between time and space? In attempting to resolve these issues, physics often changes the way we see our place in the cosmos, while making transformative contributions to fields as diverse as chemistry, engineering and philosophy. To quote the physicist Robert Freedman: ‘Scientists of all disciplines use the ideas of physics, including chemists who study the structure of molecules, paleontologists who try to reconstruct how dinosaurs walked, and climatologists who study how human activities affect the atmosphere and oceans. Physics is also the foundation of all engineering and technology. No engineer could design a flat-screen

TV, an interplanetary spacecraft, or even a better mousetrap without first understanding the basic laws of physics.’ If you aspire to becoming a physicist, it’s important you undertake a physics major as an undergraduate and prepare for the likelihood that you will also be required to complete postgraduate research. In many cases, a physics major will include mandatory courses in maths and even statistics. Outside of academic research and teaching, there are many industries that hire physicists, from manufacturing to mining. They are also prized in many non-scientific industries (such as consulting) for their highly developed analytical skills.

No engineer could design a flat-screen TV, an interplanetary spacecraft, or even a better mousetrap without first understanding the basic laws of physics.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Physics GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Management consulting

page 194

Construction and property services

page 136

Government and public services

page 226

Telecommunications

page 272

Engineering services

page 176

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Technology

page 256

Defence

page 152

Banking and financial services

page 114

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Education and training

page 164

Pharmaceuticals

page 224

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Agriculture

page 112

Cybersecurity

page 146

Aerospace

page 108

EMPLOYERS HIRING physicists Teach for Australia Read more on pages 166-167.

Clean Energy Regulator

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Master of Science (Applied Physics) Melbourne City

Master of Science (Physics) Parkville

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Four-year bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree with research component constituting at least 25% of a full-time academic year.

2 years full-time

Ongoing

Relevant bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree; > 65% WAM.

2 years full-time

Mar, Jul

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Psychology

70% Psychology versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

In our attempts to understand one another, we all frequently engage in some form of psychology – or what William James, the father of psychology described as: ‘The study of the causes, conditions, and immediate consequences, so far as these can be ascertained, of states of consciousness, such as sensations, desires, emotions, cognitions, reasonings, decisions, volitions, and the like, in human beings’. Psychology attempts to answer numerous questions including why addiction occurs, where certain subjective experiences are produced in the brain and how people go about making choices. Broadly speaking, psychologists engage in two major endeavours: clinical work and research. Clinical psychology, of which psychoanalysis and psychotherapy are both well known subtypes,

involves helping individuals address dysfunction and achieve well-being. Research psychologists use experimentation, observation and analysis to unearth new truths about human behaviour and the workings of the brain. Psychologists of all types bear a huge amount of responsibility for their patients, their research and the often influential ideas they promote in (or share with) public discourse. Consequently, this is a well regulated profession with stringent admission requirements. You will need to enrol in a bachelor program (psychology) before completing postgraduate study. An honours degree is generally a prerequisite for clinical training. Psychologists are employed in a range of industries outside of research and clinical settings, from business to education.

Psychologists of all types bear a huge amount of responsibility for their patients, their research and the often influential ideas they promote in public discourse.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Psychology GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Management consulting

page 194

Construction and property services

page 136

Government and public services

page 226

Defence

page 152

Technology

page 256

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Banking and financial services

page 114

Health

page 188

Education and training

page 164

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Engineering services

page 176

Electronics

page 168

Cybersecurity

page 146

Retail and consumer goods

page 246

Mining, oil and gas

page 206

Aerospace

page 108

EMPLOYERS HIRING psychologists Australian Defence Force Read more on pages 154-155.

Department of Veteransâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Affairs

National Disability Insurance Agency

Nous Read more on page 198.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Master of Professional Psychology Online

Master of Clinical Psychology Kelvin Grove

Master of Psychology (Clinical Psychology) Parkville

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Four-year psychology degree; resume; personal statement; two references.

1 year full-time

Feb, Mar, Jun, Jul, Oct, Nov

Four-year psychology degree with > 5.5/7.0 GPA overall and 5.5/7.0 in psychology units; two referees; questionnaire; interview.

2 years full-time

Feb

Four-year psychology degree; personal statement; two referees; selection interview.

2 years full-time

Jan, Mar

Online

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Sports science

45% Sports science versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

The Australian Institute of Sport, a federal facility dedicated to producing World, Olympic and Paralympic champion athletes, defines sports science as an interdisciplinary field of research involving â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the observation, measurement and analysis of training and competition performance to enhance performance and reduce the risk of injury.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Sports scientists integrate findings from areas such as physiology, anatomy, nutrition, biochemistry, biokinetics and psychology. They are also beginning to take advantage of new technologies to capture data and subject it to revealing quantitative analysis. For example, at the Australian Institute of Sport, sports scientists use motion capture technology to analyse each detail of an athletic movement and suggest incremental improvements.

Generally, sports scientists complete a dedicated degree (Bachelor of Sports Science) or study a related discipline such as physiology, medicine, physiotherapy or psychology. They may then elect to complete a postgraduate qualification (for example, a Master of Human Movement). Sports scientists benefit from a keen interest in athletics as well as a combination of patience and highly developed communication skills. Many will find themselves providing advice to athletes, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s imperative they have good interpersonal skills and the ability to supply motivation and encouragement. Find out more www.gradaustralia.com.au

Sports scientists benefit from a keen interest in athletics as well as a combination of patience and highly developed communication skills.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Sports Science GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Management consulting

page 194

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Government and public services

page 226

Defence

page 152

Education and training

page 164

Health

page 188

Banking and financial services

page 114

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Technology

page 256

Agriculture

page 112

Cybersecurity

page 146

Transport and logistics

page 274

Engineering services

page 176

Maritime

page 204

Construction and property services

page 136

Energy and utilities

page 170

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Locations

Master of Exercise Science Crawley

Master of Applied Sports Science Online

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Bachelor’s degree.

1.5-2 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Related bachelor’s degree.

1-1.5 years full-time

Mar, Jul, Nov

Relevant bachelor’s degree.

1.5 years full-time

Feb, Jul

Online

Master of Exercise Science (Strength and Conditioning) Joondalup

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DEGREES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Veterinary Science

45% Veterinary science versatility score A high score means this degree is in demand by many industries; a low score means this degree is only being sought by a few industries.

Veterinary science, or veterinary medicine, is the branch of medicine that applies to domestic animals. As with human medicine, the application of veterinary science often involves a process of consultation, diagnosis and treatment, with follow-up care for complex cases. Of course, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one thing to understand the complexities of the human body and quite another to take on the entire animal kingdom. For this reason, veterinary science is a discipline that lends itself well to specialisation (for example, equine or bovine vets). By contrast, the veterinarian who treats pets at a local clinic is often a generalist physician who performs routine procedures (such as neutering and vaccinations) while referring complex or unusual cases to specialist practitioners.

Veterinarians are employed in a range of contexts, from family-style local clinics to industrial farms and university campuses. Their hours vary widely, but the basic requirements of the job are relatively stable: youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need a strong grasp of the sciences (especially chemistry and biology), a compassionate personality, and a high tolerance for things that might make other people squeamish (from delivering a newborn calf to euthanising a family pet). In Australia, veterinarians are generally required to complete five to six years of study as an undergraduate, followed by additional postgraduate study if you intend to specialise. Find out more www.gradaustralia.com.au

Veterinarians are generally required to complete five to six years of study as anundergraduate, followed by additional postgraduate study if you intend to specialise.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

DEGREES

WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING Veterinary Science GRADUATES? Industry

Learn more

Industry

Learn more

Management consulting

page 194

Accounting and advisory

page 102

Government and public services

page 226

Defence

page 152

Education and training

page 164

Agriculture

page 112

Banking and financial services

page 114

Chemical and materials processing

page 134

Technology

page 256

Transport and logistics

page 274

Cybersecurity

page 146

Retail and consumer goods

page 246

Engineering services

page 176

Maritime

page 204

Construction and property services

page 136

Energy and utilities

page 170

EMPLOYERS HIRING Veterinarians Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment Read more on page 233.

FEATURED FURTHER STUDY DEGREES Course

Institutions

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Roseworthy

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Parkville

Doctor of Veterinary Medical Science Murdoch WA

Locations

Admission requirements

Duration

Intake

Bachelor of Science (Veterinary Bioscience).

3 years full-time

Feb

Bachelor of Veterinary Bioscience (Animal Health and Disease); > 70% WAM in first and second year subjects; written statement.

4 years full-time

Feb

Veterinary degree with research component.

3 years full-time

Feb,

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100

XXXXXX

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INDUSTRIES

101

Chapter 2

Industries Accounting and advisory �� 102 Aerospace �� 108 Agriculture �� 112 Banking and financial services �� 114 Charity, social work and volunteering �� 132 Chemical and materials processing �� 134 Construction �� 136 Cybersecurity �� 146 Defence �� 152 Education and training �� 164 Electronics �� 168 Energy and utilities �� 170 Engineering services �� 176 Health �� 188 Law �� 190 Management consulting �� 194 Manufacturing �� 200 Maritime �� 204 Mining, oil and gas �� 206 Pharmaceuticals �� 224 Public sector �� 226 Retail and consumer goods �� 246 Technology �� 256 Telecommunications �� 272 Transport and logistics �� 274

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102

INDUSTRIES

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Accounting and advisory

Overview Accountancy has been aptly described as ‘the language of business’ because it helps professionals measure their success (or failure). It does this by quantifying an organisation’s economic activity, producing data that can be used to inform business decisions and evaluate performance. Accountants are also responsible for a range of internal processes in large organisations, such as overseeing tax compliance, managing complex transactions and evaluating investments. The ‘advisory’ branch of this sector includes specialist accountants who help clients address issues like insolvency, bankruptcy and forensic matters, while also providing more general financial advice. What’s involved? Broadly speaking, accountants fall into one of four categories. Financial accountants are involved in the preparation of financial statements that guide decisions made by external stakeholders, including investors, regulators and creditors. These statements focus on specific periods of an organisation’s financial history, revealing key insights about its income, expenses and profits. The primary goal of a management accountant is to help managers and other senior executives make informed and financially prudent decisions. Accordingly, their reports are concerned with the cost-benefit analysis of various business activities. Management accountants look to the future, modelling the financial consequences of different actions. Auditing accountants (or auditors) concern themselves with the examination and evaluation of a business’ financial statements. In other words, they verify existing information in order to confirm that it corresponds fairly to the activities of an organisation and may be relied upon by internal and external stakeholders. Finally, tax accountants are responsible for ensuring that clients meet their tax obligations, and will also look for ways to minimise their clients’ tax exposure. www.gradaustralia.com.au

The role of accountants in all four areas has shifted over the past few decades. Software has made it possible for them to automate bookkeeping and focus more on data analysis, the development of appropriate tax strategies and other more valuable tasks. Where do accountants work? Accountants work in practically every sector and industry, from mining and transport to education and the government. You will find them employed in-house at a range of public and private organisations, working at small to medium accounting agencies and acting as consultants in large financial firms. In Australia, this last category is dominated by the ‘Big Four’, a grouping of the country’s largest firms that includes EY, KPMG, Deloitte and PwC. Entering the accounting sector Given the responsibilities assigned to accountants, it’s no surprise this is a carefully and strictly regulated sector. In Australia, 51.3 per cent of accountants have a bachelor’s degree, with 28.9 per cent developing their skills through relevant postgraduate programs (for example, the Master of Professional Accounting or MPA), and the rest possessing either advanced diplomas (7.8 per cent) or a history of on the job professional development. Many accountants join a professional members body, such as Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ), the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA), or Certified Practising Accountants (CPA). Entry to a professional members body requires the completion of additional study and training as well as the fulfillment of continuing education requirements. A recognised accreditation (such as a CPA) is a source of significant credibility and can be used to pursue accounting careers in a range of sectors. Once you have obtained the necessary credentials, entry into the accounting sector is usually through graduate programs (especially if you are pursuing a role in a larger firm or government division) or private job listings.

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Career prospects The Australian Government expects the accounting sector to experience strong, continued growth over the next few years, reaching 207,200 workers by 2023. That’s around 16,800 job openings per year. Given the range of industries and positions in which accountants are employed, the possibilities for your own career progression are endless. Many accountants pursue supervisory roles, partnership in a firm or the attainment of a more general business role (such as chief financial officer). How can I take advantage of my STEM background? Accountants benefit from possessing highly developed mathematical skills, as well as the ability to communicate effectively and solve complex problems. Fortunately, these are the very same skills that are cultivated in most STEM degrees, making STEM graduates particularly well suited to employment within the accounting sector. Average salary Graduate accountants earn an average of $56,000 per annum, with pay increasing with experience and the acquisition of new accreditation. For example, Chartered Accountants earn an average of $70,337 per annum.

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Computer systems and networks

page 60

Mechanical engineering

page 36

Civil engineering

page 24

Environmental engineering

page 28

Electrical engineering

page 26

Mining engineering

page 38

Chemical engineering

page 22

Cybersecurity

page 62

Data science

page 64

Mathematics

page 50

Statistics

page 52

On the job What does your employer do? McGrathNicol is an Australianbased leading advisory and restructuring firm. I work within the technology team. We specialise in complex investigations, time critical cybersecurity incident response activities and helping our clients design strategies and implement frameworks to mitigate digital and information risk. I specialise in eDiscovery services. I act as an interface between lawyers and technology. I use my technical expertise to identify, collect and transform data so it is user friendly for lawyers and investigators. Our team analyses terabytes of data to find out what’s potentially relevant to assist lawyers and investigators in complex matters.

Can you describe a typical work day? I like to begin my day by scanning the news and looking for any ‘juicy’ disputes, investigations or data breaches. It’s handy to know the latest news for discussions in the office kitchen. From there, every day is different! We work on matters that can potentially have significant consequences for our clients and as such, they are often time critical. Just last week, we received a phone call from an investment bank. Within the week, we took a forensic copy of an employee’s laptop and prepared a report on their activity – who the employee sent emails to/from, what files they were downloading and so forth.

Natalie Scollo

Natalie Scollo studied a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws and is a senior analyst in the Technology team at McGrathNicol.

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On the job

Welbie Chan

What’s your name and job title? Welbie Chan, technology risk consultant. What did you study? I studied a Bachelor of Science majoring in Biochemistry. I’m currently studying a Master of Business Information Systems, part time. How did you choose your specialisation? Having jumped around to several fields and industries, including law, health science (physiology and embryology), I’ve finally landed in IT. Technology was something I was always passionate about even when it wasn’t something I was looking to build a career in. Almost every field in technology is amongst the fastest growing in the world. I figured the opportunities for growth, professional development and future job prospects were unparalleled. How did you get to your current job position? I began my journey at EY as a summer vacationer over the summer of 2017/2018 through an 8-week program and returned as a graduate consultant in January 2019. I’ve been in my role for just over a year. What does your employer do? EY is a multinational professional services organisation, considered as one of the Big Four accounting organisations. We operate with over 280,000 professionals worldwide in assurance, tax, transactions and advisory services. I am a consultant who sits under the advisory umbrella in the technology risk team. My work largely involves performing IT audits in support of our assurance teams, along with wider www.gradaustralia.com.au

risk work including cybersecurity and privacy related engagements What are the career prospects with your job? Working in an organisation like EY has enabled me to have a diverse range of opportunities on different types of projects, which has led me to feel very open about where my future job prospects will lead me. One of my favourite parts of my job is the client-facing work and stakeholder management. Learning to do this effectively in a high-performing environment is transferable to any future job prospects. What would your career be if you weren’t doing what you’re doing now? I’ve always been passionate about science and biotechnology. One day I’d still like to break into that field and combine my knowledge of technology and biochemistry to help generate positive change in the health tech industry. Which kind of task do you enjoy the most? My favourite day-to-day tasks are related to the coaching of others. I’m a very extroverted person and I’m passionate about coaching my juniors and working with other staff members to support their growth and impart some (limited) knowledge and experience. Do you have to work on weekends? Are the stress levels high? The reality of my role and the team I’m in is that we often have a large volume of work to complete with limited time. This sometimes results in high stress levels. Whilst I do not work on weekends, my team will often stay back late on weeknights to complete time-sensitive work.

Welbie Chan studied a Bachelor of Science (Biochemistry) and is currently studying a Master of Business Information Systems. Welbie is a technology risk consultant at EY.

Study Bachelor of Science (Biochemistry), Monash University, 2016; Master of Business Information Systems, Monash University, ongoing

ROLE Technology risk consultant, EY

Almost every field in technology is amongst the fastest growing in the world. I figured the opportunities for growth, professional development and future job prospects were unparalleled.

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On the job

Brendon Kim

Have you ever been involved in volunteer work? I filled most of my spare time in university with volunteering opportunities. My biggest achievement was coordinating the University of New South Wales’ orientation week with the Yellow Shirts, helping new university students transition into an important stage of their lives! Why did you choose to work at Protiviti? Despite all the hours spent in tutorials and late nights with assignments, I was no closer to working out what I wanted to pursue once I finished university. Having not had any prior corporate experience, I wanted my first graduate role to be flexible and open, with various opportunities in terms of the types of projects I could experience and skills I could absorb. Protiviti was the perfect pick for me with their broad solutions, specialisations and industries on offer for graduates. What was your interview process like? The assessment centre consisted of two formal interviews, a written exercise, a creative activity and a case study (a massive day of interviewing!). The highlight was being able to meet all the graduates and employees at Protiviti over lunch, to gain a better insight into the company. What does your employer do? Protiviti provides consulting solutions to critical business problems in technology, business process improvement, analytics, risk, compliance, transactions and internal audit. What are your areas of responsibility? A Protiviti consultant frequently conducts client interviews,

compiles and analyses data, and documents and communicates findings. We regularly get called upon for our fresh perspective to each client engagement, seeking out opportunities to innovate in ways that better serve clients. Outside of projects, consultants are encouraged to build relationships with colleagues and contribute to the success of the firm by participating in activities and internal initiatives. I try to find time to get more involved around the office; helping with our social club initiatives or working to build engaging events for our next cohort of graduates. Where could you or others in your position go from here? Becoming a senior consultant in an area of speciality is the common path. I’m very much going with the flow with my career prospects, so my main goal is to experience a variety of projects across our solutions to discover the specialisations and industries I wish to pursue in the future.

Brendon Kim studied a Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Economics and is a consultant at Protiviti.

Study Bachelor of Commerce/ Bachelor of Economics, University of New South Wales, 2018

ROLE Consultant, Protiviti

What do you love the most about your job? Protiviti graduates are given experiences other employees are lucky to get years down the line. With our flat structure, graduates work directly with directors and partners to deliver client work, giving us the perfect opportunity to learn from the best of the best. There’s enough trust for you to work with clients directly. It’s the perfect incubator to learn and grow! What advice would you give to a current student? Leave university with no regrets. University is the best time to find yourself, get outside of your comfort zone and be wild and free!

There’s enough trust for you to work with clients directly. It’s the perfect incubator to learn and grow!

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Day in the life

Thomas Nguyen

6.00 AM My alarm goes off. I am contemplating whether to skip the gym, but I manage to get up and start the day off with an early morning session. 8.45 AM I arrive at the client site. In consulting, we require close interaction with our clients and therefore many engagements are based at the client’s site. Engagements vary in length and team size depending on the nature of the project and expertise required. My team has people from a diverse skill set, with each of us bringing something unique to the table to better assist our client. On this engagement, I am joined with nine other PwC team members from the forensics team – yes, we do have a blast! I set up my workspace, check any meeting invites, respond to emails and plan out the work I have to do for the day. Then, I make my way downstairs to grab a coffee with my

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colleagues. As we’ve been at this site for a while, we’ve explored all the new coffee stores by this point! 9.00 AM The day begins. My team sits in the risk consulting division and we specialise in investigations and fraud control, anti-money laundering and counter terrorism financing (AML/CTF), and forensic accounting. For this engagement, we are conducting a money laundering and terrorism financing (ML/TF) enterprise-wide risk assessment (EWRA) for the client. This will help the client to identify key ML/TF risks, inform them on appropriate business and risk decisions, and allow them to focus resources on areas with the highest risk exposure. After shooting off a few emails I head over to check in with my senior manager and director. 9.30 AM My team and I set out an action plan for the day and share any new

Thomas Nguyen studied a Bachelor of Medical Science and is an associate in Risk and Forensic Consulting at PwC.

insights or developments we need to consider. I head back to my desk and begin my work. Today I am working in Excel and assessing the client’s control coverage. 10.30 AM We have a stand-up meeting with our project delivery team (consisting of the PwC engagement team and the client’s financial crime and compliance team). We provide updates on our progress regarding one of the deliverables,

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

the successes to date, problems that require solving and key delays that may have risen. We work together with the client to better understand their systems and challenges. This stand-up meeting helps us work collaboratively, and holistically understand how we can problem-solve. 11.00 AM I continue on with my work. My senior manager asks me to help her pull a few slides together for the upcoming working group. This forum consists of our PwC engagement team and the financial crime compliance advisory team. We use the forum to receive feedback on the things the team is working on. We thrive on collaboration in order to do meaningful work, think creatively and innovate. I’m looking forward to this forum to see how we bring ideas to life and collaborate to create change. 12.00 PM It’s lunch time! I usually bring my own lunch, but today I decided to enjoy a spicy chicken burrito bowl with my colleagues.

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1.00 PM My director offers to buy coffee for the team. My second coffee of the day – tick! After a short catch up with the team to reconfirm our priorities for the remainder of the day and ensure we are focused on our core area of expertise, we all head back to our desks to continue our work. 2.00 PM I attend an internal meeting with my senior manager and senior associate. We update on our progress with the controls coverage assessment and highlight the issues we are running into. Checkins like this ensure we are on the right track and can access support as needed. 3.00 PM The working group has started. My senior manager and director speak about our progression on assessing the client’s control environment and the logistics of the upcoming workshops. We receive some valuable insights from the financial crime compliance advisory team, which we will implement into our deliverable.

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5.00 PM I begin to wrap up my work and catch up with my senior manager before she leaves for the day. She gives me some feedback on my performance in client meetings and the work I’m completing. This helps me prioritise for the next day rather than start on a blank slate. I pack up and make my way to the train station for the commute home. 6.30 PM It’s time to unwind and rest. I get home, take a shower and eat dinner with my family. I generally struggle to decide between watching TV or playing some video games with my work colleagues and friends. 10.00 PM I pack my lunch for tomorrow, hop into bed and watch some clips on YouTube. 10.30 PM I slowly start to fall asleep. As PwC encourages flexible working, I’ll be leaving work early tomorrow to go to my boxing class in the evening. As a result, I’ll be starting a bit earlier to make up for it!

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Aerospace

Overview Since the dawn of commercial and passenger flight, Australia’s size and distance from trading partners has made the aerospace sector a national priority. Australia’s largest airline, Qantas, is the third oldest airline in the world (we were narrowly beaten by the Netherlands and Spain) and its contributions to the global aerospace industry include innovations like the ‘safety black box’ and a widely respected standards and governance framework. As reported by the Australian Industry and Skills Committee, the Australian aerospace industry contains around 920 businesses that together employ 10,900 people. It generates around $4 billion of revenue each year. Significant businesses in this sector include Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed Martin, Jetstar, Qantas and Virgin. What’s involved? Organisations in the aerospace industry are involved in four main activities: the manufacture of commercial and military aircraft, maintenance and repair of existing aircraft related hardware, research and development, and training and business services.

Lockheed Martin develops systems and engineering capabilities for the aerospace industry.

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Numerous processes contribute to the achievement of these goals. They include systems and software design, engineering, tooling, assembly and air systems integration. According to the Australian Trade Commission, our aerospace industry is particularly outstanding when it comes to the manufacture of sophisticated components as well as the development and supply of systems engineering and avionics. Where do people in this sector work? The aerospace industry is global – and this is undoubtedly part of the appeal for many people who decide to join it. Unsurprisingly, its largest employers, like Boeing, Airbus and Lockheed Martin, employ well over 100,000 people each. As a graduate in the aerospace sector, you’re as likely to find yourself working as an engineer in a professional office as you are to find yourself on the tarmac of an airport performing flight checks. The range of possible settings and locations in this sector is enormous. Entering the aerospace sector There are a variety of entry paths into the larger companies, including graduate training schemes and internships. Direct entry is also possible, although it

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By choosing an aerospace career, you’ll be entering an industry that is poised for innovation, growth and capable of taking you around the world.

tends to be more common with senior positions that require significant professional experience. Recruiters look for technical aptitude and a scientific, maths-based background. High value is also placed on non-technical transferable skills. These may include attention to detail, the ability to balance different and sometimes competing requirements simultaneously, and the capacity to look at an issue from different perspectives. Career prospects The Australian aerospace industry is highly active, with recognised expertise in diverse areas including the development of advanced composite structures, research into next-generation technology and the provision of training and business services. According to a study by IBISWorld (Aircraft Manufacturing and Repair Services in Australia), 13,000 new aircraft will be required in the Asia Pacific (AP) region, and nearly 36,000 globally, within the next 20 years. It’s widely expected that Australia will profit from its ability to meet these new demands. What this means for you as a graduate is that, by choosing an aerospace career, you’ll be entering an industry that is poised for innovation, growth and capable of taking you around the world. How can I take advantage of my STEM background? A large number of roles within the aerospace industry will require a STEM background, whether it be in engineering or statistical modelling. While the aerospace industry does contain non-technical roles

– such as in management, training and business administration – the completion of a STEM degree is the best way to ensure your applications are competitive for desirable jobs. Popular degrees sought by this industry

Learn more

Electrical engineering

page 26

Mechanical engineering

page 36

Software engineering

page 68

Aerospace engineering

page 20

Robotics and mechatronics engineering

page 44

Mathematics

page 50

Data science

page 64

Computer systems and networks

page 60

Cybersecurity

page 62

Design and user experience

page 66

Artificial intelligence

page 56

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Day in the life

Helen Lawrence

5.30 AM It is time to get up and welcome the day with a workout in the park. If it is a nice morning, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be able to watch the sun rise.

what the day has in store for me. I have a chat with my team and learn if anything interesting has happened since we last saw each other.

7.00 AM Back home now to get ready for work and grab some breakfast. If Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m in the mood I might also make some lunch to take with me.

8.45 AM Today, I will be running a workshop with an operator to learn about what they do, so I prepare for this session.

8.30 AM Arrive at work.

10.00 AM It is a fun workshop learning about what the operator does. The session is productive while having a casual atmosphere.

the information that we have captured.

11.00 AM With the workshop complete, my team meet and consolidate how we will progress with

12.00 PM The middle of the day has arrived. If the weather is cooperative I will go for a lunchtime walk,

The first thing I do is check my emails. Sometimes there may be some emails about new project announcements or news about what is happening in Lockheed Martin across the globe. I also look over my calendar to see

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Helen Lawrence studied a Bachelor of Software Engineering (Hons) and is a software engineer at Lockheed Martin.

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generally with several of my work colleagues. Sometimes we might walk down to the local shops and have lunch there together. 12.45 PM Back at my desk with a nice refreshing cup of green tea. I now compile all the data that I collected in the workshop from earlier today. Time passes surprisingly quickly and before I know itâ&#x20AC;Ś 4.45 PM The work day is nearly over! I check over my calendar to see what the schedule is for tomorrow and if there is an early meetings. If there arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, I might get in a bit later tomorrow. 5.00 PM I put on some music as I drive home from work. It will be tea with the family tonight. 8.00 PM Time to relax. I might play a video game or play some tunes on my viola! 10.00 PM Sleep is calling and I retire for the day.

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Agriculture

Overview In 2019 the most recent Australian Bureau of Statistics Agriculture Commodities report was released, providing a snapshot of the sector across 2017–18. This confirmed what was already a well known fact: Australia’s agricultural industry is enormous. In the 2017–18 year, there were 85,000 agricultural businesses in Australia and 378 million hectares of agricultural land. There were around 24 million cows and 71 million sheep, as well as $5.7 billion worth of wheat and $6 billion of fruits, nuts and grapes. All told, the gross value of Australia’s agricultural production that year totalled $59 billion. What’s involved? The National Farmers Federation reports that the agricultural industry employs some 307,000 people in a variety of roles. Common careers in this sector include agricultural technician, crop farmer, agronomist and forester. Their responsibilities might include: sowing crops, vaccinating livestock, working to minimise the impact of farming operations on natural habitats, maintaining equipment (for example, the machines used to process milk on dairy farms), breeding animals and much more. Where do agriculture industry employees work? The agricultural sector is spread across Australia, with most workers found in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. This loosely corresponds to the distribution of Australia’s farms, which cover 61 per cent of the country’s landmass. (Interestingly, the world’s largest station, Anna Creek, is actually in South Australia, where it covers six million acres – an area bigger than Israel.) Of course, the agriculture industry can’t exist in rural isolation – especially given a recent report (Food, Fibre & Forestry Facts) found 60 per cent of the produce it generates is destined for export. As such, it is supported by a well developed supply chain and a variety of secondary industries that turn agricultural goods into a range of products (such as fibres, foodstuffs and ethanol). If you include workers in these secondary industries, the agricultural sector can be www.gradaustralia.com.au

said to employ 1.6 million people in capital cities, rural or regional areas and even overseas. Entering the agriculture sector The first category of jobs in the agriculture sector are those which require a specific STEM qualification. For example, to work as a veterinarian, engineer, agronomist or other graduate professional, you will need a specific degree. The second category of relevant occupations in the agricultural sector are those for which you need a skill set rather than a specific undergraduate qualification (although these are often required as proof of educational attainment). For example, it may be beneficial to have a background in agronomy if you intend to pursue a managerial role in the agricultural industry. However, this is not a requirement and you could still submit a competitive application if you have strong marks in an unrelated discipline as well as relevant experience. Career prospects According to the annual Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) Outlook, Australia’s agriculture production is currently worth $59 billion and is predicted to rise to approximately $61 billion by 2023–24. This slow but steady rise will be welcome news for aspiring workers in the agriculture industry, after drought and global factors produced an approximate 6 per cent drop in recent times. Agricultural organisations vary in size, but the largest can have many hundreds or even thousands of employees. As a result, there is room for advancement within some of the more technically demanding careers, allowing graduates to set their sights on supervisory and administrative roles. How can I take advantage of my STEM background? One factor affecting careers within the agricultural industry is the imminent threat of climate change, which as reported by the CSIRO, will cause ‘decreased precipitation over much of Australia...exacerbating existing challenges to water availability and quality for agriculture’. Other imminent challenges facing the agricultural industry include increasing populations (and food demand), the growing role of genetically

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

modified crops, new challenges with pests and diseases, the globalisation of the agricultural sector and the adoption of automation and other technologies. Fortunately, these are all challenges that STEM graduates are well equipped to approach from different angles. As such, they will likely play a critical role in helping the agricultural sector to adapt, innovate and remain globally competitive. Average salary Salaries vary from role to role in the agricultural industry. Graduate veterinarians can expect to earn an average of $55,000 per year, while graduate agronomists can earn between $45,000–66,000 per year. Other professionals such as engineers and administrators can expect to earn salaries comparable to those found outside of the agricultural industry. Choose this if you: ■ Are comfortable with roles that will likely require you to visit, or be based in, rural and regional areas of Australia. ■ Are confident around livestock and machinery (if this is a likely part of your occupation). ■ Feel passionately about issues related to agriculture, such as food security and public health.

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Agriculture

page 72

Biochemistry

page 74

Biology

page 76

Environmental science

page 82

Mathematics

page 50

Statistics

page 52

Computer systems and networks

page 60

Data science

page 64

Software engineering

page 68

Earth science

page 80

Chemistry

page 78

These are all challenges that STEM graduates are well equipped to approach from different angles. As such, they will likely play a critical role in helping the agricultural sector to adapt, innovate and remain globally competitive.

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Banking and financial services

Overview The Australian banking and financial services sector has three main categories: retail banks, investment banks and other assorted financial services providers. The retail banking category is dominated by four institutions: the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ), the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), the National Australia Bank (NAB) and the Westpac Banking Corporation. Separately investment banks specialise in large, complex transactions such as mergers and acquisitions. They also help their clients, who may be businesses or private individuals, raise capital. The largest Australian investment bank is Macquarie Bank, which has around $480 billion worth of assets. Finally, the financial services category includes credit unions, stock brokerages, investment funds and insurance companies. What’s involved? What most careers in the banking and financial services sector have in common is this: they are concerned with transactions of various types, with a particular focus on managing financial assets for clients. The federal government recognises several career categories in this sector including actuaries, mathematicians, statisticians, bank workers (for example, tellers and other retail bank employees), credit and loans officers, finance managers, finance brokers, finance dealers, insurance agents and insurance investigators. From insurance broker to commodities trader, the diverse range of roles in the banking sector is equalled by the number of responsibilities those roles entail. Banking sector workers may find themselves trading commodities, overseeing insurance packages, evaluating investments and arranging loans on behalf of clients. Retail bank workers also assist customers by receiving deposits, facilitating withdrawals and advising on retail banking products, such as personal loans and credit cards. www.gradaustralia.com.au

Where do banking and financial services employees work? This may seem at first like a silly question in the context of the banking sector – and, yes, banking sector employees do work in banks. However, you may be surprised to learn they’re also found in various other sectors too, including law, the public service, consulting and education. Their understanding of financial processes and experience dealing with complex financial institutions make them highly valued employees. While retail bank workers and insurance agents tend to be employed in a fixed location, it’s not unusual for other employees in this sector, especially investment bankers and finance brokers, to travel widely as they meet clients and evaluate investment opportunities. Entering the banking sector There are many paths that lead to employment within the banking and financial services sector. The one you take will depend on the career you decide to pursue. While some careers – such as retail banking and investment banking – can be entered into more easily with a bachelor’s degree, roles that are tightly regulated may require postgraduate qualifications or industry accreditation. Once you have acquired the necessary qualifications, you will find banking and financial services jobs are usually obtained directly (for example, by responding to a job advertisement) or via entry into a graduate program. Career prospects The banking and financial services sector is, by necessity, well established in practically every functioning economy – so we can begin by noting that your career prospects in this sector are truly international. As a graduate, you can expect to spend the beginning of your career acquiring the skills you’ll need in order to adopt more demanding leadership roles later on. Those roles range from branch manager at a retail bank to hedge fund manager at a lucrative firm. The speed of your career progression will also vary from industry to industry.

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TAL graduates work alongside industry thought leaders with support from dedicated sponsors, buddies and career managers.

STEM graduates are also well trained in the type of structured thinking often required for the solution to complex financial problem

While it may take two to five years to attain a senior role in a small insurance firm, the pursuit of partnership in a large investment bank might be a ten to fifteen year career goal.

Popular degrees sought by this industry

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Computer systems and networks

page 60

Data science

page 64

Software engineering

page 68

Design and user experience

page 66

Artificial intelligence

page 56

Computer graphics and animation

page 58

Cybersecurity

page 62

Actuarial science

page 48

Average salary Salaries in the banking sector range widely from around the national average to well above it. For example, the head of Macquarie Bank, Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest investment bank, currently earns around $18 million per year.

Mathematics

page 50

Statistics

page 52

Electrical engineering

page 26

According to the Department of Employment, average salaries for common banking sector jobs are as follows: bank workers, $57,200; insurance agents, $55,796; finance managers, $118,000; actuaries, mathematicians and s tatisticians, $99,188.

Physics

page 92

Psychology

page 94

How can I take advantage of my STEM background? As a STEM graduate, you will find your analytical skills and advanced numeracy are in high demand in the banking and financial services sector â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and you would do well to emphasise them in any job applications. STEM graduates are also well trained in the type of structured thinking often required for the solution to complex financial problems (such as which assets to buy and when in order to maximise a return). You may find it particularly helpful to reflect on any maths or statistics subjects youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve completed (or intend to complete) and identify any skills that will likely be appealing to future employers.

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On the job

Ciara Crimmins

How did you get to your current position? I joined AMP through the graduate program in technology. This involved six-month rotations, with my third being in the cyber team. At the end of the six months, I was offered a position as a cyber analyst! This role was a bit of everything – assisting with vulnerability management, reporting, data analytics and more. Then, in late 2019, I was promoted to threat intel specialist. This is a new role within the team, looking after threat intelligence. It’s really challenging but such a growth opportunity. What was your interview process like? For the AMP graduate program, there were several stages. First there was online testing after application. Then, a video interview, and finally an onsite assessment centre, involving group activities, an individual presentation and interviews. The questions were generally less specialisation focused – particularly in the beginning – and more focused around ways of working, values, behaviours and responding to different scenarios. In the one-on-one interview, there were technical questions covering what coding experience I had and asking for technical solutions to problems. What does your employer do? AMP is a financial services company. We provide banking, superannuation, financial advice and insurance services to Australia and New Zealand, and are an international investment manager through our AMP Capital business. www.gradaustralia.com.au

What are your areas of responsibility? I work within the part of cyber security responsible for detection and response. My first area of responsibility is to perform continuous monitoring and hunting for threats within the environment, based on threat intelligence gathered from many sources. I use this intelligence to output actions to be completed by the team. Secondly, this threat intelligence is used to provide actionable and readable reports for senior management and beyond, providing input into how the evolving threat landscape influences AMP’s risk profile. This can be part of regular reports or in response to an incident in the industry. What do you love about your job? What I’ve always loved is the changing nature of the job and getting to work on a variety of different things as the landscape shifts. The job is always interesting, as there can always be new technology or a new situation we need to respond to. I enjoy being able to think outside the box and come up with new ways to identify and mitigate threats. Are the stress levels high? The stress levels can be high, particularly in my new role as I try to set up new processes. As time goes on I expect this to drop. However, there will always be an element of stress in this area, due to the responsive and changing nature of the job. This keeps it challenging and interesting. At times there can be the need to respond out of normal office hours. With jobs that are based around responding to real-time events, this is a norm and something you work within.

Ciara Crimmins studied a Bachelor of Advanced Mathematics (Mathematics, Computer Science) and is a threat intel specialist at AMP.

Study Bachelor of Advanced Mathematics, (Mathematics, Computer Science), University of Sydney, 2016

ROLE Threat intel specialist, AMP

This threat intelligence is used to provide actionable and readable reports for senior management and beyond, providing input into how the evolving threat landscape influences AMP’s risk profile.

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On the job

Celeste Chai

How did you choose your specialisation? I wanted a job that was fast paced, dynamic and intellectually stimulating. Having previous work experience helped crystallise my thoughts and preferences. Trading fulfilled all the above criteria and I cherish the opportunity to be able to work with intelligent individuals whom I can learn from whilst challenging me to improve. What does your employer do? Exponential Trading is a trading company. We trade a diverse range of products including options, futures, stocks and ETFs in AsiaPacific markets. What was your interview process like? My interview process consisted of a maths test and an options test, followed by verbal interviews with the company founder and other company staff. The questions were mostly technical in nature and were meant to test my aptitude for the role. What are your areas of responsibility? I am an options trader on the Kospi desk. Can you describe a typical work day? What was the last thing you worked on? I usually check overnight market moves in the morning when I wake up. Depending on overnight moves, I’ll get into work an hour or so before the market opens, to get set up for trading. Most of my day is spent trading. I might get the opportunity to work on some side projects in Python if conditions are quiet. Once trading finishes, I’ll take an additional hour to complete my administrative work and reflect on the day’s trading. I am currently working

on transitioning some reporting procedures from Excel into Python. What are the career prospects with your job? The company structure is very flat; I get to interact and work with everyone in the company regardless of position or seniority. There are possibilities of trading new markets and financial products, becoming the head of a trading desk or the head of options. The skills acquired during trading also allow me to branch into other areas of finance. What would your career be if you weren’t doing what you’re doing now? I would be in portfolio management. While not as fast paced as trading, it has similar dynamics. What do you love the most about your job? I love making decisions on the spot and facing new challenges daily. I also enjoy working alongside smart people and problem solving. I get to mix my day up with trading and Python projects on the side. What’s the biggest limitation of your job? Are the stress levels high? Every financial market is unique so traders can get pigeon-holed into a specific market very easily. The stress levels are high compared to other jobs, as there is constant profit and loss feedback and pressure. However, I don’t have to work overtime or on weekends as markets are closed then. What advice would you give to a student? Don’t be afraid of trying a couple of different roles. Stay hungry, stay humble.

Celeste Chai studied a Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Finance & Actuarial Studies and is an options trader at Exponential Trading.

Study Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Finance & Actuarial Studies, Macquarie University, 2013

ROLE Options trader, Exponential Trading

I wanted a job that was fast paced, dynamic and intellectually stimulating.

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On the job

Rosa Wang

What’s your job about? If I said, ‘My employer is anticipating the changes in our ever-evolving future and working to find ways to protect the community’, would you have guessed I work in an insurance company? In the last six months I have been doing just that, with the work and culture you’d expect from a young tech start-up – not a typical insurance company. I’m part of the analytics team; I’ve been using data to try to understand the behaviour of people. One of the projects I’ve been a part of is exploring the data picked up by an app IAG was developing, which discouraged mobile phone use while driving cars. My job involves interacting with raw data, writing code to analyse the data and visualising and translating back to the business in a universal language. My workday looks like a bunch of coding (python) sandwiched between meetings. I’ll go to a workshop or dial in to a talk by the Data and Analytics Guild, the innovation team or our chief customer officer. Could someone with a different background do your job? Yes. Understanding basic statistical concepts and basic coding skills is absolutely necessary. Students from STEM courses and most economics/finance courses should find the technical aspect of the job manageable. If you haven’t done any coding, there are so many free online resources. How important are soft skills? In terms of soft skills, communication is so important! Be transparent with your preferred

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ways of working. Communicate when you need support, can’t meet a deadline or when someone has misunderstood you. Learn to tailor your communication to your audience. Being able to learn quickly and ‘hit the ground running’ is incredibly important, but if you can’t, communicating this is more important. What’s the coolest thing about your job? I did some text analysis in one of my projects and found cases involving a specific social issue. We shared this with people from different parts of the business and to our surprise, they started clapping! I didn’t realise, but they had been looking for data around this data for a long time, with no results. The team was genuinely happy we were able to start doing something to support people going through a really rough time. To be a part of work that will make a difference in someone’s life – that is a cool feeling.

Rosa Wang studied a Bachelor of Actuarial Studies/Bachelor of Science (Statistics) and is an analytics graduate at IAG.

Study Bachelor of Actuarial Studies/Bachelor of Science (Statistics), University of New South Wales, 2017

ROLE Analytics graduate, IAG

What are the challenges? The analytics team have adopted agile ways of working; we all have laptops that we use to hot desk and we work from home all the time. My next rotation is in the actuarial team, who have a more traditional way of working. I anticipate this will take some getting used to. What advice would you give to a student? Sit down and be humble. Everyone knows more than you about something. Have humility and be respectful in every interaction. There are no exceptions.

My job involves interacting with raw data, writing code to analyse the data and visualising and translating back to the business in a universal language.

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On the job

Anima Sinha

Where did your passion for this field come from? I became interested in technology and computer science because of my dad who worked in a public sector bank. He would always talk about how, unlike his bank, other private sector banks were making things easier and faster for customers as well as for employees with the help of technology. So, I decided to pursue a career in technology. I applied for the NAB Graduate Program and fortunately was successful in securing a graduate role in the technology team. What are your areas of responsibility? I completed my first rotation in the digital mobile team. I started with solution design activities where I was required to understand a business requirement and develop a high level design for the build team, who would then do the required development. I then got an opportunity to work as a devops engineer where my primary role was to write scripts to automate the deployment of software code and build objects in test and production environments. Can you describe a typical day? My day in the mobile devops team starts with a stand-up meeting where we provide status updates. Usually in the morning I will be busy writing code and managing software releases. Afternoons are either occupied with sprint planning meetings or troubleshooting issues related to releases. Suppose a student was considering your career. What skills should they develop? To be successful in technology, one must have the right balance of technical and soft skills.

Today we work in a multicultural, agile environment that involves interaction with different teams. Interpersonal skills like influencing, negotiation and collaboration are essential to achieving success in technical roles. Soft skills can be developed through a range of volunteer activities, part-time jobs and internships. I volunteered at Melbourne Space Program. I also got a fantastic opportunity to work as a technology intern at ANZ Bank and before starting with NAB I worked as an analyst at Accenture Australia. These roles provided me with great exposure to the Australian work culture and a strong foundation for developing and applying different soft skills that are critical for being successful in the workplace. What sort of person succeeds in your career? Technology is changing very quickly. Therefore, a person with a growth mindset who is keen to learn new skills, is flexible and adaptable, and who is self motivated to grow and perform will succeed and stand out.

Anima Sinha studied a Master of Information Systems and is a technology digital graduate at NAB.

Study Master of Information Systems, University of Melbourne, 2017

ROLE Technology digital graduate, NAB

I have found working in technology a steep learning curve. While this is a big plus, at times I get so engrossed in learning new technical skills that I do not prioritise participating in networking events and activities. So, I am booking in some time to meet people outside my stream and foster quality connections. What advice would you give to students? â&#x2013; Demonstrate a growth mindset and flexibility. â&#x2013; Challenge the status quo to foster innovation.

Interpersonal skills like influencing, negotiation and collaboration are essential to achieving success in technical roles.

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Day in the life

Matt Burgess

5.30 AM The alarm rings but I’m hoping to snooze for a bit longer. I’ve been off for the past two days to recoup after Australia’s earnings season and a busy period in the markets. I quickly take a look at the headlines in case there’s something pressing that I might need to rush in and read up on to prepare for the Asian trading day. There’s some news on the US– China trade talks and Brexit but nothing that hasn’t been priced in or wasn’t expected. The emails from when I was off? They can wait. Woohoo, I can snooze! 6.15 AM The alarm rings again and I feel rested. I get up, grab a drink of water and turn on ABC radio to get a quick rundown of the local

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news, then I’m out the door by 6.30 am to head into the bureau. I’m feeling a little lazy, so instead of biking the 20km to the city, I ride the 7km to Manly and jump on the ferry. 8.00 AM Showered, shaved and suited up for the morning disclosure dump from the ASX. I quickly check in with my colleague Tim on anything pressing for the Australian markets. Then it’s a quick chat with peers in New York to get the scuttlebutt on Wall Street and a chat with my editor in Tokyo as we gear up for the start of trading. 9.00 AM The US stock futures market opens – generally speaking, the best indicator of market

Matt Burgess studied a Bachelor of Science (Marine Ecology)/Bachelor of Arts in International Studies (Indonesia) and Master of Journalism. Matt is a superannuation reporter at Bloomberg.

sentiment globally. It’s flat, as expected. No news is good news but that could change in the next few hours with economic data releases or any breaking

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news. There’s also the chance that President Trump may tweet. The impact that 280 characters can have on equity markets is astounding! 10.30 AM The Australian equity market has been open for 30 minutes. Between Tim and I, we’ve written quick stories about the largest stock moves driven by earnings downgrades or company announcements. I quickly compile the opening market wrap with the largest stock moves and news that’s impacting Australia. I then get back to work on longer pieces that are hitting deadlines, while chatting with contacts who trade equities and foreign exchange to keep a sense of what’s happening in the stock market today. 12.15 PM I send a message to my editors in Asia to let them know I’m heading out to an investment adviser lunch held by a prominent money manager and then catching up with a source for insights into a story I’m working on. I ask someone to keep an eye on the markets as things can turn in an instant. It’s awesome to have such close colleagues who all have each other’s backs. As they say: one team, one dream! 2.00 PM I let my team leader know I’m back in the bureau after an interesting lunch and catch up. What was talked about during the lunch was too weedy for my area of coverage, so I’ve sent it along to the beat reporter for use in other stories and background for a possible interview later on. 4.15 PM The Australian market has closed and I write a quick update on the stocks wrap that was published earlier. It’s been a quiet day in Australia and New Zealand. Not much has changed, but not all days are like this!

5.30 PM Quick messages with another editor on the story that’s being published early in the morning – tweaks to wording and anything missed in the initial fact check. A final read and it’s ready to go.

monitoring the US equity futures market. I tell them it’s been a quiet day here for a change so we didn’t write anything. I get a note back acknowledging they’ve got the watch. It’s great to be part of a global newsroom!

I then take a sneaky look at Swellnet or Coastalwatch to see if there are any good waves to wash off the day and relax. Surf is pumping! Yes!

Excellent, time for a quick surf. I let the team in Asia know that the Europe team is watching the futures market and I’m heading out.

6.00 PM Time to call it a day. I send a message over to my colleagues in Europe, for them to take over www.gradaustralia.com.au

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Day in the life

Nicholas Ho

6.30 AM Smooth jazz plays through the smart speaker next to my bed, as the morning light filters through my bedroom windows. ‘STOP!’ I groan from my bed. It follows my command and halts right on cue. After a quick round of calisthenics, I pour myself a bowl of cereal and chill out on the couch while reading top news stories of the day. After a quick shower I get ready for work and dash out the door. 7.30 AM If I’m lucky, I manage to grab a seat on the limited-stops train, which brings me to Sydney’s Central Station in just half an hour. It’s a nice walk down to the office at Commonwealth Bank Square. I usually listen to an audiobook or a podcast episode during my

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commute – it makes the time go quickly and I learn something new too. 8.30 AM I love starting my work day with a cup of green tea at my stand-up desk, scanning a few newsletters before checking my emails. It’s another opportunity to keep myself up to date on topics like financial intelligence, cybersecurity and the daily news. There’s chatter in the background as my team gradually makes their way into the office. Once my team assemble, we head downstairs to our favourite café for a quick coffee to start our day. 9.00 AM Back in the office, it’s time to begin our peer code reviews: reviewing the coding work completed by

Nicholas studied a Bachelor of Engineering (Software Engineering) and Master of Biomedical Engineering. Nicholas is a software engineer in the Digital, Operations and Technology division at Commonwealth Bank.

fellow engineers on the team. Code reviews are an essential aspect of a software engineer’s job. It can be tedious at times, but code reviews play a key role in effective collaboration, as we

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all contribute code to a shared repository. My code is my team’s code and vice versa. I’ve found that reviewing code is the best way to learn about novel programming concepts and patterns from my colleagues. Everyone has had different experiences and sources of inspiration for their codewriting style. We try to make the process as enjoyable as possible by injecting some fun into our comments with emojis and some good-natured ribbing on the occasional mistake. Eventually everything gets merged into a single shared repository of code, which materialises into one of our many apps used by our customers. 10.30 AM Finally, it’s code-writing time! I catch up with our team’s business analyst and fellow engineers to get all the information I need to start the coding task. I find coding enjoyable because it feels like I’m assembling parts of a very elaborate jigsaw puzzle. Thanks to the work of the team’s architect, we have an idea of what the complete solution should look like. Depending on what existing code we have, I usually have some locations in the code that I can use

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as a starting point and dive into building the next cohesive piece of the puzzle. 12.30 PM Lunch time! One of my favourite times of the day. Normally I bring in a homemade meal, but sometimes I’m happy to treat my taste buds to one of the many culinary options around Darling Square. My favourite go-to meal is a Vietnamese crispy skin fried chicken and rice or a pork sisig from a Filipino restaurant nearby. I grab my lunch and walk across to Tumbalong Park and join the other graduates from my cohort. It’s always fun; lots of laughing and chit-chat. If we have time we go for a stroll along the harbour. Ah what a sight – Sydney Harbour, the blue sky reflecting on the sparkly water, never disappoints! 1.30 PM Back at my desk and fighting off the food coma, I continue on with my coding task. A cup of tea helps me to concentrate. 2.00 PM Time for the daily team huddle. We gather around a screen displaying the team’s project management board and each of us take turns to share what we’ve been working

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on that day. It’s a good opportunity for me to ask for support from my wider team if I come across any difficulties or hurdles that block my work. It’s all quite informal; everyone feels comfortable to share their progress, which is important to the smooth running of the project. 3.00 PM I return to my desk to continue coding. Once I complete the code, I upload it for my teammates to review. Occasionally our team has other meetings, which usually revolve around discussing the state of the project as a whole and re-assessing the work that needs to be done. Understanding the team’s project backlog of work means we start and deliver work at a consistent pace. 5.00 PM Wow, this day has gone quickly! I really enjoy my work thoroughly and the people I work with make all the difference. On some occasions the graduates plan a dinner catch up after work. On other days I like to rest and relax at home, watching a movie or playing a video game. All in a day’s work.

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Day in the life

Michael Freeman

8.00 AM Alarm goes off. I quickly get ready, make myself a coffee and drink it on the five-minute walk to the office from our Manhattan apartment – which is lucky because really I’m a late night person. 8.30 AM I arrive at the office and find out what’s for breakfast today. I grab a bagel (my favorite). Being New York, you won’t find a better bagel anywhere else! 9.00 AM I usually start off checking emails from overnight – catching up on any world news and reading trading stories from the previous day written by other traders. I’ll also order lunch using the

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corporate Seamless (Uber Eats) account. I think I might get some food from the greatest Chinese restaurant in Manhattan: China Chalet. 9.30 AM Stock markets open in the US. I am in one of the US options trading teams. Mornings can be busy in the markets, so I am quite occupied with my desk duties of answering phones and booking trades for the traders. There isn’t much shouting or yelling like you see in typical Wall Street movies, because trades are mostly performed electronically rather than on the phone. 11.00 AM Markets have quieted down, so I have some time to work on my

Michael Freeman studied a Bachelor of Commerce/ Bachelor of Science (Advanced Mathematics) and is a graduate quantitative trader at SIG. Michael is currently on placement in SIG’s New York office on Wall Street, completing his trader training.

Excel/coding projects. These kinds of projects can involve directly testing trading strategies, but can also involve creating programs and

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spreadsheets to assist traders in assembling information and making decisions. 12.00 PM Lunch arrives! 2.00 PM One of the other graduates covers while I spend some time with the traders. We discuss some of the interesting situations they encountered during the day and how they responded. This is a great time for me to ask more questions, understand their decision-making and see how the concepts I’m learning in trading class apply. 4.00 PM Markets close for the day. The trading team meets to discuss the

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interesting stories of the day and collaborate about trade ideas. 4.30 PM Depending on the day, we either have trading class, where we learn about trading concepts; poker class, to help improve our decisionmaking; or mock trading class. Today is mock trading, which is taught by senior traders to simulate trading stock options. This is done on a whiteboard without computers, as if we were in trading pits, so trades are made out loud. This is one of the main ways we can develop our trading skills and learn from experienced traders in a simulated environment. This allows everyone to hear each trade, inciting conversation about the decisions made.

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5.30 PM Time to head home. On the way, I’ll swing by my local deli to pick up a pastrami and roast beef sandwich for dinner. 8.00 PM A few times a week, I’ll head down the road to nearby courts to play a game for SIG New York’s basketball team. 9.00 PM We won! We’ll have a couple of beers to celebrate. 10.00 PM I spend the rest of the night watching TV or catching up with family and friends back in Australia who are now awake. 12.30 AM Time for bed!

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Day in the life

Vicky Su

9.00 AM I arrive at work and start the day off with admin tasks. I catch up on any emails and messages I may have missed, and then check if my overnight builds have passed. Today my timing fixes from the previous day have worked in my new build (yay!). 9.30 AM The execution team has its stand-up at 9.30 where we give a brief overview of what we did yesterday, what we plan on doing today, and any issues we may be encountering so it’s easy to find someone who can help out. Once that’s over, we head up to the top floor for breakfast and coffee. 10.00 AM Back at my desk, I start a quick test for my bitfile from last

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night’s build as a sanity check after yesterday’s changes. I’ve already done thorough testing prior to this and there should be no functional changes, but better safe than sorry. We have some FPGAs in our lab downstairs so I firstly flash my bitfile onto one of the free FPGAs, then configure the connections to the appropriate interfaces on the server I’m using so that I can send and receive packets. I then run my script to set my configuration registers on the FPGA. We’re now good to start testing. I replay my pcap file I use for testing and send this to the FPGA and dump the output to another pcap. After some analysis of my pcap, I confirmed that my product is working as expected so I finally get to merge my pull request.

Vicky Su studied a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering, Programming Minor and is now working as a graduate software developer at Optiver.

11.00 AM I don’t quite have enough caffeine in my system, so I head upstairs again for another coffee with some of the other grads. 11.15 AM Time to get started on my next feature for my project. I take some time to figure out what parts of

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the codebase need to be changed and start mapping out a plan on how to tackle the problem as I go. I then start diving into the code changes. 12.30 PM Today’s lunch menu is fish of the day or tomato, spinach and ricotta tarts for the vegetarians, plus salads for everyone – all prepped and cooked by our lovely in-house chef and kitchen staff! Lunch is also a great time to socialise with colleagues and meet new ones too. 1.30 PM This is probably when I get the most done in my day, especially when I don’t have meetings on. Most days I am writing code (primarily in VHDL and System Verilog and sometimes C++ and Python). Other days I will be doing testing in our lab or staging environment, reviewing or updating pull requests, or deploying my changes into production - the cool thing about working at Optiver is that I get to take ownership and be part of the entire life-cycle of my change from planning through to deployment, even as a graduate. I also find some time to pop up to the top floor again to grab a snack or a cuppa with my coworkers. 5.30 PM It’s time to clock off. Today happens to be a climbing day (I organise indoor climbing after work every week with my Optiver climbing crew). We catch the train to St. Peters for a couple of hours of climbing at Sydney Indoor Climbing Gym before heading to our regular pizza joint near the station for dinner. If it’s not a climbing night, I’ll either have orchestra rehearsal, go to the PT classes provided by Optiver, catch up with friends over dinner, attend some sort of Meetup, or have the occasional quiet night at home. www.gradaustralia.com.au

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On the job

Matthew Whitehead

What’s your name and job title? Matthew Whitehead – junior quant trader. What did you study? Bachelor of Mathematics (Computer Science). How did you get to your current job position? For how long have you had it? I grew up in Wollongong, NSW. I got my job at Tibra via the summer internship program through the University of Wollongong. I have been working for nearly two years now. How did you choose your specialisation? I chose my specialisation as it was the right balance of my skills and my interests. What was your interview process like? What kind of questions were you asked? It was a fairly straightforward interview process – many logic questions and riddles. What does your employer do? Tibra is a market maker, which means that we supply liquidity to the financial markets. What are your areas of responsibility? I am responsible for the research and deployment of trading strategies. What are the career prospects with your job? Where could you or others in your position go from here? There are many career development opportunities available to myself and my peers. Tibra has Tibra University, which www.gradaustralia.com.au

is like a university but at work! It’s pretty cool as you feel like you’re always learning and becoming better at what you do. We are all encouraged to step up and take on a mentoring or leadership role at some point. Could someone with a different background do your job? We have people from many educational backgrounds working in the same team; most of them are from STEM based backgrounds.

Matthew Whitehead studied a Bachelor of Mathematics (Computer Science) and is a junior quant trader at Tibra Capital.

Study

What would your career be if you weren’t doing what you’re doing now? Anything involving technology, as that is my passion.

Bachelor of Mathematics (Computer Science), University of Wollongong, 2016

What do you love most about your job? I enjoy the low-level details.

ROLE

What kind of task do you enjoy the most? The kind of tasks that require expert-level knowledge in that field to complete.

Junior quant trader, Tibra Capital

What’s the biggest limitation of your job? It’s challenging but in a good way. No day is ever the same. Which three pieces of advice would you give to a current university student? ■ Undertake a degree that you love and are genuinely interested in. ■ Marks matter! Try and put in as much effort as possible; it goes a long way. ■ Apply for work experience and internships; they are the best addition to your CV.

Tibra has Tibra University, which is like a university but at work! It’s pretty cool as you feel like you’re always learning and becoming better at what you do.

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On the job

Stephen Powell

What does your employer do? I work at Tibra Capital, a proprietary trading firm that operates using a diversified set of strategic approaches on local and international markets. Tibra facilitates liquidity, price fairness and the efficient allocation of capital in financial markets through its trading activities. Operating in highly competitive and dynamic trading environments ensures Tibra is always challenged and must constantly innovate and use cutting edge technology to compete. What are your areas of responsibility? In my role as a quant trader, I am engaged in the trading front lines: researching, implementing and evaluating trading strategies. My role involves not only discovering the complex relationships that exist in the modern world, but also efficiently making use of trading systems. How did you choose your specialisation? I studied a dual Bachelor of Civil Engineering and Mathematics at The University of Queensland. My original intention was to pursue civil engineering professionally. There was a clearly defined career path and modern structures are truly awesome. However, while undertaking an internship at a structural engineering firm, I realised I was more interested in the mathematics and problem solving involved in engineering than the reality of client focused project delivery and conservative design. Fortunately, my dual degree offered me alternatives. While I had no formal programming training, I had previously begun to explore programming as a way of better applying my mathematical knowledge. I applied for several internships through the university’s

mathematics department and accepted an offer at Tibra’s Austinmer office. Following this, I was offered a graduate position. Could someone with a different background do your job? Yes. Innovation is at the heart of successful trading, with diverse team member backgrounds preventing stagnation and idea homogenisation. While a high level of mathematics and programming is not required, the ability to understand and communicate mathematical ideas as well as the desire to engage in program development is necessary. Tibra’s quants have mainly mathematics, engineering or computing experience. Prior experience or training in finance is not a requirement, with most having little exposure prior to joining. Although cliché, a willingness to learn, keep an open mind and take the initiative are all important attributes. What’s the best thing about your job? Completing a project and watching calculations happening at a speed even millions of individuals would be unable to compete with, is always thrilling. Modern trading occurs at a speed and scale beyond normal comprehension. The markets are constantly giving feedback and require us to constantly give innovation; everyone is working on something new and putting theoretical ideas into practice. What are the limitations? Financial markets are highly competitive. As such, Tibra has high expectations of its employees. Quant work isn’t for everyone and it is difficult to know prior to giving it a go. High expectations sometimes translates into longer working hours if a project is urgent, and international trading can also cause offset working hours.

Stephen Powell studied a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil Engineering)/Science (Mathematics) and is a junior quant trader at Tibra Capital.

Study Bachelor of Engineering (Civil Engineering)/ Science (Mathematics), The University of Queensland, 2018

ROLE Junior quant trader, Tibra Capital

Innovation is at the heart of successful trading, with diverse team member backgrounds preventing stagnation and idea homogenisation.

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On the job

Aaron Long

What does your employer do? TAL (This Australian Life) is a life insurer who prides themselves on protecting people and not things. How did you get to your current job position? I originally started at TAL as an IT intern where I worked for three months in the data space. A few months later, I was fortunate to come back as a business intelligence/data warehouse developer until I joined the graduate program in 2019. Since joining the graduate program, I’ve worked in the IT strategy & architecture team as well as the cloud engineering team. I’m currently on a rotation outside of IT in the innovation space. What are your areas of responsibility? In the rotational program this tends to change every six months, however some of my responsibilities have been around database development, vendor comparisons, azure resource manager, template building and uplifting development practices. I also try to get involved with various activities at TAL, whether creating internal promotional videos, helping to organise IT events and collaborating with my graduate cohort for fundraising/volunteering events. At the moment I’m on an external rotation in the innovation space, where I’m trying to bring the knowledge and best practices I’ve learned in my previous teams to help uplift the team’s development practices. I’m also looking at different options for deploying a project, so I’ve been spending time learning about the different cloud technologies available. This week www.gradaustralia.com.au

I’ve been participating in a Microsoft OpenHack event with another team member, so it’s fair to say there’s always some exciting opportunities available! Could someone with a different background do your job? Definitely! I think IT is such a broad area that you can almost always find something that will captivate you and allow you to excel. I’ve met a lot of people in IT who have come from completely different backgrounds. What would your career be if you weren’t doing what you’re doing now? I’d probably have a crack at building a start-up/social enterprise. What do you love most about your job? The ability to rotate every six months and work in different areas of IT, allowing me to challenge myself and get a better idea of where I’d like to go career-wise in the future. I also love the work-life balance culture. What’s the biggest challenge of your job? Do you bear a lot of responsibility? Are the stress levels high? I always feel there’s more to learn in technology, which can be quite daunting at times. In terms of responsibility, I’ve been quite happy about being given ownership over a lot of large tasks throughout my working life at TAL, however this doesn’t mean I’m stuck working weekends and late nights. You have your usual ups and downs regarding stress, but it’s always at manageable levels. If it’s not, there’s your team to support you through it.

Aaron Long studied a Bachelor of Information Systems and is an information technology graduate at TAL.

Study Bachelor of Information Systems, University of New South Wales, 2018

ROLE Information technology graduate, TAL

This week I’ve been participating in a Microsoft OpenHack event with another team member, so it’s fair to say there’s always some exciting opportunities available!

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Charity, social work and volunteering

Overview There are some 600,000 charities in Australia, contributing about $43 billion to gross domestic product each year. With Australia boasting the largest number of charities per capita in its history, the opportunities for graduate employment are abundant. The work charities do to address a range of social, political, health and environmental problems occurs alongside similar efforts by Australian volunteers. Social workers commonly work in tandem with charities and volunteers too, sharing a similar focus on marginalised populations. Irrespective of where social workers are employed, their career is a strictly regulated one with standardised entry requirements. What’s involved? The Australian charity sector responds to a wide variety of social causes. According to the ACNPC, ‘nearly half (43 per cent) of registered charities have social and community welfare as their main purpose, with religious charities making up about 22 per cent of these’. Not-for-profit organisations are also critical to community art initiatives, nature conservation efforts, animal welfare, mental health advocacy, aged care and more. Volunteering Australia reports the highest proportion of Australian volunteers (37 per cent) contribute to sports and recreation organisations, with other popular causes including welfare and the community (22 per cent), religion (22 per cent), parenting, children and youth (16 per cent). The actual work of being in a charity or not-for-profit organisation varies widely. You may provide support to the homeless as a volunteer, or oversee the social media strategy of a not-for-profit organisation as a full-time employee. Established charities and not-for-profit organisations are complex entities that often require the same skills as similarly large private businesses – from legal advice to marketing coordination. The Australian social work profession is broad and diverse, bringing together people from a range of backgrounds to focus on a spectrum of social issues. Social workers may find themselves involved in casework, counselling, advocacy and various forms www.gradaustralia.com.au

of community engagement. Social workers often dedicate themselves to particular social challenges or marginalised populations. As such, many end up specialising in social work related to children, mental health, people with disability and so on. As outlined by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), ‘Social workers also work in areas such as policy development, education and research particularly around issues of social justice, disadvantage and the marginalisation of people in their communities or in society’. Where do people in this sector work? Often, the most effective charities and volunteer organisations are those willing to go where others won’t. Couple this with the universal desire to give back, and it’s no surprise to learn – and this is no exaggeration – members of charities and volunteer organisations are found virtually everywhere. Whether they are assisting the urban homeless in Australia, or coordinating famine relief efforts abroad, people in this sector find themselves in a diverse range of settings. The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission reports that within Australia, the highest concentrations of charity organisations are in New South Wales (34 per cent), Victoria (24 per cent) and Queensland (18 per cent), with the remaining quarter spread across the other states. The distribution of volunteer organisations, says Volunteering Australia, follow similar patterns, though it is interesting to note a revealing statistic: the adult volunteer rate is 34 per cent in capital cities (3.7 million people) and 41 per cent outside capital cities (2.4 million people). The AASW says social workers work in all parts of the community, in both regional and rural areas and in various settings. These include hospitals, community health services, state and federal government departments, local councils, nongovernment organisations, educational institutions and international aid and advocacy bodies. The Australian Government’s Job Outlook for social workers notes that the majority of social workers are employed in New South Wales (28.5 per cent), followed by Victoria (29.4 per cent), Queensland

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(17 per cent), and Western Australia (8.7 per cent). The remaining states have more or less equal proportions. Entering the charity, social work and volunteering sector Chances are, you have ‘entered’ the volunteering sector before – as a volunteer. You may even have supported a charity initiative like the World’s Greatest Shave or Daffodil Day. A career in the sector is oriented towards the same social outcomes but involves a full-time commitment. These roles can take many forms, from performing administrative services and planning events, to working with disadvantaged populations and coordinating community art projects. Social workers assume an enormous amount of responsibility in the community, and as such, work within a well regulated profession. It is necessary to complete an accredited Bachelor of Social Work, which is a four year degree. Alternatively, students may complete a Master of Social Work, which is a twoyear postgraduate degree available to people from certain three-year bachelor degrees. These degrees emphasise both practical experience and a thorough knowledge of the theory of social work. Career prospects There are many roles within this sector, offering you the opportunity to progress upwards in your chosen organisation or move laterally as you apply your skills to different causes. Encouragingly, the number of volunteer and charity organisations continues to grow. For example, the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission notes that 70 per cent of charities have been active for over ten years – the rest are relatively new. Social workers often pursue senior positions in many of the settings listed above. As community workers, they are in increasingly high demand. This is especially true as the average age of Australia’s population continues to increase. The Treasury predicts that the

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proportion of the population aged over 65 years will almost double to around 25 per cent by 2042. How can I take advantage of my STEM background? Charities and volunteer organisations seek out graduates who are strategic, skilled at analytical thinking and able to address problems creatively. They value the very same attributes as are cultivated in the STEM disciplines. They also hire graduates such as programmers, statisticians and medical personnel. Social workers will almost invariably have to complete a social work degree. However, they may be able to take advantage of their undergraduate STEM training and apply for a two-year master’s program, which will expedite the necessary training. Average salary Salaries vary widely in the charity and not-for-profit sector, in large part because they are determined by the board of each individual organisation. Many choose to offer competitive salaries designed to attract people with the skills and experience necessary to help the charity achieve its goals. In addition, registered charities and not-for-profit organisations are entitled to offer perks such as salary packaging, which allows employees to access their pre-tax salary on things such as cars, computers and superannuation. Most social workers are paid in accordance with a professional award rate. This ranges from around $60,000 per annum for graduate employees to $148,000 for level eight employees (those with significant experience). Choose this if you: ■ Feel passionately about social justice, public health, the environment, human rights or another issue addressed by a charity or non-profit organisation ■ Can commit to completing a range of required placements (as a social work student), often working with marginalised populations in challenging contexts. www.gradaustralia.com.au

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Chemical and materials processing

Overview The heavy chemical industry converts raw materials, such as oil, metals and minerals, into more than 70,000 secondary products that are sold for use in other industries. These products include basic chemicals (such as chlorine, sodium carbonate and sulfuric acid), complex specialty chemicals (such as plastics, pigments and additives) and consumer chemicals (such as soaps, detergents and cosmetics). What’s involved? The Australian chemical industry is critical to Australia’s overall economic health. It supplies 109 of Australia’s 111 industries and about 80 per cent of its output goes directly into other sectors, such as mining, advanced manufacturing, and food and agriculture. Encompassing 5,500 businesses nationally, the chemical industry includes some 60,000 people who contribute $11.6 billion to Australia’s gross domestic product. Importantly, the chemical industry is a leading employer of Australian STEM graduates. Around 75 per cent of the world’s fastest growing jobs rely on skills from STEM disciplines, and many of those jobs are found in the chemical industry. They include roles in chemical engineering, product development research,

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quality assurance, hazardous waste management, process chemistry (the ‘scaling up’ of chemical reactions to create bulk amounts) and formulation chemistry (the selection of ingredients, such as flavors, binders and colorants, for a final product). It’s difficult to describe any job duty as ‘typical’ when considering the range of occupations in chemical and materials processing. However, you may find yourself conducting studies on the long-term stability of products, managing clinical studies and pilot trials, monitoring reactions, developing sustainable consumer goods or investigating accidents to determine their cause. Where do people in chemical and materials processing work? According to the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, the largest specialities in this industry in order of decreasing size, are polymer product manufacturing, cleaning compound manufacturing, basic chemical manufacturing, fertiliser manufacturing and natural rubber manufacturing. The states that employ the most people in this industry, again in decreasing order, are Victoria, New

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DuluxGroup seeks graduates with degrees in chemistry.

The Australian chemical industry is critical to Australia’s overall economic health. It supplies 109 of Australia’s 11 industries and about 80 per cent of its output goes directly into other sectors. South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania. Entering chemical and materials processing Several major employers in this sector have dedicated graduate entry schemes. These organisations include Orica, Incitec Pivot and DuluxGroup. Needless to say, you will need a strong background in chemistry, chemical engineering or a related field like biochemistry or genetics. A bachelor’s degree will prepare you to be a researcher, a bench scientist or a member of a product development team. To pursue more complex roles, such as supervising others and working on novel technical problems, you will likely require a master’s degree or Ph.D. Career prospects Jobs in this sector are well paid and relatively stable. They are also highly valued outside the industry – a CSIRO study concluded that every job in the chemical industry created five jobs ‘in related supply chains’. Overall, the industry looks set to grow substantially. To quote a Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources report: ‘over the next several decades, the world will also see a number of social, economic and environmental changes that could impact the industry. New environmental regulations and social pressures could present great opportunities for the chemicals and plastics industry to supply new, innovative, environmentally friendly, socially conscious products to downstream industries.’ How can I take advantage of my STEM background? It’s quite difficult to gain employment in the chemical industry without some sort of STEM background. If

you’re interested in pursuing a career in this sector, it’s a good idea to load up on chemistry subjects and also consider studying areas that might be of interest to the industry in the future (such as sustainability and environmental science). Popular degrees sought by this industry

Learn more

Chemical engineering

page 22

Chemistry

page 78

Biochemistry

page 74

Environmental science

page 82

Food and nutritional science

page 84

Mathematics

page 50

Environmental engineering

page 28

Agriculture

page 72

Earth science

page 80

Mechanical engineering

page 36

Biology

page 76

Petroleum engineering

page 40

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Construction

Overview The Australian construction industry is, as its name suggests, concerned with the development of buildings and infrastructure. This includes everything from residential homes to corporate skyscrapers, as well as all infrastructural projects, including bridges, roads, tunnels, freeways, dams, marinas and so forth. The Australian construction industry includes over 330,000 businesses nationwide and directly employs over one million people (around 9 per cent of the total workforce). The industry includes an array of civil engineers, architects, designers, consultants, surveyors, conveyancers and trade professionals. What’s involved? While the end goal of a construction project may differ, the process behind its completion is relatively consistent. First, a client – be it a government department, a developer, a local council or a private individual – will decide what to build and consider timelines and any budgetary constraints. They will then hire consultants (often after a tender process), who use their expertise as architects or engineers, to carry out the design of the project with respect to any special requirements (for example, budgets or aesthetic goals). Generally, the consultants oversee the subsequent hiring of the professionals who actually build the project. These include engineers, foremen, labourers, trade professionals, surveyors, site managers and so on. A career in the construction industry could involve being present for any of the stages described above. For example, you might be a civil engineer hired by a firm like Arup to design new infrastructure projects and perform feasibility reports. Alternatively, you could contribute to the industry in a financial or administrative role (most larger construction companies have in-house legal and accountancy teams). Where do construction sector employees work? The construction industry, says a report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, operates in the private and public sectors, and has three main goals: residential building, non-residential building and engineering construction. These activities are found across Australia and, as a result, the www.gradaustralia.com.au

construction industry has a strong presence in both rural and urban areas. Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra are predicted to experience the highest employment growth in construction over the next five years. Perth, previously known for high rates of construction employment opportunities, is now expecting an industry employment growth rate lower than any other Australian capital city and many regional areas. Entering the construction sector The entry requirements for a job in the construction sector change significantly from role to role. For example, to join a construction firm as a civil engineer, you will first need to complete a bachelor’s degree (usually with honours). Administrative and supervisory jobs in this sector often require specific degrees and tertiary training too. For example, project managers tend to have studied engineering or acquired specific postgraduate qualifications (such as a Master of Project Management). Career prospects Despite the overall economic downturn caused by the slowing of the mining boom, the construction industry has grown steadily over the past few years, says a construction industry report by The Australian Industry Group. One indicator of future growth is the increasing urgency of infrastructure development and renewal projects. Infrastructure Australia notes that, with the country’s population set to hit 30 million by 2031, the country’s largest cities will have to accommodate an additional 5.9 million people. All of this means the construction industry offers the prospect of a relatively stable career well into the future. How can I take advantage of my STEM background? Research conducted by GradAustralia has shown that, among university graduates who work in the construction industry, 60 per cent have studied engineering, maths, IT or computer science. This fits with information on the government’s Job Outlook website, which lists

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Downer invests a lot of resources in training grads and views them as the future leaders of the business.

One indicator of future growth is the increasing urgency of infrastructure development and renewal projects.

the essential skills of construction industry workers as including critical thinking, complex problem solving and maths – all skills developed within STEM degrees. To take advantage of your STEM background, it’s a good idea to identify key skills in your target career and then see if you’ve acquired any corresponding abilities from your STEM training. You may be pleasantly surprised to discover there is more overlap than you expected. Average salary The average starting salary for entry-level graduates in the Australian construction and property services sector is $66,000 per annum. They generally work around 46 hours a week. Choose this if you: ■ Enjoy working in large teams with professionals from a range of speciality areas. ■ Generally prefer committing to medium or longterm projects. ■ Possess solid communication skills and the determination required to bid successfully for government tenders and other lucrative contracts.

Popular degrees sought by this industry

Learn more

Civil engineering

page 24

Mechanical engineering

page 36

Electrical engineering

page 26

Environmental engineering

page 28

Mining engineering

page 38

Environmental science

page 82

Robotics and mechatronics engineering

page 44

Computer systems and networks

page 60

Software engineering

page 68

Renewable energy engineering

page 42

Chemical engineering

page 22

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

On the job

Lauren Thompson

What’s your job title? Systems engineer at Aurecon. What did you study? A Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) (Chemical and Pharmaceutical). On completing my degree, I secured my first job as a risk engineer in the oil and gas industry. How did you get to your current job position? I was interested in moving into the infrastructure industry due to its tangible impact on society and the opportunity to contribute to sustainable solutions for communities. However, I knew my options may be limited by my area of study. Through contacts I made at an Engineers Australia event, I approached Aurecon, as I’ve always been excited by their innovative and unconventional focus. In 2017, I was contacted about the position of systems engineer in the company’s rail team, due to my relevant work experience in risk engineering. What does your employer do? Aurecon is an engineering, design and advisory company. We bring our clients’ ideas to life through our technical and advisory expertise. We’re designing a better future in the infrastructure; defence and national security; built environment; energy, resources and manufacturing; and government spaces with projects that make an impact. What are your areas of responsibility? I work on major rail projects around Australia and beyond. I like to call what I do ‘technical project management’ – ultimately making sure the components of a design work together at project completion! This involves ensuring client needs are understood, www.gradaustralia.com.au

interfaces and hazards are managed, and the design meets standards and requirements. It’s a great multidisciplinary role that involves technical skills but also strong coordination and management skills. Can you describe a typical work day? What was the last thing you worked on? A typical work day for me would include designing projects, writing project reports or managing data using various digital tools. This is complemented by meetings with clients and collaborating with project design teams through using our in-house ‘design-to-innovate’ tools. In a nutshell, the tools use design thinking principles and diverse perspectives to enable us to develop unconventional solutions for our clients. The latest project I worked on was Inland Rail; a once-in-ageneration project connecting regional Australia to domestic and international markets. It completes the spine of the national freight network between Melbourne and Brisbane. It is a great team to work with and an exciting, monumental project, which will significantly impact Australia’s future and freight network. What are the career prospects with your job? There are many career path options within Aurecon and you aren’t limited to just a technical role, even if you start in one! As part of Aurecon’s graduate programme, there is no rigid schedule. You have the flexibility to pursue your passions, and design and fast track your career. If you want to head in a particular direction, there are always options available to you.

Lauren Thompson studied a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) (Chemical and Pharmaceutical) and is a systems engineer at Aurecon.

Study Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) (Chemical and Pharmaceutical), University of Adelaide, 2015

ROLE Systems engineer, Aurecon

I approached Aurecon, as I’ve always been excited by their innovative and unconventional focus.

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On the job

Marina Zavaleeva

Why did you decide to join the construction industry? My grandfather has built a successful career in construction and suggested it as a prospective career path. At the time when I started my degree I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know much about the industry and the possibilities it could offer. Fast forward to 2019 and I think it was one of the best decisions of my life.

it has pushed me to learn in areas including contract administration, estimating and project planning, through to safety, programming, coordination of works and so much more.

What did you study? A Bachelor of Construction Project Management (Hons) at the University of Technology Sydney.

What are some of the challenges you face? Being a young graduate and not having enough experience and credibility behind me. It takes a while to prove yourself, especially as a female. A steep learning curve can also be overwhelming in the beginning, but it can be overcome.

Why did you choose to join Icon? Icon seemed to be the perfect balance between a third-tier building company and a large organisation where you are just a number. It has allowed me to be involved in the running of a project on a much deeper level, while having the benefit of the exposure to more complex construction methods, brilliant systems, processes and high standards.

How would you describe the team environment? My team is not very big and because we spend so much time together it almost feels like a second family. Everyone has a unique personality and a distinctive style of working, but despite that, we have a strong bond. It gets busy and stressful at times, but we are always there for each other to tackle any issues that come our way.

What do you enjoy about your work? I really enjoy my time on site and contributing to the daily running of a project. The best part is that every day is different, which makes my role dynamic and keeps me motivated. Working with subcontractors to meet deadlines, helping resolve issues and clashes, and ensuring we are delivering a high-quality product for our client are all rewarding and interesting tasks.

What makes you proud to work at Icon? Working with Icon means being a part of a strong brand across Australia and overseas that delivers high-calibre projects. It is also a people-focused business that supports growth and provides recognition for hard work and efforts.

Since starting at Icon, I have been very lucky to be exposed to various parts of the business. Going through the cadet/graduate program has been a highly valuable experience as

What advice would you give to new graduates? Set small achievable goals and aspire to learn something new every day. Work on overcoming the fear of asking questions and you will find there is a vast amount of support and encouragement out there.

Marina Zavaleeva studied a Bachelor of Construction Project Management (Hons) and is a cadet at Icon.

Bachelor of Construction Project Management (Hons), University of Technology Sydney, 2018

ROLE Cadet, Icon

It is also a people-focused business that supports growth and provides recognition for hard work and efforts.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Day in the life

April Clark

5.30 AM The first of several alarms. I hit snooze and try to go back to sleep. I repeat this until I crawl out of bed. 6.10 AM I begin my walk to the train station. I prefer to walk in the morning as it is a chance to get some fresh air and wake up for the day ahead. From there it is roughly a 20-minute train ride into work where I can get in a quick read or just sit and relax. 6.55 AM I arrive at work and get my coffee fix with breakfast while I read emails and check my calendar for any meetings I may need to prepare for. I generally have a few urgent items I need to complete from the previous day, which I prefer to do first, as my day can be taken quickly. More specifically, I need to review the document control emails in Aconex, which involves

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transmittals of revised drawings and workflows. This can be a mundane task, however itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very important to review daily to ensure subcontractors, staff and consultants are working off the latest documentation. Following that, I review a subcontractorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s delivery schedule, which has raised concerns on their ability to maintain program. To assist, I issue a revised forecast of delivery dates and quantity of materials required on site, to ensure program can be met. Currently as the project coordinator for the hotel finishes, my days consist of workshops, site meetings/inspections, coordinating design, and managing procurement and program for a fast and quality delivery of the fit-out. 9.00 AM After a busy morning I put on my personal protective equipment (PPE) and head out to site. I have a

April Clark studied a Bachelor of Commerce and a Graduate Certificate in Project Management. April is a graduate at Probuild

brief discussion with the finishes supervisor to run through any concerns or issues on site and status program. I always take a hard copy of the target program to track where each floor of works are at. I use the opportunity to speak with the subcontractors about challenges for upcoming works and raise any concerns about the expectations of our project.

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You learn a lot and build good relationships by walking the floors on site and speaking with the subcontractors. I find being on site is one of the most important parts of my day. 11.00 AM Following the site walk I need to issue constant reminders to subcontractors that require action. I also inform my line manager of any potential issues. A lot of my work involves managing works and speaking with people – this is where building good relationships comes in. In construction you can get many curve balls. As there are so many aspects happening very quickly, it is impossible to be across every detail. But that is what I find most exciting about construction: finding solutions to problems! 12.00 PM Lunch, errands and personal administration. I generally try to use this time wisely for personal administration, as I don’t have much time outside of work to organise this. 12.45 PM I return after lunch recharged and full. Throughout the day, checking my emails constantly is a must! However, being able to focus on my work is one of my key priorities, and turning off email notifications can help immensely. I am currently working on creating a tender package for the design component of the food and beverage fit-out of a hotel. This involves creating a scope of works that will be incorporated into the consultant agreement. I am required to issue the scope, relevant drawings, specifications and agreement to the market for interest. 3.00 PM I set time aside to undertake a review of outstanding samples. As a finishes coordinator there are many samples throughout the building

that are required to be approved by the architect and client. A lot of paperwork and collecting physical samples is necessary. I enjoy the flexibility and variety in my day. 4.00 PM Time for the weekly team meeting where we run through safety, quality, design, finance, procurement and program. We discuss key issues, milestones and ‘look ahead’ of works for required planning. Workshops and actions develop out of the team meetings, in order

to provide solutions and planning for upcoming works. It is a very collaborative environment. We also have a ‘trophy of the week’, both for rewarding work and ridiculous mistakes. Staff members pass on the trophy to acknowledge either! We always end the meeting with a laugh. 5.00 PM I finish up any outstanding work before calling it a day and heading to the train station. I rush off to pilates/yoga to mentally and physically recharge and relax. I find this balance essential! www.gradaustralia.com.au

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On the job

Delphine Shawcross

How did you choose your specialisation? Before studying construction management, I originally chose to study architecture. Shortly after commencing studies, I started working at a fire services company and discovered I had more of an interest in construction management, so made the switch. I realised the best way to immerse myself in the industry was to secure a cadetship. An opportunity opened with Watpac and I started there in 2017. What does your employer do? Watpac is a multi-disciplined construction contracting group that has been delivering projects throughout Australia for nearly 40 years. These projects are across a variety of sectors including health and science, sports, defence, education, aviation, commercial, residential, food processing, hotels, aged care, and secure facilities. What are your areas of responsibility? A contract administrator generally manages costs and contracts, but we also cross into other areas such as design and coordination. My key responsibilities involve tendering and managing subcontractors, quality and environmental management, and managing the Green Star component of the project. Can you describe a typical workday? A typical day involves checking new drawings, processing invoices/ payments, managing variations, site checks for environmental and quality standards, and addressing issues that arise from this. Much of my work involves collaborating with team members from other disciplines (foremen and design managers). The last thing I worked on was creating a pour break/concrete mix pour plan www.gradaustralia.com.au

for the foreman to use, to ensure the mixes and mix designs were Green Star compliant. What are the career prospects with your job? There are many career paths from my position. I could become a senior contracts administrator and continue further up the commercial path, or go down another stream, becoming a design coordinator or site engineer. Each of these could lead to senior management positions. What do you love about your job? I love working with the site team on quality control measures and issues. I work with the site manager to manage activities such as concrete or reinforcement usage and crane installation. I enjoy the on-site, hands-on work supporting the commercial aspects of the project more so than sitting at a desk. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the biggest limitation? Coming from a non-traditional construction background or trade means I currently have limited knowledge about how a building comes together. This is why I take every opportunity to work on the ground and with site people to learn and gain more experience. Do you bear a lot of responsibility? Do you work on weekends? Are the stress levels high? My designated activities do bear significant responsibility as they impact the project commercially. My team relies on me for input as well as to monitor and control information. Long hours are generally worked in the construction industry and occasionally I work on weekends. Stress levels can be very high but working with a supportive team makes this better. Our team leaders are very understanding.

Delphine Shawcross studied a Bachelor of Urban Development (Construction Management) (Hons) and is a contracts administrator at Watpac.

Study Bachelor of Urban Development (Construction Management) (Hons), Queensland University of Technology, 2019

ROLE Contracts administrator, Watpac

I work with the site manager to manage activities such as concrete or reinforcement usage and crane installation. I enjoy the on-site, handson work supporting the commercial aspects of the project, more so than sitting at a desk.

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On the job

Michael Cross

What did you study? A Bachelor of Science (Earth Science).

logging, liaising with clients and subcontractors, reporting, proposal writing and project set up.

Can you tell us about any previous jobs you’ve held? Since as early as I could – the age of 14 – I’ve had a job. I’ve always worked for what I have. In school, I always had a passion for science and furthered that passion in high school. I had numerous jobs while studying to get me through university. At one point I was studying during the day and then working night shifts in a factory. After I graduated, I got a job working on the Newcastle Airport terminal and runway upgrade, as an environmental and safety officer. I decided I wanted to further my geological career and chased a job as a geotechnician working for a geotechnical testing laboratory. Here I gained skills and knowledge I still use every day in my current job.

Can you describe a typical work day? I do a lot of field work. Typically I am out in the field undertaking geotechnical investigations 75 per cent of the time. I have done geotechnical fieldwork on numerous projects: mine and dam expansion projects, Burrawang to Avon Tunnel (BAT), mine subsidence investigations and Sydney Trains drainage investigations.

How did you get to your current position? In 2018 I decided I needed a change. My role as a geotechnician wasn’t stimulating enough for me and there were no further opportunities to grow in that company in the near future. I had contacted my now current boss about a year earlier, chasing a job that at the time, was with Parsons Brinkerhoff (which was undergoing a lot of changes becoming WSP). Towards the end of 2018, I was chasing him up every week until I finally got an interview. A couple of months later I had acquired my job at WSP as a graduate engineering geologist, which I started in January 2019. What are your areas of responsibility? Geotech investigation and field testing, design, site supervision, 3D geological modelling, soil and core

What do you love the most about your job? I love being out in the field. You get to work with different people from all walks of life. You get to see locations few people see – some of which are inaccessible to the public. Working in the Southern Highlands on the BAT project, I got to see a beautiful part of Australia that I likely wouldn’t have gone to otherwise. I feel like I am constantly learning and testing myself when I’m out in the field. I also enjoy being in the office; it’s a good change sometimes. It is also in a beautiful location right near Newcastle beach. What’s the biggest limitation of your job? Are the stress levels high? As much as I do love fieldwork, I spend a lot of time away from home, which impacts my ability to do sport and train throughout the week. Stress can sometimes be reflected when budgets and timeframes are restraining.

Michael Cross studied a Bachelor of Science (Earth Science) and is a graduate engineering geologist at WSP.

Study Bachelor of Science (Earth Science), University of Newcastle, 2016

ROLE Graduate engineering geologist, WSP

Typically I am out in the field undertaking geotechnical investigations 75 per cent of the time.

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Special Feature

Bruna Rocha

What is your current role? I work as a structural engineer in the bridges team at AECOM. I am also the chair of the Young Engineers Australia Western Australia committee. How did you get to your current position? I applied for quite a few graduate positions, including the graduate structural engineer position in the AECOM bridges team. I received offers from some other companies, but the outcome from AECOM was going to take a few weeks. Although I really wanted to work with the AECOM bridges team, I was scared I could end up without a job if I didn’t accept one of the offers I already had. I discussed this with a member of the Young Engineers committee who was a graduate at AECOM. He had a discussion with managers within the company and they ended up fast tracking my application because they were really interested. It was a great outcome. Why did you become a member of Engineers Australia? During my master’s by research degree, I felt I was becoming a bit isolated from the engineering profession. It is easy to become so focused on your research that you end up not seeing the bigger picture. I joined Engineers Australia so I could attend events and stay up to date with the engineering world outside of my research bubble. Suppose a student was considering your career, what skills should they develop? I would suggest they develop their communication and writing skills. As students, we often www.gradaustralia.com.au

underestimate how much writing we will be doing as engineers. Although our studies mainly focus on mathematical calculations, in the real world there is a lot of writing and communication involved.

Bruna Rocha studied a Master of Engineering Science (Structural Engineering) and is a structural engineer at AECOM. Bruna is also the chair of the Young Engineers Australia Western Australia committee.

How does being a part of Engineers Australia benefit your career? It has allowed me to meet so many inspiring engineers who have done some amazing work. This gives me the motivation to be the best professional I can be. I’ve also made friends with many people who go through the same challenges I face, and this provides a great sense of community and support. Additionally, the roles I’ve taken within Engineers Australia have given me the ability to develop skills I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to develop so early in my career.

Study

What do you love most about your role with Engineers Australia? I love that I get to work with other motivated young engineers to deliver events that benefit our community. I also like that my role – and the responsibility that comes with it – means I am often out of my comfort zone trying different things and learning more about myself. What is your best advice for graduating engineers? My best advice is not to be afraid to ask for what you want or need. If you are genuine, passionate and share your goals with others, they will try to help you. Just don’t forget to do the same for them.

Bachelor of Engineering (Civil), Federal University of Santa Catarina, 2015; Master of Engineering Science (Structural Engineering), Edith Cowan University, 2018

ROLE Structural engineer, Bridges team, AECOM; Chair, Young Engineers Australia Western Australia committee

I joined Engineers Australia so I could attend events and stay up to date with the engineering world outside of my research bubble.

Even more reasons to become a member of Engineers Australia. Being a member of Engineers Australia can now directly connect you to employment opportunities to build you into an engineering leader of tomorrow. Powered by GradAustralia, the Engineers Australia jobs board has opportunities from a wide range of amazing employers across different disciplines, no matter what graduate stage you’re at. Whether you’re looking for an engineering internship, vacation placement, first job or position up to four years’ post your graduation, the Engineers Australia members-only jobs board is the place to go.

Check it out. Head to: jobs.engineersaustralia.org.au

Got questions? Contact us: careers@engineersaustralia.org.au or head to frontier.engineersaustralia.org.au

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Cybersecurity

Overview Believe it or not, internet usage rates continue to rise, as people rely increasingly on internet access for business and pleasure. For example, the number of broadband subscribers and the volume of data downloaded in Australia has continued to increase, with 94 per cent of adult Australians using the Internet to conduct banking, pay bills, or buy and/or sell goods and services.

The cybersecurity industry has developed in response to such threats and aims to protect individuals and organisations while mitigating the damage of any attempted cyber-attacks.

Unfortunately, the global shift online, while advantageous in many ways, has also exposed individuals and businesses to the ever-present threat of cybercrime. From hacking servers to steal private information, to sharing â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ransomwareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; files that spread with viral efficiency, cybercriminals have a range of tactics they can use to enrich themselves, sabotage competitors or generally cause mayhem.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s involved? The cybersecurity industry employs a broad range of people in roles associated with IT, network design and engineering. Common job titles include infosec officer, cryptographer, security engineer, security administrator and network analyst. These jobs all have two central goals: first, to prevent breaches by implementing an appropriate security protocol. Second, to help businesses recover as quickly as possible when compromised by a cyber-attack. Cybersecurity workers may also develop and promote policies or protocols designed to minimise the impact of cyber-attacks on Australian businesses and private individuals.

Cybercrime was estimated to have had a US$600 billion impact on the world in one year alone. According to annual surveys by Telstra, security breaches have major impacts on businesses, including loss of productivity, corrupted business data, distrust, external fines, litigation and loss of intellectual property, reputation and customers. In Australia, 60 per cent of businesses experienced at least one disruptive security breach a month in the past year, with phishing and compromised emails being the most common.

Where do people in this sector work? The omnipresence of online operations in the business world means the skills of cybersecurity experts are highly valued in a wide range of organisations. Generally, these organisations fall into three categories. First, cybersecurity experts may work directly for IT-oriented companies such as Google, Deloitte, Accenture and Microsoft. Second, they can provide technological support within non-IT companies that store sensitive or proprietary data. This category includes financial institutions,

ASIO is a unique workplace with an important purpose. The staff are committed to deliver on its mission of safeguarding Australia and our way of life.

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Deloitte’s threat intelligence team conducts further research to provide recommendations for clients on how to best protect themselves.

A career in cybersecurity can see you starting with a well known company, often for a competitive salary and with excellent opportunities to advance.

charities, educational institutions and large retailers and wholesalers. Finally, the government’s commitment to supporting cybersecurity has resulted in the creation of numerous public service jobs (for example, at the Australian Cybersecurity Growth Network). Cybersecurity professionals almost always work in an office, though they may occasionally travel off site to review security arrangements at data storage and colocation centres. Starting a career in cybersecurity The importance of cybersecurity has led to the development of dedicated master’s degrees at the University of New South Wales, Deakin University, Swinburne University and others. Visit postgradaustralia.com.au for more information. However, it’s possible to prepare for a career in cybersecurity while completing a more general degree in a related discipline, such as information technology or computer science. To increase your chances of getting hired by a leading firm, it will be advantageous to prioritise the attainment of high marks in relevant fields of study, such as digital forensics, network security operations, programming or advanced operating systems. Career prospects Skills in cybersecurity are in high demand, with skill shortages in Australia and internationally. This offers the added benefit of higher salaries to attract rare talent. The Australian Cyber Security Growth Network (ACSGN) estimated that the shortage resulted in a loss of $405 million in revenue and wages in one year

alone. Australia’s demand for cybersecurity skills will increase by 18,000 positions by 2026. This is good news for students who study relevant disciplines, such as computer science, programming and information technology. A career in cybersecurity can see you starting with a well known company, often for a competitive salary and with excellent opportunities to advance. Average salary The average starting salary for entry-level graduates working in cybersecurity is $65,000– $75,000 per annum. They generally work around 42 hours a week. Popular degrees sought by this industry

Learn more

Computer systems and networks

page 60

Software engineering

page 68

Electrical engineering

page 26

Data science

page 64

Robotics and mechatronics engineering

page 44

Statistics

page 52

Actuarial science

page 48

Mathematics

page 50

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On the job

Claire

How did you get to your current position? I’ve been in my team for about four months, but I’ve worked for this employer for over five years. I’ve been a software developer, a project support officer and now a security practitioner. We had a restructure recently and I was asked if working in emerging technology was something I’d want to do, so here I am. I look at an emerging technology to try and understand what we’d use it for, what its benefits and limitations are and how we can use it securely. What does your employer do? I work at the Australian Cyber Security Centre, a part of the Australian Signals Directorate, which aims to improve cyber security for the whole of Australia. We do a range of things, from responding to incidents to providing advice on how to protect yourself online from malicious cyber activity. My section looks at emerging technology, which is technology that is out there but hasn’t had mass adoption yet, so we can provide advice on its risks and how to mitigate them. I’m in the prototyping team and right now we’re about to start building a software-defined network. Suppose a student was considering your career. What would you advise them to study? People in my career come from a range of backgrounds with a computer science focus, such as network engineers, software developers, systems architects and so forth. Soft skills are important too; I’ve been required to write project documentation

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and write briefs to executives, so communication skills are a must. Also, you should definitely pursue work experience, internships and any other opportunities that are open to you. STEM is a huge field; there are a lot of cool things to try. What do you love most about your job? I love getting to find out about new things. My job is all about looking at the cool, new technology coming out, which is awesome. I also get to run the Canberra Girls’ Programming Network, which runs workshops that teach girls how to code. It’s one of my favourite tasks. My job is pretty great – I don’t really work weekends, it’s not physically demanding and it’s pretty flexible. I have responsibility, but I also have a really supportive team that is amazing. The biggest limitation is probably the paperwork. It can take so long to achieve things sometimes!

Claire studied a Bachelor of Software Engineering and is a security practitioner at the Department of Defence.

Study Bachelor of Software Engineering, University of Canberra, 2014

ROLE Security practitioner, Department of Defence

What advice would you give to someone beginning a graduate job? Spend some time with the business side of the organisation, not just the capability/technical side. What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever done in your life? One of the coolest things I’ve ever done is participate in the Unmanned Airborne Vehicles (UAV) Outback Challenge at Dickson College, where we got to fly UAVs and work on autonomous packet drop systems.

I also get to run the Canberra Girls’ Programming Network, which runs workshops that teach girls how to code. It’s one of my favourite tasks.

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On the job

Graduate name

How did you choose this field? I completed a university assignment about the military uses of nanotechnology and it really peaked my interest, so I went looking for careers in the same kind of field. I came across the Defence Intelligence Organisation (DIO) website, which was advertising the role of a scientific intelligence analyst, and decided this was what I wanted to do.

of expertise and is valued for the experience and insight they bring. It doesn’t matter if you’re a graduate or a section head; if you’re the expert then DIO will trust you to deliver the information to customers. This could be anything from publishing formal written assessments, through to briefing senior levels of government face to face. It gives you a real sense of purpose and lets you see how much impact your work can have.

What does the DIO do? DIO is an all-source intelligence assessment organisation where information from a range of sources – both nationally and around the globe – is transformed into reliable and incisive insights that help defend Australia and protect its interests. DIO is on the forefront of worldaltering events as they happen and sometimes even before they happen.

What’s the biggest limitation? Working with classified information can make it difficult to talk about your job. This can be particularly frustrating when someone decides to tell you all about a topic you know a lot about and you can’t tell them how wrong they are. The flip side of working with classified information is that you can’t take work home with you. While that results in the occasional long day or weekend at work, it’s a great feeling to know when you step out of the office, your time is your own.

What are your areas of responsibility? I work in DIO’s counter proliferation and terrorism branch, where we work towards preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). As scientific analysts, we analyse the capabilities and threats from countries of concern in the areas of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. This involves keeping up to date with technological advances and how they could contribute to a country’s WMD programs, as well as informing Defence and other government customers of the threat and how a country’s WMD program contributes to its broader strategic goals. What do you love about your job? I love that I am contributing to something really important. Everyone at DIO has their own area

What advice would you give to a student? Don’t be afraid to study courses in a field completely unrelated to your major if it’s something that interests you. I took a course on international security studies as an elective because I thought it sounded interesting, which led me to complete a minor in security, terrorism and counterterrorism. Now I work in a role that combines my science majors with my interest in security studies.

Emma studied a Bachelor of Science (Chemistry) (Physics and Nanotechnology) and is a scientific intelligence analyst at the Defence Intelligence Organisation, Department of Defence.

Study Bachelor of Science (Chemistry) (Physics and Nanotechnology), Murdoch University, 2016

ROLE Scientific intelligence analyst, Defence Intelligence Organisation

It doesn’t matter if you’re a graduate or a section head; if you’re the expert then DIO will trust you to deliver the information to customers.

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On the job

Melissa Nguyen

How did you get into this field? I worked a number of casual jobs from retail to tutoring, before realising I wanted to gain practical experience surrounding my interest in computing and technology. I ended up applying for the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) cadetship program and received an offer with the Department of Home Affairs. Through my cadetship I gained experience in different areas of the ICT division and was given the opportunity to take on six or 12-month placements throughout the program. The coordinators were really helpful in taking our preferences and interests into consideration. Upon finishing the program, I joined the cyber risk services branch. What are your areas of responsibility? The cyber detection and response section is responsible for the monitoring, identification and response to cyber threats to the Departmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ICT environment. My role involves cyber threat analysis within our cybersecurity operations centre, cyber incident response, vulnerability management and situational awareness using various tools. Can you describe a typical day? My typical day varies depending on whether we have received any urgent notifications or critical alerts. If so, the day is spent investigating the incident, removing vulnerabilities and communicating with respective business areas and stakeholders. On other days, its business as usual: monitoring and looking out for suspicious www.gradaustralia.com.au

activity or critical incidents, assessing requests, investigating vulnerabilities using cybersecurity systems and writing reports. Suppose a student was considering your career. What would you advise them to study? Any degree in relation to computer science or engineering with a strong background in coding, data analysis, software development and networking would give you the technical knowledge required for the role. Getting to know technology trends and what types of technology youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re interested in would be beneficial, alongside effective communication and collaboration. What do you love about your job? The work across my varied rotations has been very interesting and rewarding but working in the cyber risk services branch is particularly exciting. I love that cybersecurity is a bit like detective work. We are continuously monitoring and detecting serious vulnerabilities in the departmental network and ICT systems. I really enjoy working in a collaborative environment learning from others and contributing to the overall mission of the Department. What advice would you give to students? Be open to trying different things. Having a willingness to learn, working in different roles or projects and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone provides you with experiences that further your career.

Melissa Nguyen studied Information Technology (Information Systems) and is a cyber-security analyst at the Department of Home Affairs.

Study Information Technology (Information Systems), Australian National University, 2018

ROLE Cyber-security analyst, Department of Home Affairs

I love that cybersecurity is a bit like detective work.

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Defence

Overview How big is the Australian defence industry? To answer that question, it’s necessary to first make a distinction between the Australian defence industry and the Australian Defence Force. The former describes those companies which design, manufacture and maintain quality military equipment, while the latter describes the 60,000 military personnel who put that equipment to use. This section will focus on jobs in the defence industry. Many people employed by the Australian defence industry have an ambiguous role, which can make it difficult to assess the sector’s size and contributions. This is largely because many of the same firms that often service the military are engaged in important civilian work. However, the general consensus reached by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission is that the Australian defence industry employs approximately 27,000 people. They work chiefly for military contractors, such as BAE Systems, ASC, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon. There are also 3,000 small-to-medium enterprises, comprising about half of the Australian defence industry. All must apply for membership to the Defence Industry Security Program, which maintains ‘the integrity of Australia’s Defence capability by ensuring Defence Industry maintains its security responsibilities and safeguards the supply chain’. What’s involved? The defence industry supports the Australian Defence Force (ADF) by designing, manufacturing and maintaining military equipment, as well as providing a range of services, such as transport and secure data storage. According to the Australian Trade and Investment Commission, the Australian defence industry organisations also export about $750 million worth of defence products and services each year. Numerous professionals contribute to the defence industry, from civil engineers and physicists to accountants and shipbuilders. Their responsibilities are equally varied, ranging from the development of new information technology systems to construction of military transport. www.gradaustralia.com.au

A survey of recent military contracts finds Australian defence industry partners involved in a range of projects. These include the development of vehicles to detect and neutralise improvised explosive devices, the provision of emergency airborne rescue services to support the ADF and the maintenance of critical infrastructure at various military facilities. While success in the defence industry can be lucrative – Australia’s largest military contractor, BAE Systems, has global annual revenue of approximately $30.5 billion – it depends greatly on competitiveness and the ability to adapt quickly to new circumstances. After all, there are only so many contracts to go around. Where do people in this sector work? The Australian defence industry is confined to no one city or state – it is, instead, found across the country in both urban and regional areas. For example, the primary shipbuilding areas are found in Osborne

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

(South Australia), Henderson (Western Australia), as well as Cairns (Queensland). Major military contractors are equally dispersed, with head offices in Queensland (Airbus), New South Wales (Rockwell Collins and Thales), the Australian Capital Territory (Lockheed Martin and Raytheon) and South Australia (BAE Systems and ASC). As an employee of the Defence industry, your work environment may vary from a corporate office (for example, while preparing bids and tenders for an engineering firm) to rugged terrain (for example, while participating in the assessment of new military hardware). Several of Australia’s largest military contractors – Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon – are foreign-owned, which means they can offer careers with significant scope for international transfers and work abroad. Entering the defence industry To win contracts, companies that do business in the defence industry rely on the ability to attract and retain talented graduates from various disciplines. Consequently, several of them offer internships and graduate positions to students and graduates who possess desirable skills – technical or otherwise. Raytheon, for example, offers internships and regularly goes on to hire students ‘with strong academic grades’ and the ‘ability to work in a team environment.’ Airbus, an aviation company that is also Australia’s fifth largest military contractor, recruits graduates for a two-year program that includes work experience in the Airbus, Airbus defence & space, and Airbus helicopters divisions. Generally, defence industry organisations recruit high-achieving students from STEM backgrounds, with a particular emphasis on those from engineering and maths. Positions are also available in the public bodies that regulate and issue contracts to the defence industry. The Department of Defence employs more than 20,000 Australian Public Service (APS) employees who aim to defend Australia and its national interests. The Department of Defence has its own graduate program that offers multiple streams and career paths. The engineering stream, for instance, offers three six-month rotations across Australia, with opportunities to be involved in the Future Frigate program, guided weapons systems, the Air Warfare Destroyer program and more. Career prospects The future of the Australian defence industry is a contentious issue. The industry benefits from large amounts of investment from the federal government,

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which is eager to ensure jobs (and wealth) are created domestically, not abroad. The Australian Government has committed to investing $200 billion, over the next decade, into upgrading and modernising Australia’s defence capabilities. The investment includes an ongoing naval shipbuilding program, specific projects to engage, attract, train and retain a highly capable STEM workforce, improving Australia’s cybersecurity capabilities and support for small and medium enterprises delivering defence capabilities. How can I take advantage of my STEM background? STEM graduates are highly valued in the defence industry. With a STEM degree, you can compete for roles at private organisations, such as engineering and construction firms, or apply directly for jobs at the Department of Defence. Importantly, while your technical skills will be tested as part of the application process, you will also be expected to demonstrate certain personal attributes. To quote the Department: ‘just as important as your qualifications are the personal qualities you can bring to the role – particularly integrity, curiosity, objectivity and your ability to think critically.’

Popular degrees sought by this industry

Learn more

Electrical engineering

page 26

Mechanical engineering

page 36

Software engineering

page 68

Computer systems and networks

page 60

Aerospace engineering

page 20

Robotics and mechatronics engineering

page 44

Data science

page 64

Civil engineering

page 24

Mathematics

page 50

Chemical engineering

page 22

Environmental engineering

page 28

Cybersecurity

page 62

Design and user experience

page 66

Artificial intelligence

page 56

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On the job

Rebecca Holmes

What’s your job about? At sea, marine engineers are one of the officers in charge, responsible for the marine engineering department. Our department provides engineering and maintenance capabilities to ensure the seaworthiness of the ship. I lead and manage the team responsible for maintaining and repairing the ship’s structures, propulsion systems, electrical generation and distribution, and associated mechanical services. My team also looks after the main and auxiliary machinery, engines, automatic and remote control systems, hydraulics, air conditioning and refrigeration, ventilation systems and electrical power generation, and conversion equipment. My role involves resource management – assigning and scheduling personnel, assets and equipment to the task at hand. Ashore there are a wide range of opportunities across Defence. I could work on system specifications, acquisition and through-life support, system certification or machinery trials. I could also find myself in a human relations role coordinating the training and management of sailors and officers or recruiting future Australian Defence Force personnel. What are the greatest things about your job? The Navy is a great way to start your engineering life. There are all of these opportunities; if you grab them with both hands you’ll www.gradaustralia.com.au

go places you never thought you would go. When I commenced my career ten years ago there were only two women in my engineering cohort at the Australian Defence Force Academy. While it was visibly noticeable that the girls were outnumbered it wasn’t an issue. I had a really supportive group of peers going through my training. You’re respected as a member of the team, supported and recognised for your contributions and achievements. My highlights include participating in the Centenary of ANZAC deployment. I was on board HMAS Anzac for a fivemonth deployment around the world. We were in Turkey for ANZAC Day taking part in a naval review led by the locals, sailing past Anzac Cove. What are the limitations? Military engineers don’t do a lot of traditional engineering design work. We generally don’t build things from scratch, but we have so much other work to do. In the Navy you’re not just one type of engineer. You gain a breadth of experience. You live an active lifestyle. It is hard work, but the work is worth it. You know you’re achieving something. At sea, connectivity can be a challenge. Your work environment is so busy and Wi-Fi is intermittent, which can impact staying connected with people back home. Navy does recognise the importance of staying in touch and good Wi-Fi is becoming more common. What makes up for it is the team around you. You form a close-knit community at sea.

Rebecca Holmes studied a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) and is currently completing a Master of Project Management. Rebecca is a marine engineer in the Royal Australian Navy.

Study Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical), Australian Defence Force Academy – UNSW Canberra, 2013; Master of Project Management, 2020

ROLE Marine engineer, Royal Australian Navy

You’re respected as a member of the team, supported and recognised for your contributions and achievements.

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On the job What’s the coolest thing about your job? The Army sets you up to achieve beyond your expectations. I’ve worked in leadership, management and command positions, and instructional and logistics positions. I’ve managed multimillion-dollar assets and I’ve travelled the world. I have completed a masters in the United Kingdom, conducted work experience in Sweden and been deployed to the Middle East. It’s really pleasing when you do something in the office and see the fruits of that labour out in the wider Army for years to come. I’ve worked on weapons and body armour, and I’ll watch the news – watch deployed soldiers – and think, ‘I had a hand in that and it

wouldn’t be that way if not for my idea or the work I did’. Military engineers often don’t specialise in one field as civilians are able to, but we will work with people who’ve worked in a specific field for 10, 20 or 30 years. You’re not stuck in a lab or behind a computer. You get out into the field, leading and managing people and creating solutions. In the Australian Defence Force you could find yourself designing and building systems, programming a robot, designing bridges or designing planes. The opportunities are limitless.

Benjamin Harington

Benjamin Harington studied a Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) and a Master of Science in Gun Systems Design. Benjamin is an Army officer in the Corps of Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.

On the job What does your role involve? All officers in the ADF get posted to new positions every two to three years. For an engineer, this means we get experience in a variety of roles, ranging from maintenance management, project engineering, regulatory oversight and more. My first posting was to a C-130 Hercules squadron, which included management of a technical workforce, assuring compliance with technical regulations and aviation risk management. My latest position as a project engineer for the acquisition of the P-8A Poseidon, involved drafting compliance findings for airworthiness certification, and developing engineering and maintenance support systems to sustain the new aircraft.

How did you land your job? I was looking for a part time job and was considering joining the Army Reserves. While browsing the Defence Jobs website, I discovered the Defence University Sponsorship (DUS) program, which would pay for the remainder of my degree, pay a salary and secure my employment for four years following graduation. I decided to join the RAAF and am here 11 years later.

Jocelyn Williams

Jocelyn Williams studied a Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and is an electrical engineering officer in the Royal Australian Air Force.

There are 13 different engineering jobs across the Navy, Army and Air Force. Outside of engineering, there are many other rewarding careers with requirements ranging from year 10 to a university degree. The ADF offers more than 200 different career opportunities.

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Day in the life

Monique McLennan

6.00 AM I get up and make a cup of tea to start my day. I make sure to water my pot plants before I leave the house. 7.00 AM I get the train and connecting bus to Garden Island Naval Defence Precinct where I now work. 8.10 AM When I arrive at work and log in, the first thing I do is check my emails and action any that I can straight away. 8.20 AM I get started on the task of the day, which often includes designing parts to be installed on the ship structure of the naval vessels I work on. It’s pretty exciting. I contribute to the design of parts that go on the Royal Australian Navy’s ships.

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9.00 AM Some days I’m required to get on board a navy ship and do an inspection, so I’ll put on my hard hat, safety glasses, hi vis and steelcapped boots and head over to the docks. That’s a really thrilling part of my day – actually getting up close and personal with the ship and its technology. I’ll take notes on the ship for measurements and locations, as well as take input from the ship’s crew. I may even take some photos of the area to help me understand the issue. This can take all morning, but it’s one of the best parts of my job as an engineer here. 12.00 PM It’s lunchtime. The weather is often sunny and the bay is beautiful, so I go and sit outside with others from my team to enjoy the view of the yachts on Sydney Harbour and birds flying by.

Monique McLennan studied a Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering/Bachelor of Science and is a mechanical engineer at BAE Systems.

12.30 PM Using my notes from earlier, I’ll develop an analysis of the scope of my project. 2.00 PM Time for an afternoon tea break. I keep some Earl Grey stocked at my desk!

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3.00 PM This is the time of day when I often feel lowest on energy, so it’s important for me to stand up and stretch my legs – sometimes just getting some fresh air and going for a walk. This is a great way to reset and refocus on the task. I’m also able to look at the task from other angles while I’m away from my desk. 4.00 PM As it’s approaching the end of the day, I like to try and leave whatever I’m working on at a good place, to pick up from tomorrow. 5.00 PM Time to grab the shuttle bus and head home on the train. 6.00 PM When I get home I like to cook dinner so that I have enough food for lunch tomorrow, as well as for dinner. 7.00 PM Depending on the day I’ll go for a bike ride with my partner before bed or maybe play some online board games on my PC with friends.

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Day in the life

Cassandra Heffernan

6.30 AM The day starts early, giving me about an hour to get ready. I have a cup of tea, morning breakfast and feed my two cats, all with a show on in the background. I live 20 minutes away from my work at the Defence Science and Technology (DST) site in Edinburgh, Adelaide’s north-east. My partner works close by so I drop him off on the way. 8.00 AM DST has flexibility with start and finish times, so I can negotiate my preferred work hours with my supervisor to be any time from 7.00 am–7.00 pm. I choose to start and finish work earlier, when my brain is actually working!

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I typically kick off the day having a quick morning chat with the team. Next it’s checking and responding to emails, which usually takes about half an hour. These can influence which specific tasks I will work on for the day, including preparing and attending meetings with relevant team members or stakeholders, reading relevant research papers and reviewing documents. 10.00 AM The way my work is structured, I lead a team that has sole responsibility for an interdisciplinary research study. I rely on regular meetings with my supervisor and colleagues, and prefer to do that in the morning so I can then work on their feedback during the day.

Cassandra Heffernan studied a Master of Psychology (Organisational and Human Factors) and is a human systems scientist at Defence Science and Technology, Department of Defence.

When undertaking human factors research, the focus is on how it can support our Defence stakeholders – in particular, the Royal Australian Navy. Our current research focus is

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exploring the use of uninhabited aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the Navy. This involves examining the effects the increased level of system integration from these new information sources has with ship on task performance, operator roles and operator workload during a maritime tactical picture compilation. We then discuss how that question can be answered, which is typically through ‘human-inthe-loop’ experimentation. I work collaboratively with an engineer to create the necessary simulation software needed to run my study, and also with my team to determine what is needed to record the results. 11.00 AM Following the team meeting, I liaise with the software engineering team to turn the psychology requirements into simulation requirements. At times this can be a challenge as I don’t come from a computer background and they tend not to come from a psychology background! Together we work towards a common language which, through an iterative process of discussion and demonstrations of the software, can lead to a successful end product. 12.30 PM At lunch time, I typically sit outside with others from my building for a chat and a laugh. When the weather is nice, I like to use the time to walk around the base, where I often see many sheep, cockatoos and kangaroos. There are many lunch time activities you can take part in including social soccer and volleyball, and even board game clubs you can join. 1.00 PM Each week, the software engineer provides ‘drops’ for me to review. This helps move the translation from discussion of requirements into something more tangible. I can play with the simulation and ensure it meets the needs of the

experiment. To help me do this, I bring in fellow colleagues with specific engineering, psychology or Navy backgrounds. Two Navy specialists are embedded alongside us and as scientists, we make sure our work has the necessary operational value for our stakeholders. These sessions often involve participating in the simulator in the way we would expect our stakeholders to respond, then identifying areas for improvement. This is then provided to the software engineer for feedback.

3.00 PM The last part of my day typically involves solo research work: reading relevant journals, further refining my experimental method or compiling results for our Navy stakeholders. 4.00 PM I typically finish work around 4.00 pm each day. Once I am home, I usually go to the gym and spend time with my friends and family. The flexibility of my work times at DST helps create a great work-life balance, which ultimately helps me feel refreshed and keen for the next day!

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On the job

Casey

How did you choose your specialisation? I started out doing a double degree in arts and science and hated it. I’ve always loved IT but didn’t consider studying that alone until I realised I wasn’t interested in what I was initially studying. After I changed into software engineering I was leaning towards teaching VCE IT, however this was before I gained experience developing in a professional environment. Within months of starting my internship I was sure this was what I wanted to do long term. What does your employer do? We build and maintain software solutions, often for defence and intelligence customers. I work as a developer in an agile team currently building legislation drafting software for UK and Scottish Parliaments. What was your interview process like? I applied online and was given a phone interview followed by a three-person panel interview. There were technical and non-technical questions, and the interviewers were very open about the fact that interns were not expected to be experts, as they had not yet completed their studies. This meant that whilst it was still a formal interview, it was very comfortable. Can you describe a typical work day? At about 9.30 am the majority of us head out for the daily coffee run and then my team’s daily stand-up is at 10.30 am. During our two-week sprints my day is a mix of writing code for a current ticket and testing/reviewing the finished tickets completed by www.gradaustralia.com.au

team members. I also take part in regular sprint ceremonies including reviews, retrospectives, planning and backlog refinement meetings. We are based in the CBD so there are always heaps of options for lunches and morning teas. What are the career prospects with your job? We are constantly made aware of opportunities to undertake additional training to further build our skills. For example, during downtime on my current project I was able to complete scrum master training to refine my knowledge of agile processes. There are always a number of interesting and exciting projects being worked on by the various teams. As these grow and evolve over time, there is the possibility of not only joining them as a developer but also possibly leading them.

Casey studied a Bachelor of Software Engineering and is a software engineer at Leidos.

Study Bachelor of Software Engineering, Monash University, 2020

ROLE Software engineer, Leidos

What do you love the most about your job? The flexibility. While I was still studying I was given the freedom to work the hours I wanted. This meant I was able to work full time over the breaks and not at all when I needed to study for exams. As a full-time employee I am ]given the freedom to come in early and leave early as long as I am present within the main working hours. What advice would you give to a university student? ■ Study something you are passionate about. ■ Take your studies seriously all the way through; there will be plenty of time to work when you finish. ■ Research internships and graduate roles early.

... the interviewers were very open about the fact that interns were not expected to be experts, as they had not yet completed their studies.

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On the job

Scott Xing Du

How did you get to your current job position? I originally applied to the C-27J platform as a configuration and data management officer with the technical services team. I started in 2017 as a technical services officer until 2019 when I transitioned into my current role as an aircraft structural integrity engineer. I was given the option of joining the distinct design services or ASI/MTCH services teams. I chose the ASI/MTCH team because the work would be broader and give me a wider range of system and engineering. What was your interview process like? The interview was with a member of the HR staff, the team leader and the chief engineer. The platform members were interested in my application as I was a graduate engineer applying for a technical position. They indicated that after developing knowledge and further experience within the industry, I would have the opportunity to advance my career as a professional engineer.

As a leading provider and integrator of autonomous, C4ISR, cyber, logistics and strike systems and solutions, Northrop Grumman works with Australia’s Defence Force to ensure border and Pacificregion security and mission success. Northrop Grumman is deeply committed to growing its investment in Australia through partnerships and acquisitions. What are your areas of responsibility? My broad responsibility is to support and ensure the platform’s aircraft are structurally sound to perform the missions and roles expected by the operator. My current responsibility is in support of the structural condition monitoring system (SCMS), which in short, provides the data capture of the aircraft’s structural condition as it evolves over the life of the platform.

The questions were stepped to develop an understanding of my experience, team dynamics and my interest in the aviation industry. I was also asked about my honours thesis and what I believed were the qualities required to work in the industry.

My typical work day can cover a range of activities to support the SCMS. This may involve development or review of the system’s routine reports, review and design of the updated system and assisting team members. The last thing I worked on was updating process instructions and maps for our document management system.

What does your employer do? Northrop Grumman is proud of its established relationship with the Commonwealth of Australia and is committed to enhancing its business and geographic footprint in the country. They have a strong customer base in Australia and have been supporting a variety of defence and civil programs here for more than 20 years.

Do you bear a lot of responsibility? Are the stress levels high? The level of responsibility in my current role is high, however stress levels are often moderate due to the work culture emphasis on work/life balance. Everyone in the team is keen to help and develop my knowledge base to facilitate continued growth and learning.

Scott Xing Du studied a Bachelor of Engineering (Aeronautical)/Bachelor of Science (Advanced Mathematics) and is an ASI engineer at Northrop Grumman.

Study Bachelor of Engineering (Aeronautical)/Bachelor of Science (Advanced Mathematics), University of Sydney, 2019

ROLE ASI engineer, Northrop Grumman

Everyone in the team is keen to help and develop my knowledge base to facilitate continued growth and learning.

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On the job

Umesh Mutubandara

How did you get to your current job position? I have been working with Rheinmetall Defence Australia since February 2019. Initially, I met Rheinmetall during a seminar held at university about the current projects and upcoming opportunities in defence. One thing led to another and I had an interview for a position that needed me to travel to Germany for two years. I was a little nervous before my interview, but it turned out I had already met a few of the interviewers during the seminar. The interview was a general conversation about the project and role, my interests, my experience and whether moving to Germany was something I was interested in. What does your employer do? Rheinmetall is a leading provider of innovative products in defence for Australia and other international customers. Rheinmetall will provide the Australian Defence Force (ADF) with the new BOXER COMBAT RECONNAISSANCE vehicle as part of the LAND400 Phase 2 program. What are your areas of responsibility? Currently, I’m on an international assignment as a systems developer/engineer in Germany with Rheinmetall Electronics. My major area of responsibility is in developmental test and evaluation to verify functionality of mission equipment electronics and software at the component and system level. Can you describe a typical work day? What was the last thing you worked on? My daily tasks include developing test methods for software verification and then creating automated software tests to verify these test methods. On other days, www.gradaustralia.com.au

I am involved with integration and system level verification activities within the laboratory, or travelling off site for extended system commissioning, testing and evaluation. The last thing I worked on was the LANCE turret in Breman at a test facility about two hours drive from our HQ. My tasks primarily included checking functionalities and isolating problems during live testing. I was also corresponding with development teams at HQ to find solutions and make rapid on-field updates. What do you love the most about your job? I would say the most interesting thing is the commissioning, test and evaluation work. Specifically, working inside the BOXER CRV and performing diagnostics during live dynamic testing with the weapon system! At times it can be challenging– you have to adapt and solve new problems all the time, but this is something I find very enjoyable.

Umesh Mutubandara studied a Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical, Aerospace) (Hons) and is a systems engineer/ developer at Rheinmetall Defence Australia.

Study Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical, Aerospace) (Hons), Queensland University of Technology, 2018

ROLE Systems engineer/ developer, Rheinmetall Defence Australia

What’s the biggest challenge? There is a lot of travel involved in the job, especially when the system is going through commissioning, field-testing and evaluation, or perhaps even verification and validation with the ADF. This type of work can involve long hours in the field or laboratory, which can be demanding, so that’s definitely something to consider. What advice would you give to a university student? Prepare thoroughly for interviews! Learn about the company, ongoing projects, major milestones finished and upcoming, work culture etc. And of course, remember to ask questions during your interview!

The interview was a general conversation about the project and role, my interests, my experience and whether moving to Germany was something I was interested in.

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On the job

Robert Oates

What does your employer do? Saab Australia is a defence and security technology company. Their main business is developing a combat management system (the software that controls the weapons and sensors on navy ships), but Saab also develops many other technologies from combat, communications and security systems, to mixed reality and cybersecurity solutions. What are your areas of responsibility? In my first year I worked in the underwater department, developing technology for Australian and Swedish submarines. I worked on building my team’s ability to easily create augmented reality experiences from 3D computeraided design (CAD) models. This involved using a CAD program to adjust models of submarine components, such as water tanks or winches; programming any actions within augmented reality, such as animating moving parts; and giving augmented reality demonstrations to various people. I was also involved with developing software for the system that drives the Australian submarines, which involves writing code and testing it using virtual submarine simulators or a physical room set up with computers to imitate real submarine equipment. I have just entered my second graduate rotation and moved to the maritime department. I’m currently completing an eight week induction course to get me up to speed on developing the software for Saab’s combat management system. This involves learning about different weapons and sensors, and learning about the software development processes and tools used at Saab. What do you love about your job? Although the initial novelty of working on submarines may wear

off, it is rewarding to know the code you wrote is running on a submarine somewhere and helping Australia’s defence capability. There are lots of smart people around to learn from and I’m always surrounded by interesting projects and technology. The opportunity to continuously learn new technical skills to assist in solving problems is what I love most. What’s the biggest limitation? Working in defence can be a slower pace than some industries. This probably suits people who are selfmotivated and enjoy taking their time to do a job well, however it may not suit people who thrive on tight deadlines, high pressure and a rapidly changing environment. What advice would you give to a student? ■ Get as much work experience as possible. The domain of the projects you are working on is less important than the skills you get to use. For example, engineering a space shuttle may sound more interesting than engineering dishwashers, but the space shuttle may involve primarily administrative paperwork, while the dishwasher may involve more creative engineering design. The best way to figure out what a job is like is by speaking to people in the field and trying it out yourself. ■ Go on an international exchange. I have never spoken to someone who has regretted this decision. Going on exchange was beneficial to my career as it offered new learning opportunities, boosted my grades and provided a point of difference for my resume and interviews.

Robert Oates studied a Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering (Hons)/Bachelor of Commerce and is a graduate engineer at SAAB.

Study Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering (Hons)/ Bachelor of Commerce, Monash University, 2018

ROLE Graduate engineer, SAAB

...it is rewarding to know the code you wrote is running on a submarine somewhere and helping Australia’s defence capability.

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Education and training

Overview The world-class Australian education sector is widely considered a vital resource to Australian society and has also become a $20 billion export industry that attracts international students from far and wide. The education and training sector involves teachers in elementary, primary and high schools, as well as academics and university staff, TAFE instructors and a range of people in administrative and support roles. What’s involved? Think of the education sector and you’ll probably think first of teachers. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that 288,294 teachers work in Australia’s school system, along with around 100,000 administrative and clerical staff. The administrative and clerical staff include bookkeepers; education aides; gallery, library and museum technicians; general clerks; ICT support technicians; office managers; school principals; and secretaries. They are joined by a range of other supporting staff, such as caretakers, commercial cleaners, greenkeepers and handypersons. The education sector also employs many non-teaching professionals, including counsellors, librarians, life scientists and sports coaches. The tertiary education system employs around 15,000 teaching academics, 15,000 research academics and 27,000 academics who do both. Academia is concerned with the pursuit of research, education and scholarship. Academics are people who work in the education sector, either as a teacher or researcher at a university or other higher education institution. They are typically people who study and analyse their area of specialisation before sharing their findings through teaching, publishing and participating in public discussions. Where do education and training employees work? Australia boasts a well developed education system that includes preschools, primary and secondary schools, universities and other tertiary institutions (such as TAFEs), and a range of www.gradaustralia.com.au

programs that support adult education. An ongoing trend is the rise of online educational programs, with many colleges pushing content to the web, allowing students and teachers to interact from virtually any location. Entering the education sector The path you take to enter the education sector will depend largely on which branch you’d like to join. Broadly speaking, careers in the education sector are split into four categories: those in the public education system, those in the private education system, careers that provide support (administrative, managerial or otherwise) within educational organisations, and academic roles. If you’d like to work as a teacher, you will need to meet the academic requirements for employment as a teacher in your state. Generally, this involves the completion of a relevant bachelor degree (a process that usually takes four years) or enrolment in a postgraduate Master of Education. Working teachers are then expected to satisfy continuing education requirements throughout their careers. By default, all public sector appointments are meritbased, with schools generally expected to advertise all non-casual positions that will be occupied for more than twelve months (the specific requirements change from state to state). This applies to both teaching and administrative staff. Independent and private schools have a lot more autonomy when it comes to recruitment and will often advertise vacancies on job boards or in newspapers. You can also contact them directly to discuss career opportunities. A career as an academic will often begin with shortterm or casual positions as a tutor. To secure these positions you need to be a standout performer as a student. This means highly competitive marks (ideally including some academic merit prizes), strong relationships with faculty and successful admission to an honours program (many of which require prospective applicants to possess a distinction average and several references). You might also demonstrate that you’ve been involved in Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS).

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Teach For Australia’s Leadership Development Program allows participants to share their skills where they are most needed – as teachers in secondary schools – while they earn a master’s in teaching over the course of two years.

If you enjoy working as a teacher – and many do find it immensely rewarding – there are many opportunities for career progression.

From this point, it’s a matter of continuing to distinguish yourself through excellence in teaching and research, so that you can pursue new academic opportunities as they arise. You’ll need to make a concerted effort to publish articles in prestigious journals or take up extracurricular activities. Career prospects As a profession, teaching is known to be relatively stable, with appealing working conditions. While recent studies have shown, quite alarmingly, that teaching has a high attrition rate – around 30–50 per cent of teachers leave the profession within their first five years – the government has responded with a range of policy initiatives designed to create a more supportive, creative and innovative education system. This is partly because, as existing teachers retire and the population expands, Australia’s education system will need to grow, attracting and retaining excellent teachers. The former Department of Jobs and Small Business predicted the education system would need to hire an extra 16,400 primary teachers and 9,800 secondary teachers by 2023. If you enjoy working as a teacher – and many do find it immensely rewarding – there are many opportunities for career progression. You can pursue promotion, either as a head teacher or a member of the school’s senior administrative staff

(including vice-principal and principal) or transfer to other schools in the pursuit of more challenging or appealing opportunities. Outside of teaching, career progression opportunities include promotion within an educational department, involvement in regulation of the education sector and advocacy for a range of educational organisations. How can I take advantage of my STEM background? The most obvious way to take advantage of your STEM background is to pursue a career as a teacher of maths or sciences. Indeed, there is currently great demand for teachers with STEM training. The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) identified a shortage of teachers in secondary subjects including IT, physics, maths, general science, chemistry and biology, with 25 per cent of students in year 7 to 10 taught maths by a teacher not trained in the subject area. This shortage will make your STEM background extremely appealing to schools and recruiters. Alternatively, the generic skills you gain during the course of a STEM degree – such as analytical thinking, the ability to communicate and a knack for mastering new concepts – will stand you in good stead if you decide to pursue other opportunities within the education sector. www.gradaustralia.com.au

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Day in the life

Steph Thompson

6.30 AM Today I woke up, spent around 15 minutes getting ready, then headed off to the gym. The gym is a great way to start the day and gives me the opportunity to wake up and mentally prepare myself for the day ahead. If I am feeling like a bit of a sleep in, or have a half day, I will head to the gym after school. However, I do prefer it in the morning as I like to keep my afternoons free for students needing help. I generally get ready at the gym then head to work, but today I went to my friend’s house for a cup of tea before her first day at university this year. 8.00 AM Today I got to work at 8.00 am. Getting to school early allows me to get into the groove of the day and print off all my resources before the real rush starts. Before period one I prepared for my first class and set up my classroom for my year 10 practical activity. 9.00 AM Today I had my year 10 biology class in period one. They are a particularly challenging class compared to most of my others, but they are really funny. I had planned for a revision of our previous lesson then to start on a practical activity, but we had a year 10 assembly for the last 20 minutes of class. So, we moved straight into the activity, which involved creating a DNA and RNA strand out of lollies, then labelling and documenting the model. The students seemed to enjoy the activity. I think it was just because they really wanted to eat the sweets, but a win is a win. As the term has progressed this class www.gradaustralia.com.au

has significantly increased their engagement levels, which has been great. 10.20 AM At recess the school hosted a large morning tea function for all the staff. This was great; free food always is. It was also a good opportunity to catch up with some of the other staff members who I don’t see often. I’m finding it difficult to head to the staffroom to socialise as my desk is down the other end of the school, but I am lucky enough to have a great group of people surrounding me and friends in the buildings that are close. 11.00 AM I had period two off, which gave me some time to organise some worksheets and things for my next couple of lessons. It also gave me the opportunity to go and see the year level coordinators and get their opinions on a couple of questions I was having about assessment procedures. I also had time to check some of the many emails I get every day. They range from students messaging about the homework they have or haven’t done, to teachers sharing resources. 12:10 PM–3.06 PM In period three and four I had my two year 7 classes. They are both up to the same lessons, which is introducing phases of the moon and eclipses. Both of my year 7 classes are great. They still aren’t too happy about the seating plan I have in place, but they are working really well together in their table groups so that’s what they don’t see. What’s best for their learning

Steph Thompson studied a Bachelor of Science (Applied)/ Bachelor of Business (Management)and is a science teacher for Teach For Australia.

isn’t necessarily sitting next to their friends. 3.30 PM On a Tuesday we have a working group meeting that involves a review of any big announcements or progressions in our working area, which is the science faculty. Today’s meeting was mainly about ‘spicing’ up our APKs (access prior knowledge). 6.30 PM–8.30 PM I had training tonight, which was a good release. I find having a social outlet through sport is a great way to not get stuck in school 24/7. Having the opportunity to play a sport I love, be competitive and socialise with my friends allows me to go back to school recharged. 10.30 PM I try to go to sleep at around 10.30 pm, but that doesn’t always go to plan!

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Electronics

Overview The electronics industry is usually thought of as including the businesses and factories that produce consumer products with electrical components. However, for the purposes of this article, we will take a broader approach and consider all the roles across numerous industries that graduates with appropriate electrical training can fill. Electrical, electronic and computing engineers, as well as electricians and specialist technicians, are vital to many industries and sectors, including entertainment, transport, infrastructure, manufacturing, health, government and mining. They build, maintain, develop and troubleshoot electrical devices and systems, working on everything from advanced medical robots to the stadium lighting at major sports events. What’s involved? Electrical engineers are responsible for the equipment, machines and systems we use for the generation, distribution, utilisation and control of electric power. By contrast, electronics engineers focus on electronic components, circuits and systems. Electricians are tradespeople who install and repair

wiring in buildings, equipment and machines� (You can read more about what’s involved in electrical and electronic engineering by turning to page 26�) Where do people in this sector work? Electronics engineers work for various organisations, from engineering firms to mining companies. Victoria employs 40 per cent of Australia’s electronics engineers, with NSW employing a third and the share of the remaining states ranging from one to ten per cent� Electrical engineers are similarly distributed across organisations, with NSW employing the largest proportion (39 per cent), followed by Victoria and Queensland� While electrical engineers often work at a desk, both roles can involve extensive travel and site visits to attend meetings and inspections, or to inspect equipment, ensure that it complies with relevant standards and carry out maintenance� Entering the electronics sector There are various organisations that hire electrical and electronics engineers through dedicated graduate programs� These include Arup, BAE Systems, Honeywell and Cochlear, as well as the public service

Honeywell are known for their technology including their work in electronics.

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Like many tech companies, Cochlear does what it can to promote STEM careers through sponsoring and participating in various functions and activities.

Victoria employs 40 per cent of Australia’s electronics engineers, with NSW employing a third and the share of the remaining states ranging from one to ten per cent.

and a range of consumer businesses such as Sony, Philips and Hitachi. Career prospects While the number of electronics engineers is set to decline slightly over the next few years (from 4,100 to 3,900 by 2023 says the Australian Government’s Job Outlook site), competition for available workers has historically ensured a strong employment rate within this profession. There are many more electrical engineers (around 18,800) and the government predicts that ‘new jobs and turnover from workers leaving may create approximately 6,000 job openings over the next five years’. Recent data from the University of Adelaide has shown that electronic, electrical and computing engineers find better paying jobs faster than other graduates, with 78 per cent securing a full-time job within four months of graduating. How can I take advantage of my STEM background? Your STEM background will be indispensable when pursuing a career that involves electronics or electrical systems. In fact, you will require a degree in electrical or electronic engineering, with additional study of physics, maths and computing often recommended. Electrical engineers who wish to work as a chartered professional must also complete an Institute of Engineering and Technology accredited master’s degree.

Popular degrees sought by this industry

Learn more

Computer systems and networks

page 60

Software engineering

page 68

Data science

page 64

Electrical engineering

page 26

Mechanical engineering

page 36

Robotics and mechatronics engineering

page 44

Artificial intelligence

page 56

Design and user experience

page 66

Computer graphics and animation

page 58

Cybersecurity

page 62

Manufacturing engineering

page 30

Actuarial science

page 48

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Energy and utilities

Overview The energy industry is responsible for the production and distribution of energy, water and gas across Australia. It overlaps considerably with the utilities industry, which is responsible for the infrastructure used to provide public services (dams, sewerage systems, power lines, stormwater drains and so on). Consequently, this is the sector that includes employers such as Sydney Water, TasNetworks, Suez Waste Management and SA Power Networks. Together, energy and utilities companies have created about 155,000 jobs for electrical engineers, civil engineers, chemical engineers and many other professionals. In the coming decades, it’s expected that this sector will change considerably as it faces three main challenges: increasing demand for renewable energy sources, a growing need to invest in Australia’s energy infrastructure and the pressure to adapt to new policies and public expectations as private and public organisations respond to environmental changes. What’s involved? Energy industry workers have a range of responsibilities, from laying pipes and maintaining water infrastructure to reading meters and providing customer service. Broadly speaking, their tasks fall into three categories – electricity generation, transmission and distribution; natural gas distribution; and water, sewerage and other systems (such as reservoirs and treatment plants). As demand for it grows, many professionals in this sector are involved in efforts to create cheaper and more sustainable sources of energy, water and gas. Latest annual data by the former Department of the Environment and Energy shows Australia’s energy consumption has risen 0.9 per cent, up from the average annual growth of 0.6 per cent over the last decade. This rise puts energy consumption at 6,066 petajoules. For comparison, one petajoule represents enough energy to power 19,000 homes or 2,354,000 televisions for a year. www.gradaustralia.com.au

In a bid to address this, engineers and environmental scientists in this industry are involved in initiatives such as generating power from solar and biogas conversion (a process that involves capturing the methane produced by vegetative waste before converting it into energy). Where do people in the energy and utilities sector work? Workers in the energy industry may find themselves employed at different points of the energy supply chain, which involves generators (for example, power plants and wind farms), transmission networks (gas lines and facilities that convert low voltage electricity into high voltage electricity that travels further), distribution networks (which convert electricity back to a low-voltage consumer product) and retail providers, ending with the businesses and residences that use the provided energy. Accordingly, work in this energy sector might be based in an office, for example, managing customer accounts, or in the field, performing maintenance on distribution networks or other infrastructure. Entering the energy sector The energy sector is dominated by people who have completed some sort of vocational education and training. For example, bachelor degrees and advanced diplomas are possessed by some 34 per cent of plant operators, while a bachelor degree is mandatory for engineers and environmental scientists. There are various pathways into the energy industry, including graduate programs for both private employers and public entities such as the federal Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources. The department offers a structured 12-month graduate program with two diverse placements and relocation assistance for interstate applicants. Graduates can enter the program through various streams, including the STEM stream. Private employers with graduate programs in the energy sector include SA Power Networks, Nova Systems and TasNetworks.

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Career prospects The future of Australia’s energy industry and the workers that support it, is an issue of national concern. Thankfully, the outlook is good: the government on their Job Outlook site for electricity, gas, water and waste services notes that growth in the numbers of most energy workers will be ‘stable’, ‘moderate’, or ‘strong’. Interestingly, much of this growth, for now, is expected to be generated by traditional employers (such as coal-based power companies). While alternatives such as solar energy and wind power are growing in popularity, the government notes that employment in large scale solar and wind power is primarily driven by installation activity, rather than by ongoing operation and maintenance. Consequently, it relies heavily on the creation of new infrastructure and as such, is relatively volatile. How can I take advantage of my STEM background? The energy industry is particularly well suited to graduates with a background in engineering, science and maths. In addition to demonstrating that you possess the technical requirements of a role, you may find it helpful to emphasise any desirable generic skills that you’ve developed. These might include your communication skills, teamwork experience, critical thinking abilities and an aptitude for mastering complex concepts independently.

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Popular degrees sought by this industry

Learn more

Electrical engineering

page 26

Mechanical engineering

page 36

Data science

page 64

Chemical engineering

page 22

Computer systems and networks

page 60

Civil engineering

page 24

Cybersecurity

page 62

Environmental engineering

page 28

Renewable energy engineering

page 42

Materials engineering

page 34

Robotics and mechatronics engineering

page 44

Petroleum engineering

page 40

Software engineering

page 68

The energy sector is dominated by people who have completed some sort of vocational education and training.

Western Power graduates will have access to training through the registered training organisation (Power Training Services) plus opportunities for coaching and mentoring.

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On the job

Christopher Flack

How did you get to your current job position? I applied to Hydro Tasmania when the graduate applications were open in March 2017. The recruitment process involved an online assessment, group interviews and an individual interview. I flew to Hobart for my group and individual interviews, which allowed me to gain a greater understanding of the business. The interviews involved a mix of problem solving, teamwork and ‘getting to know you’ questions. The graduate program at Hydro Tasmania is a three-year rotational program. How did you choose your specialisation? I chose civil engineering at university because I thought civil structures would always be built and require maintenance. Upon researching Hydro Tasmania, I became interested in hydropower and dams, as it was clear the field would be extremely important as the market for renewable energy becomes greater and greater. What does your employer do? Hydro Tasmania is Australia’s leading clean energy business and largest generator of renewable energy. Our system includes 30 power stations and more than 50 major dams, which require ongoing maintenance and refurbishments. Hydro Tasmania also trades energy on National Electricity Market and sells energy directly to customers through our retail business Momentum Energy. We also offer world-renowned power and water expertise through our specialist consulting firm Entura. What are your areas of responsibility? Throughout my graduate rotation, I have taken on a number of roles

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with different responsibilities. During my rotation in the civil assets major works team I was a site engineer and project manager. My roles required me to manage contractors, coordinate project progress on-site and manage financial budgeting of my projects. My current rotation is with Entura, Hydro Tasmania’s specialist consulting firm. A typical day involves responding to client emails in the morning or attending client meetings. I may then go to site for an inspection or continue working on design/inspection reports. In the afternoon, I will often liaise with my team to discuss recent inspections, report progress or upcoming projects. The last thing I worked on was developing a comprehensive surveillance report for a client. The document reviews information including design and construction of the dam, the current risk position and outlines observations made during the site visit.

Christopher Flack studied a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) (Hons)/Bachelor of Business and is a graduate civil engineer at Hydro Tasmania.

Study Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) (Hons)/Bachelor of Business, Swinburne University of Technology, 2017

ROLE Graduate civil engineer, Hydro Tasmania

What are the career prospects? The career prospects are endless. I know civil engineers who have been in the field for a number of years and are now specialist or principal engineers. I have also observed engineers pursue careers in leadership and management (not necessarily limited to engineering). What do you love most about your job? The best part about my job is that every day is different. Even though projects can take months to complete, it is rare to repeat a task, so it always feels like progress. The task I enjoy the most is site visits to the various dams around Australia.

Upon researching Hydro Tasmania, I became interested in hydropower and dams, as it was clear the field would be extremely important as the market for renewable energy becomes greater and greater.

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On the job

Lauryn Critchley

What’s your name and job title? Lauryn Critchley; applied science graduate at Urban Utilities. How did you choose your specialisation? I knew I wanted to work in the water industry, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. Until I was in the industry it was hard to know what all my options were. I tried to keep my specialisation broad and be involved in a little bit of everything. Can you tell us about your interview process? I applied for the graduate program in March 2019. From there I undertook a psychometric questionnaire and was invited to attend an assessment center. At the assessment center I worked with graduates from different backgrounds (science, finance and data science) to complete various tasks as a team. We finished the day off with a short interview and tour of the Brisbane office. The tour was helpful as it gave us time to speak candidly with the graduate who was showing us around and find out their experience of the role. The final stage was an in-depth interview with a member of the talent acquisition team and my future manager, which took place a few weeks later. What does your employer do? Urban Utilities is a water, sewerage and recycled water service provider. We supply to Brisbane, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Scenic Rim and Somerset in South East Queensland. What are your areas of responsibility? My current rotation is in the insights team within infrastructure

maintenance. My personal goal while in this role is to improve my GIS (geographic information system) skills. My responsibility is to help analyse and understand data to update or improve our internal processes. This includes finding better ways to schedule our maintenance tasks, identifying high-risk assets and being involved in company-wide projects. I am involved in everything from hydraulic modeling of sewers to chlorine dosing investigations and forecasting maintenance work. Usually you’ll find me at our Brisbane office, but soon I will be based in our commercial laboratory. Recently we have focused on drought initiatives so the last project I finished was an investigation of our water pressure zones and how we could better our leak detection program. Over the course of two years I will have experience in four different teams: network planning, infrastructure maintenance, SAS laboratories and environmental compliance. I have also had the opportunity to join different programs and events such as our innovation community and the Young Water Professionals. What do you love the most about your job? I love the community at Urban Utilities. There’s a great group of people and I always go home feeling great about my day. I love that Urban Utilities do good in the community and we are passionate about the environment. My favorite tasks normally involve collaboration between teams. I love to meet new people and experience other parts of the company.

Lauryn Critchley studied a Bachelor of Environmental Science (Resource Management) and is an applied science graduate at Urban Utilities.

Study Bachelor of Environmental Science (Resource Management), Southern Cross University, 2018

ROLE Applied science graduate, Urban Utilities

I am involved in everything from hydraulic modeling of sewers to chlorine dosing investigations and forecasting maintenance work.

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On the job

Jessica Kitchen

What’s your job title? Graduate engineer. How did you get to your current job position? I was fortunate enough to get vacation work over a long period of time at Western Power and from there was offered a position in the graduate program. What does your employer do? Western Power is the ‘poles and wires’ company responsible for getting power from A to B. The primary work in Western Power revolves around designing, operating and maintaining both the transmission and distribution networks. What are your areas of responsibility? I have had several roles in the business including long-term planning, designing transmission lines and project management (to name a few). In these roles I have been responsible for designing a new 132kV transmission line in Capel, delivering relocations works including distribution, undergrounding and transmission relocation for a major road intersection upgrade and assessing the network’s capacity to connect new renewable generation. Can you describe a typical work day? What was the last thing you worked on? I am currently working on design options and costing for connection of a 100MW solar farm. I am also working on a proposal to mitigate network constraints in the south west, which will facilitate more large customers to connect to the network. Western Power is very flexible regarding work times. I prefer to start at 7.30 am and finish a little www.gradaustralia.com.au

earlier. Other teammates start later – it’s all okay as long as you do your required hours and deliver your projects on time.

Jessica Kitchen studied a Bachelor of Electrical Power Engineering and is a graduate engineer at Western Power.

My current role has me sitting at my desk most of the day referring to various databases and tools to complete my proposals/designs. However, my project management role required me to go on site quite regularly. Your average day can look quite different depending on what role within Western Power you have. From mainly office bound to mainly field bound, varying start times and flexible working arrangements, working in our Perth office or at a depot in the suburbs/rurally, there is a role to suit everyone. What are the career prospects with your job? The graduate program is very good at allowing you to have a taste of various roles around the business. Once finishing the program, you should be experienced enough to find a role in any of your rotations. If you decide Western Power is not the place for you, you’ll still be an attractive candidate at any company in the power industry.

Study Bachelor of Electrical Power Engineering, Curtin University, 2019

ROLE Graduate engineer, Western Power

What do you love the most about your job? The best things about Western Power include the variety of work and the support from your team with regards to training, knowledge sharing and flexible working options. What’s the biggest limitation? The red tape associated with all government departments or businesses that are held to a higher level of transparency and scrutiny can sometimes cause slow decision making. Western Power isn’t unique in that aspect!

The graduate program is very good at allowing you to have a taste of various roles around the business.

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Transitioning towards a new energy future

Energy is essential to the global economy and underpins the lifestyle Australians enjoy today. The challenge for many in the energy industry is continuing to meet the growing demand for energy, while significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality. The Australian energy and utilities industry leads the way with innovation, experimentation, and research. It’s far from being a traditional industry in which things seldom change. This is particularly noticeable in the private sector, both with large and small energy organisations. Within Australia, a number of energy industry players are beginning to transition their business towards a low-carbon model. Shell Australia is one such example. Best known as an oil and gas company, Shell has begun to focus on implementing energy alternatives. Within Australia, Shell is building a ‘onestop energy shop’ which will help drive the energy transition by producing electricity from renewable sources, natural gas for power generation and industry, and offering lower-carbon fuels. To make this possible, Shell acquired ERM Power. ERM Power is a leading commercial and industrial

electricity retailer in Australia, with two gas-fired generation plants. Shell also acquired sonnen, a leader in smart energy storage systems with a manufacturing presence in Australia, and more recently a 49% stake in ESCO Pacific, one of Australia’s largest solar developers. Shell is also building their first industrialscale solar farm in Queensland. This farm will generate up to 120 megawatts of solar electricity from about 400,000 photovoltaic panels. Students with a passion for energy and renewable technology will be critical for many within the energy industry who are beginning their transition towards a low-carbon economy. Graduates within Shell already have the chance to work on projects such as solar farms, negotiations with customers, and new energy acquisitions.

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Engineering services

Overview Not all organisations have the resources (or ongoing need) to hire full-time engineers. Others, while they may employ in-house engineers, periodically require specific outside expertise or the ability to ‘scale up’ by assigning additional engineers to critical projects. That’s where engineering services firms (or consultant engineering firms) come in. By bringing together engineers and technicians from a range of specialities, they’re able to provide clients with a one-stop solution to various challenges in construction, manufacturing and more. Some of the largest engineering firms in Australia include BAE Systems, Honeywell and Lockheed Martin. There are also a range of medium-sized and boutique firms that focus on particular areas of engineering or service specific industries (such as the health or governmental sectors). Engineering firms hire engineers from virtually every speciality, as well as people with complementary skills such as technologists, technicians and project managers. They also employ people with necessary business, administrative, managerial and financial expertise. What’s involved? Consultant engineers work for clients who require assistance with various engineering problems. These clients include land and property developers, schools and colleges, hospitals, construction firms, architects, industrial and commercial companies, government agencies and individuals. Engineering firms may be hired on an ad hoc basis, such as when a construction company employs them to work a specific project. Alternatively, they may be paid a retainer to ensure a longterm working partnership, such as with a local government body or architecture firm. Often, larger firms receive a contract and then hire smaller firms to work on specific aspects of an overall project. Within consultant engineering firms, engineers most often belong to interdisciplinary teams that oversee projects from start to finish. A typical team might include several engineers, a project manager and team leader. www.gradaustralia.com.au

As a junior engineer, you might, during the course of a normal day, meet with a project manager to discuss tasks, complete calculations and sketches, liaise with colleagues, update drawings using CAD software and visit construction sites to observe work in progress. Where do engineering consultants work? Engineering firms work alongside organisations in various industries, including aeronautical, agricultural, geotechnical, transportation, environmental and resources-focused businesses. These clients are geographically dispersed, with operations in both metropolitan and regional areas. Given the importance of monitoring the progress of engineering projects, many firms dispatch teams on secondment. In other words, team members, though paid by the firm, will often work out of a client’s office for extended periods of time. As such, while much of a consultant engineer’s work may happen at a desk, that desk could be located practically anywhere: a hospital, an airport, a university, a farm, an architecture firm, a different state or even a different country. Even for engineers and other professionals who work primarily within the firm’s own office space, off-site meetings and inspections are not uncommon. Entering a consultant engineering firm It is possible to enter a consultant engineering firm straight out of university, without the need for additional experience. However, bear in mind while many major firms run dedicated graduate recruitment schemes, these tend to be extremely competitive. Consequently, the candidates who succeed are most often those who have completed prior work experience (an internship or other industry placement), achieved excellent marks at university or acquired additional qualifications (such as a master’s degree). It’s not unusual for the recruitment process to include multiple stages, such as an online application, in-person interview and psychometric test. Shortlisted candidates may be invited to attend a second interview that involves meeting multiple people from the firm.

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They’ll also have an opportunity to demonstrate their technical know-how by completing tests or participating in group interviews. Career prospects Graduates are often presented with a limited range of entry-level positions, so employers can more efficiently coordinate training programs. However, the range of possible jobs increase in number as graduates accumulate experience and in many cases, dedicate themselves to different specialty areas. A junior engineer, design assistant or junior technologist can ultimately aim to work as a team leader, project manager, construction engineer or design specialist. Alternatively, they can pursue leadership of a team or division that focuses on a specific challenge. For example, a large engineering firm may have a team that focuses only on infrastructural projects for the government. Finally, they may shift into the business or managerial side of the firm, climbing its hierarchy to achieve partnership, board membership or a similarly senior position. How can I take advantage of my STEM background? You will, of course, require an engineering degree if you wish to work as an engineer for a consulting firm. Within engineering, there is no particular speciality that is more advantageous than the rest, though civil engineers are generally hired in larger numbers than their counterparts from other areas. Average salary Graduate engineering consultants can expect to earn between $55,000 and $75,000 during their first five years. However, salaries do fluctuate based on

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the conditions you accept (for example, remote jobs tend to pay more) and the firm that employs you (larger and more competitive firms can often offer higher salaries). Choose this if you: ■ Enjoy the problem-solving aspects of engineering. ■ Like the idea of completing projects for a range of clients. Popular degrees sought by this industry

Learn more

Mechanical engineering

page 36

Electrical engineering

page 26

Civil engineering

page 24

Environmental engineering

page 28

Computer systems and networks

page 60

Software engineering

page 68

Data science

page 64

Robotics and mechatronics engineering

page 44

Environmental science

page 82

Chemical engineering

page 22

Design and user experience

page 66

Worley’s graduate development program (GDP) provides graduates with their first substantial learning and development opportunity. It is a critical foundation program for all graduates, helping to ensure successful job performance and longer-term career progression.

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On the job

Lizzy Prosselkova

Can you tell us a little about yourself? I was born in Voronezh, Russia and was lucky enough to move to Australia at a young age with my family. Jumping forward a decade and a half, I studied at the University of Melbourne where I completed a Bachelor of Commerce (Economics & Finance). I really embraced university life, living on campus and participating in a wide range of different clubs and societies. During my course, I also completed an internship subject in Bangkok and studied abroad in India. These experiences sparked a love for travel and an intrigue for South East Asia as an emerging economic hub. This is also where I discovered my love for statistics and econometrics and decided that wherever my career took me, I wanted to tell stories through data. I am so grateful I can do just that in my current role at Carlton & United Breweries (CUB). Outside of work, I love being able to pursue my passions including yoga, figure skating and hiking. What attracted you to Carlton & United Breweries? The culture. CUB offers flexibility around ways of working; it’s all about finding balance and discovering what works best for you. I also love how my colleagues have become my friends and the feeling of support I receive in the office. This is made better by the personal and professional support I receive from my managers.

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What do you enjoy the most about your work? I never stop learning! Every day is an exploration of a new topic, whether that be a new math function or working with a new department in the business. I love seeing how an algorithm comes together to solve real business problems. There is also a real sense in the company that mistakes and failures are learning experiences and an opportunity to grow. I really like this about CUB, as it encourages me to go a little outside the box and try something a bit different, knowing I won’t be punished for a little ambition in my work. What advice would you give to a current university student? Before you start applying for graduate jobs (or anything else), embrace student life and try to get involved! You’ll never have an opportunity like this again, so make the most of it. Keep stepping outside of your comfort zone and just have fun.

Lizzy Prosselkova studied a Bachelor of Commerce (Economics, Finance) and is a commercial analytics specialist at Carlton & United Breweries.

Study Bachelor of Commerce (Economics, Finance), University of Melbourne, 2018

ROLE Commercial analytics specialist, Carlton & United Breweries

Any final words of wisdom? Don’t be afraid to be passionate about what motivates you. Be confident yet humble, and most importantly, just be yourself!

CUB offers flexibility around ways of working; it’s all about finding balance and discovering what works best for you.

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On the job

Mario Du Plessis

What’s your background? How did you find your way to Monadelphous? I was born in South Africa and lived there until I was 15. I then moved to Australia where I worked at CBH Group. After two years, I decided it was time for a change. Having enjoyed working at remote sites and with large machinery, I wanted to find a degree that would best facilitate these interests. Long story short: I stumbled across the construction management degree at Curtin. After graduating I was offered a graduate position with Monadelphous. I’ve really enjoyed my time so far; I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside great people and am always surprised at how welcoming the culture is. What’s your job about? As a construction management graduate, I work in maintenance and industrial services of the oil and gas division. Our main purpose is to provide core and campaign maintenance to both offshore and onshore facilities for our client companies such as Shell, INPEX and Woodside. In my current rotation I am working in project controls, which involves maintaining and supporting the development of standardised processes and procedures across all our contracts, ranging from the onboarding of new employees to the establishment of commercial documentation. Processes and procedures are ideally set up so information can be easily tracked, engineered and exported to reports and dashboards, to assist leadership in decision-making. Our team consists of a lead planner and scheduler, lead cost controller, an estimator and two project

coordinators, each with their own field of expertise. As a graduate, this is a great opportunity to get broad exposure to what is happening on our sites, while also working alongside various disciplines.

Mario Du Plessis studied a Bachelor of Applied Science (Construction Management) (Hons) and is a construction management graduate at Monadelphous.

My main responsibilities include supporting each member of the team as they require. As part of this I have recurring tasks such as maintaining and updating a monthly dashboard; processing monthly claims and weekly work orders for on-site claims; and reviewing and facilitating sign-off of services requests.

Study

Could someone with a different background do your job? Yes. As a graduate, I am still building my skill set and knowledge base, but I am confident in the process due to the support provided by my team. Certain technical aspects of my role may require further education depending on previous qualifications and experience. However, with the Monadelphous culture, support and encouragement I believe anyone with the right attitude and interest could be successful.

Bachelor of Applied Science (Construction Management) (Hons), Curtin University, 2018

ROLE Construction management graduate, Monadelphous

What’s the coolest thing about your job? What I enjoy most are the people I work with. Working collaboratively on projects and the sense of comradery when completing projects is extremely fulfilling. What are the limitations? For me the greatest limitation is the lack of site time. This is only my first rotation though, so I am sure I’ll get plenty of time later on! What advice would you give to a student? Always put your hand up to try new things.

Working collaboratively on projects and the sense of comradery when completing projects is extremely fulfilling.

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Day in the life

Marcus Summers

6.00 AM I wake up with an ambitious alarm each morning. My goal is to start going to the gym before work again, but back to bed again for today. 7.30 AM Take two and I’m up and off to work. I walk to the station and get a train each morning which gives me a chance to think about nothing and get some reading done. 8.30 AM This is my favourite time of the day to make the first of many coffees. The amount of coffee that I drink is not a reflection of stress but having a machine and beans as good as you’ll get in any café will have you putting away more than you would care to admit. Before catching up with my line manager, I’ll complete any pending tasks which I’ve planned the previous afternoon.

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Some days, I’ll start by attending a stakeholder consultation meeting or the regular client and progress meetings at our sites. Now however, as we bid for more work, I spend most of my time looking at the staging and methodology of the upcoming job. I update the staging diagrams (showing what we plan to do and when) to be submitted later with the bid this month with comments received in a recent review session. 10.00 AM Time for a catch-up with the bid team. Outside of my manager and I, who account for the planning discipline, we have team members with expertise in construction delivery, commercial, design management, environmental management, estimating and procurement. Our bid strategy is changing rapidly as we learn more about the work involved to deliver this job and the client’s

Marcus Summers studied a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) (Honours) and is a graduate civil/planning engineer at Downer Group.

expectations. Plenty of actions for me out of the meeting! 12.00 PM I jump out of the office for lunch and walk to a nearby park tomeet a friend working in the same area. 1.00 PM Back to the office a less hungry and a more clearheaded version of myself.

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I’ll typically hit my pace in the afternoon, like an extended “hour of power”; phone calls to subcontractors to confirm methodology details, challenging the design to fit the project constraints, updates to the staging and methodology, coding the project schedule to fit the client’s format. Honestly, these activities won’t really hold through the year to come, and that’s a lot of the benefit to being in Downer’s Graduate Program. Later this year, I will be handling the project’s shutdown planning and processes (demonstrating we can get in to do work and back out again to let services run at the end of a weekend possession), engaging and managing subcontractors and updating the project schedule so that the project can submit payment claims to the client. Only a year ago, I was responsible for a completely different set of tasks, ranging from stormwater design for power substations in Victoria and earthworks quantities for a solar farm bid in Queensland. 2.30 PM Times moving fine, it’s getting towards the end of the day and variety in my work keeps me interested. Little bits of information come in here and there to amount to minor adjustments in what I’m doing. 3.30 PM Suddenly, I get a call from another manager that I used to work for. They’re in a tight spot on another bid and need me to update work which I handed over before joining my current project. I have a little time up my sleeve and it’s a problem-solving exercise which I enjoy each time I get a chance to help with, so I’ll get it done quickly before pushing on. 5.30 PM All done for the day. I send off a confirmation to the team that what’s needed for tomorrow is ready, write down some tasks which I hope to get out of the way

early next morning and say my goodbyes. Some days I’m playing sport or meeting friends straight after work, but today I’m headed home. 7.00 PM First thing on my mind as I walk in the door at home is always dinner. I’m very good at taking twice as long as I should to cook something. To avoid getting home only to eat at midnight, I normally make a few large meals on the weekend to last through the week.

7.30 PM Time to pay for my laziness in the morning so I head off to the gym for a little bit. I enjoy staying fit as much as I can be bothered. 9.30 PM After a quick shower, I’m in bed and trying to read for a while. Same as in the morning, I like this for clearing my mind as I focus on something different to the rest of the day, with the bonus that I sleep like a rock afterwards.

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Day in the life

Lauren Harrington

6.45 AM Rise and shine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; living an hour away from the city means an early start to the day! 8.15 AM A good start to the day is never complete without breakfast. Whilst waiting for my toast to pop I enjoy morning chats with co-workers. I ease myself into the working day by checking emails and writing a detailed to-do list. 9.00 AM As a graduate sustainability and carbon consultant my work is varied and interesting. I work across two main fields assisting my senior consultants in infrastructure sustainability projects as well as in energy and carbon accounting and reporting. I like to start my day with the latter as this work is highly quantitative, involving energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions calculations. My brain is more

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equipped for these tasks in the morning. Before I start, the job manager and I typically sit down to ensure we are on the same wavelength. After a kick-off workshop for the project the day before, we both know the key steps forward involve data validation and analysis (usually of fuel consumption or electricity usage data). At GHD, we are fortunate to have the perfect combination of guidance and independence, so after a brief discussion on the steps forward, I am confident in my ability to perform the required analysis. 10.45 AM Before my 11.00 am meeting I consolidate my work by sending a summary email to my job manager. At GHD we place a high value on quality control so all the work we do is checked and double checked.

Lauren Harrington studied a Bachelor of Science (Advanced) (Geology & Geophysics) (Hons) and is now a graduate sustainability and carbon consultant at GHD.

11.00 AM Graduates at GHD are given many opportunities to develop their professional network, none better than through the Young Professionals (YP) group. As a YP committee member, attendance at committee meetings allows me to be involved in planning a range of events and activities, including

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networking nights with our clients, internal debates between YPs and senior management, and community engagement initiatives. 12.00 PM Lunchtime! I enjoy nothing more than to give my mind a midday reprieve by going for a city jog with the GHD running club. Even on stressful days, a jog like this with like-minded colleagues is always sure to perk me up! 1.00 PM Rejuvenated after an active lunch break, I like to switch to our team’s other main field of work: infrastructure sustainability. This line of work involves helping infrastructure projects achieve the best environmental, economic and social outcomes across the design, construction and operation of the asset. We work on a diverse range of infrastructure projects including transport, energy and water facilities, and evaluate the assets against sustainability ratings such as Green Star and the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia’s rating tool, which reward performance against benchmarks. This requires a good understanding of both the design side of a project as well as the environmental assessment side. Reading through design reports and environmental studies provides me with a good

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overview, but I find the best way to understand the project is through face-to-face discussions with design leads and environmental technical specialists. 2.15 PM Time to stretch my legs and head to the project office for a meeting with the design team. One of the benefits of working on large infrastructure projects is that I get to be a part of joint ventures where multiple engineering and consulting firms work together to complete a job. 2.30 PM I have been looking forward to the meeting with the design team all day! This is where my sustainability colleagues and I get to have a real influence on design, which is undoubtedly the best part of my job. The meeting usually begins with a briefing on infrastructure sustainability, which, because of the responsibility GHD graduates are entrusted with, I often get to deliver. The rest of the meeting involves discussions regarding where the asset can achieve sustainable outcomes – whether this be by choosing an environmentally friendly concrete mix, installing solar panels and rain tanks at site facilities or by

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allowing community involvement on negotiable design decisions. 3.30 PM On my way back to the office I pick up my usual skim flat white. With my trusty coffee and a cheeky chocolate bar (it’s fine right – I went for a run!) my productivity is sure to be high. 3.45 PM Back in the office, I like to consolidate my notes from my meeting and send out a few summary emails to ensure I am on the same page as my colleagues and the client. I usually archive these to ensure a record of findings and decisions are kept. My discussion with the design team has allowed me to update my ongoing sustainability assessment of the project, so I spend the rest of the afternoon documenting evidence for the rating and drafting the relevant sections of our report. 5.30 PM Before leaving for the day, I always make sure to track my billable work. This is a key aspect to consulting that encourages efficiency, transparency and a happy client. With fewer people in the office at this time, I also use this time to reflect on the tasks achieved for the day, before heading off to catch up with friends for dinner in the city.

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On the job

Albert Lam

What’s your job title? Graduate digital consultant.

as well as specific customer user groups.

What does your employer do? Worley is a leading provider of professional projects and asset services in the energy, chemicals and resources sectors. As part of the Worley group, Advisian Digital (Worley’s data science, software and digital consulting business) is responsible for driving the digital transformation of the wider company, which includes digitising business practices/infrastructure and assisting our customers and users to keep pace with change, using technology to solve industry challenges.

Where could you or others in your position go from here? This is tricky to answer because at Worley and Advisian, there isn’t a set route one takes. Being only a few months into my role, I am also still figuring out my path. However, being a global company with almost 60,000 people around the world, I look forward to opportunities to work at different sites or overseas on various projects (either technical or corporate).

What are your areas of responsibility? My current responsibility is the complete design and development of an online skills platform tailored specifically for the energy, chemicals and resources industry. This involves creating wireframes and prototypes that are then tested with focus groups, as well as working with the developers to produce the actual outcome. I have also been involved on the project management and customer-facing sides, where I assist the project director with organising/ chairing meetings and responding to support queries from users. Can you describe a typical day? My typical day consists of a morning cup of tea followed by meetings with my team/users and developers, creating prototypes, managing my professional career development, and attending various training and social events held in the office. The last thing I worked on was a presentation of new platform capability we are looking to develop, to several senior business leaders www.gradaustralia.com.au

What do you love most about your job? Which tasks do you enjoy? The work is fantastic and it’s what I want to do, however the people are what makes me look forward to coming into the office each day. In terms of tasks, I enjoy running workshops to gain different perspectives from others, which feeds back into seeing my designs go from the drawing board, through to development, and then translated into the live product.

Albert Lam studied a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Industrial Design) (Hons) and is a graduate digital consultant at Worley.

Study Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Industrial Design) (Hons), Monash University, 2019

ROLE Graduate digital consultant, Worley

What’s the biggest limitation? Being new to the job means I have to juggle work priorities with deadlines. Additionally, since I started, my responsibilities have grown. However, my manager is awesome and very understanding if the workload becomes too much. The biggest limitation so far is my lack of experience in the workplace environment; for example, meeting new people and working with them. Relationships and dynamics aren’t things that are taught at school, but I am not too stressed about this because it’s just something I have to look out for and learn from.

Being a global company with almost 60,000 people around the world, I look forward to opportunities to work at different sites or overseas on various projects.

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Special Feature

Jerome de Vera

What is your current role? I’m a graduate protection engineer at SA Power Networks and currently serving as the immediate past chair for Young Engineers Australia South Australia Chapter. How did you get to your current position? I wanted to have a career in power systems to become a part of the growing transformation in the energy industry. As part of my industry work experience I worked as an undergraduate engineer at South Australia’s sole power distributor SA Power Networks, and continued to work there part time during my final year. This work experience helped me to successfully secure a graduate position when I completed my degree. Why did you become a member of Engineers Australia? I registered as a student member of Engineers Australia during my first day of university. My membership enabled me to attend numerous networking and industry events and I was approached to become a student ambassador for Young Engineers Australia (YEA). Even after my studies, I continued as a graduate member to keep in touch with the networks I made and to further my professional development. Suppose a student was considering your career, what skills should they develop? The engineering industry requires more out of graduates than ever before. Young engineers need to quickly adapt to advancements in technology and provide innovative solutions for complex problems. I highly emphasise to engineering students to not only focus on technical skills but also develop people skills. Establishing www.gradaustralia.com.au

professional relationships and effectively communicating are crucial skill sets to have. How does being a part of Engineers Australia benefit your career? Engineers Australia has helped kick start my career in so many ways. With my membership, I attended numerous industry events and networking opportunities that allowed me to learn what it’s like to work as an engineer. Seeing technical presentations and expert panels increased my industry exposure and developed my understanding of where my career could lead. Being a member allowed me to establish professional connections and take on volunteering opportunities in my local YEA chapter. These experiences of ongoing professional development have boosted my overall confidence as a young professional to go further in my career. What do you love most about your role with Engineers Australia? What I love most are the people I meet from diverse backgrounds and disciplines. I enjoy talking to engineers about their career journey and hearing their perspectives on various topics. Furthermore, being able to share my early career experiences and provide advice to students and younger engineers is a rewarding experience. What is your best advice for graduating engineers? Find your passion within the profession. I was lucky enough to know which industry I wanted to work in and this provided me with some direction through the early stages of my career. In addition, seek out a mentor who is willing to guide you during the transition from student to graduate.

Jerome de Vera studied a Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical and Electronic) (Hons) and is a graduate protection engineer at SA Power Networks. Jermone is also the immediate past chair for Young Engineers Australia South Australia Chapter.

Study Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical and Electronic) (Hons); University of South Australia; 2017

ROLE Graduate protection engineer, SA Power Networks

The engineering industry requires more out of graduates than ever before. Young engineers need to quickly adapt to advancements in technology and provide innovative solutions for complex problems.

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Health

Overview The health sector is Australia’s largest employer, providing jobs to about 12.7 per cent of the population. It comprises a large private health industry as well as Medicare, Australia’s universal healthcare system. Together, the system includes a vast network of health providers, hospitals, medical facilities, patients and related service providers. The health sector is expected to grow as it adapts to the needs of Australia’s population, which is growing larger and, on average, older. Consequently, medical professionals are considered to be of great social value; their training is substantially supported by taxpayers and they are seen as contributing various essential skills to their communities. What’s involved? The Australian health sector now includes medical practitioners, nurses, allied and other health professionals, hospitals, clinics and government and non-government agencies. They offer a range of services, including hospital-based treatment, rehabilitation, palliative care, emergency services, primary health care and various speciality services. Some examples of jobs within the health sector include aged care and disability support staff, anaesthetists, complementary health therapists, counsellors, dentists, general practitioners, Indigenous health workers, medical technicians, midwives, psychologists, registered nurses and surgeons.

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Where do health sector employees work? The health sector is widespread, employing people in both rural and regional areas and in every Australian state and territory. Of course, health sector workers don’t only work in hospitals. You’ll also find them working in medical practices, community health services, schools, hospices, prisons, private clinics, dental surgeries and more. Entering the health sector Healthcare employees assume a huge amount of responsibility, so it’s no surprise that the first category of career entry paths in this sector includes those that are stringently regulated. The largest healthcare professions are nursing, medical practice, psychology, pharmacy and physiotherapy – and each of them requires the acquisition of appropriate credentials via an approved degree. For example, if you are in high school and wish to become a doctor, you can consider taking an undergraduate admissions test (UCAT) before applying for accredited degree programs that are usually five years long. This is followed by an internship, a residency period and then an extended period of specialisation. During their careers, doctors, like many other professionals, are required to meet continuing education requirements. Alternatively, you may have completed an undergraduate degree, in which case you can complete a postgraduate admissions test (such as the GMAT in Australia) before

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entering a four-year program. This too is followed by a structured period of training and specialisation. Like doctors, the entry path for nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists, dentists, occupational therapists and midwives is also regulated. Career prospects The health sector is widely predicted to grow at a fast pace over the next half century. The Department of Health predicts that tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of jobs will be created in community services, aged care and other branches of health care due to Australia’s aging population and the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The good news then is that job opportunities in this sector abound and there are a range of supporting initiatives designed to encourage people to enter and graduate from health-related degrees and training programs. Once within the health sector, there are a variety of career paths available to you, from assuming supervisory or teaching positions as a doctor or nurse, to running a busy medical centre. Whatever the role, this is almost certain – your skills will be in high demand. How can I take advantage of my STEM background? This is something of an irrelevant question when it comes to the health sector – most of its skilled or ‘knowledge worker’ jobs will require you to have a STEM background, be it in medicine, science or engineering. If you already have a STEM background but wish to train in a different STEM field – for example, if you graduated from biology but wish to study nursing – you will likely find that many of your existing skills transfer across. Other skilled and unskilled careers in the health sector, from project manager to switchboard operator,

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mightn’t require a STEM background but possessing one can still be advantageous when making job applications. For example, you might emphasise your procedural and analytical thinking skills when applying to work as a practice manager. Average salary Average graduate salaries in the health industry range from $56,000 to about $79,000, depending on one’s speciality area and employer. Choose this if you: ■ Graduated from a health-related academic discipline or are willing to undergo further training to fulfill the requirements of a role in the health industry. ■ Feel passionately about community health or one of the many issues facing the Australian health industry. ■ Are prepared to travel for work. Popular degrees sought by this industry

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Medicine and medical sciences

page 90

Psychology

page 94

Sports science

page 96

Environmental engineering

page 28

Mathematics

page 50

Statistics

page 52

Data science

page 64

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Law

Overview Being a lawyer isn’t about yelling ‘objection!’ and pointing aggressively. It’s a varied field, with specialisations focussed on maintaining principles of fairness. You could be a consumer law specialist helping clients navigate their rights and defend them against violations, or a family lawyer helping couples negotiate marital disputes. Perhaps you’d like to become an expert in property law and help facilitate commercial transactions. Maybe even help banks navigate a complex merger, or help a film studio with copyright claims. You could even work for an NGO helping draft human rights agreements, or resolve personal conflicts as a civil litigator. Whenever there’s a contract to draft, a law to uphold or deal to be brokered, lawyers are usually involved. What’s involved? Common to all legal specialisations is staying on top of relevant legislation. This means researching and interpreting massive amounts of information quickly. For instance, consumer law specialists must be intimately familiar with Australian Consumer Law, and stay up to date with changes. All lawyers must have excellent attention to detail, as their daily work

Allens encourages people from across the firm to work on the development of new technologies and processes.

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often entails using precise language to file or evaluate documents and communicate findings or advice with clients and stakeholders. Where do legal professionals work? Lawyers can be found throughout both the private and public sectors around the world. Banks and large corporations need them to navigate heavily regulated financial transactions, mergers, acquisitions and contracts as much as think tanks, governments and NGOs utilise them to advise on policy. Entering the legal industry Even the sharpest students face stiff competition. In addition to a law degree, it’s important to take on numerous clerkships early, and involve yourself in competitions like moot court sessions or join relevant student societies to stand out. But in doing so, it helps to begin forming an idea of where you’d like to specialise. For example, knowing you’re interested in mergers and acquisitions can inform your decision to take clerkships at firms specialising in this, and therefore make you a more attractive candidate to similar firms on graduation. Career prospects Complementing a STEM degree with one in law can open doors, not only to advancement within a

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Herbert Smith Freehills has an ‘innovation open day’ where STEM students are welcome.

Pairing a law and STEM degree, you could be the one working on that next technology to shake up the sector, or applying your quantitative reasoning to the interdisciplinary legal problems law firms, governments and businesses face in an increasingly technological world. particular legal specialisation or sector, but entirely different disciplines altogether. This is primarily due to the breadth of transferable skills law graduates possess. For instance, strong verbal communication could translate to a career in sales or management. Proficiency with written communication can lead to a career in journalism or public policy. Strong reasoning skills could lead to a career in accounting or finance. The opportunities are numerous for multi-faceted graduates. How can I take advantage of my STEM degree? STEM graduates are sought-after in the sector as a direct result of technology-based legal services. With the advent of alternative law practices, big data analytics and cloud storage, all manner of legal services can be tracked, streamlined and automated. Pairing a law and STEM degree, you could be the one working on that next technology to shake up the sector, or applying your quantitative reasoning to the interdisciplinary legal problems law firms, governments and businesses face in an increasingly technological world. Average salary GradAustralia employer partners pay graduates roughly $72,000 pa on average, with 37% paying more than $75,000 pa. However, the median pay for junior solicitors among all Australian employers is roughly $50,000 pa according to PayScale data.

Choose this if you: ■ Excel at written and verbal communication ■ Are calm under pressure ■ Aren’t afraid to do a lot of reading Popular degrees sought by this industry

Learn more

Cybersecurity

page 62

Actuarial science

page 48

Mathematics

page 50

Statistics

page 52

Data science

page 64

Aerospace engineering

page 20

Chemical engineering

page 22

Civil engineering

page 24

Electrical engineering

page 26

Environmental engineering

page 28

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Day in the life

Raymond Sun

6.30 AM I am playing Quidditch, but just before I catch the golden snitch the jarring noise of my bed alarm wakes me out of my dream. I roll out of bed, wash up and make breakfast. My go-to breakfast is steamed millet with smashed avocado, perfect for fueling my body for a productive day ahead. 8.23 AM I am on the train to work. It usually takes me 30 minutes to get to work so I make use of my commute time by catching up on any exciting tech or legal news updates. 9.00 AM I enter the Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) lift lobby and bump into a fellow solicitor who I work with in the digital law group (DLG). The DLG is the firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exciting new global, multi-disciplinary team of

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lawyers and technical experts who assist clients through the legal and technical challenges of digital transformation. Another mission of the DLG is to drive the creation of smart legal contracts, but more on that later. I love working in the DLG because it allows me to apply my dual passions for law and programming to create value for clients and the legal industry in general. 9.05 AM Now at my desk I run through my emails from other DLG colleagues of our international offices. The emails are diverse, ranging from internal updates from our lead partner, to coding tutorials, to inside memes! But one particular email catches my attention. It is an invitation to a video call with developers of a global technology giant in relation to our joint

Raymond Sun studied a Bachelor of Laws and is a paralegal at Herbert Smith Freehills.

nationwide project on smart legal contracts. Smart legal contracts are self-executing digital contracts that combine natural language and computer code to automate business transactions. As one of the coders in the DLG, I have been working closely with industry developers to build these smart legal contracts, which will be a game-changer in the future of Australian business.

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9.45 AM I fire up Visual Studio Code on my laptop and join the video call with the developers. They are interested to see my progress on a particular algorithm for the smart legal contract, so I share my screen and walk through my code line by line. I receive some feedback and we wrap up the call with a plan for next steps, including an in-person meeting this afternoon.

1.00 PM I have my weekly phone catch up with my DLG supervisor based in Perth. One of the perks of working at a global law firm is the opportunity to work with colleagues from all over the world and be exposed to different corporate cultures. This also means travel opportunities and in fact, last year I flew to Perth for the DLG’s induction training.

then change into active wear for tonight’s dance practice.

10.15 AM With the video call still fresh in mind, I immediately start implementing the developers’ feedback to my code. After an hour of debugging I finally update the algorithm. It runs well, although there are still some minor errors to polish. I’ll work on them later.

My supervisor invites me to do some quick and interesting legal technology research, which I eagerly accept. It’s time to turn on my legal cap so I press Alt + Tab to switch from Visual Studio Code to Office Word.

8.00 PM I return home, shower and have dinner. I play some online chess and watch David Attenborough’s nature documentaries on YouTube. Did you know beavers share their burrow with other river animals in exchange for food (e.g. rent)?

12.00 PM It’s lunch time! And because it’s Wednesday there’s a staff lunch at the firm’s dining area on level 33! After serving myself a full plate of pasta and salads, I join a table with colleagues who I clerked with last year. The clerkship program at HSF has been one of the most memorable highlights of my early career and it was through this program I grew to love the firm’s amazing culture and people.

2.00 PM After smashing out the one-page research memo, I pack up and head out to catch the light rail to the office of the technology giant. At their office, I team up with the developers to code side by side and achieve progress on our smart legal contracts project. 5.30 PM I return to the HSF office and respond to some quick emails. To keep myself organised, I make a file note of today’s progress and upload my work on the firm’s secure cloud storage. I

6.00 PM I meet up with my crew at the nearby dance studio and we continuously drill intense choreography for our upcoming stage performance. After sitting at a desk all day it is always good to exercise and refresh the brain.

10.00 PM It’s nearly bedtime! I pack my bag and grab my phone to set the alarm to 6.30 am, but then procrastinate and end up scrolling through memes and dance videos on Instagram. 10.30 PM Tonight’s meme feed has been solid, however the combination of full screen brightness and incessant scrolling has depleted my phone battery to three per cent. My phone needs to recharge and so should I.

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Management Consulting

Overview Management consultants are the business world’s professional problem solvers. Management consultants come from a broad range of disciplines, including science, maths, the humanities, law and engineering. They are united by the common drive to solve complex problems, which is exactly what they do for their clients – a mixed bag of local businesses, government organisations, law firms and large multinational companies.

As a management consultant, you are likely to find yourself on the road, or even in the air, quite frequently, travelling to meet and work alongside stakeholders at your client companies. For some management consultants, this is an exciting part of the job – you get to see new places and network widely, while embracing the life of a ‘nomadic worker’. However, the constant travel can be taxing too and is worth taking into account if you’d prefer to be employed at a fixed location.

What does a consultant do? Drawing on expertise from a range of disciplines, management consultants, either individually or in teams, work alongside other organisations to address their most pressing challenges, from maximising the profitability of a new product launch to navigating a complex merger.

Entering the consulting industry Jobs in top-tier management consulting firms are extremely competitive, and the process whereby successful graduates secure a role is rigorous. For example, McKinsey requires applicants to complete several rounds of interviews, as well as a qualitative reasoning test and a face-to-face case study in which they are expected to work through business problems aloud. Of course, there are many satisfying careers to be found at smaller boutique and medium-sized management consulting firms as well – these too are likely to attract accomplished graduates.

Generally, these tasks see management consultants adopt one of two roles: an advisory role (such as developing a business strategy, improving HR processes or analysing the market) or an implementation role (such as executing a business strategy, introducing a technological solution or overseeing the adoption of new internal processes). There are four main categories of consulting. Management and strategy consultants help businesses improve their structure, management, efficiency and profits. Financial consultants focus on issues related to budgeting, project valuation, risk management and insurance. Information technology consultants provide advice on IT systems and practices, also helping staff understand and use new technologies. Finally, human resources consultants aim to improve organisational efficiency and performance by solving problems related to staffing, benefits programs, recruitment, training and a range of other HR activities. Where do management consultants work? Management consultants can work at a management consulting firm, practice independently (on a freelance or contractual basis), or work in-house. Some of the better known management consulting firms in Australia include BCG, Bain & Co. and McKinsey. www.gradaustralia.com.au

It’s a good idea to research the industry and decide which branch of the consulting sector you find most appealing. Some approaches to consider include using company websites, social media, professional associations, networking events and university services. Alternatively, if you’re lucky enough to have a contact in consulting, you can ask them for advice on how to approach a similar career. You might find it helpful to send them a list of questions related to topics such as what a typical day of work looks like, what they like (or dislike) about their job and what type of advice they can offer on applying for jobs in the consulting industry. Career prospects Management consultants are in high demand when other industries are flourishing and seek advice on, say, how to maintain their growth or acquire new assets. However, management consulting can also be countercyclical – when times get tough, companies under pressure often look to management consultants for help making tough decisions intended to make the business more efficient or competitive.

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Capgemini believes diversity sparks innovation and allows it to better service a global marketplace.

Most consulting firms are hierarchical organisations that offer numerous opportunities for upwards advancement. Consequently, the management consulting industry is relatively stable, with the growth of industries such as construction, healthcare, retail, leisure, hospitality and education likely to translate into new job opportunities for management consultants. Most management consulting firms are hierarchical organisations that offer numerous opportunities for upwards advancement. The long-term goal is usually to secure partnership – a position that combines a large amount of responsibility with significant remuneration. How can I take advantage of my STEM background? The diversity of responsibilities facing the modern consultant make this an appealing career choice for STEM graduates, who have been trained to think through the minutiae of various problems before generating appropriate solutions. Indeed, many of the larger management consulting firms – such as BCG, Bain & Co. and McKinsey – seek out STEM graduates specifically because they are possessed of problem-solving skills and have an ability to apply known ideas in novel contexts. Average salary In Australia, graduate management consultants earn an average of $61,000 per annum while working approximately 47 hours a week. Choose this if you: ■ Enjoy complex problem solving, especially when it requires you to quickly master new information.

■ Feel excited by the prospect of working in a multidisciplinary team alongside colleagues with various academic and professional backgrounds. ■ Are happy to travel frequently and often far for your work. ■ Can communicate effectively and build strong professional relationships. ■ Like to consider a problem with a unique perspective and trigger an idea that is practical but provocative. Popular degrees sought by this industry

Learn more

Computer systems and networks

page 60

Civil engineering

page 24

Electrical engineering

page 26

Mechanical engineering

page 36

Environmental engineering

page 28

Environmental science

page 82

Chemical engineering

page 22

Earth science

page 80

Software engineering

page 68

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

On the job

Tully O’Leary

What is your job title? I am an associate consultant. What drew you towards consulting? Consulting was a career path that interested me as it provides industry experience in a variety of projects and fields. How have your studies helped you in this position? Having studied information systems and innovation at university, I have been able to adapt to the insights and data capability to learn the tools for data visualisations and analytics. What are you passionate about? Learning new skills that will help me develop personally and from a career perspective. I want to learn exciting technologies and their applications in the real world. What does a typical day look like? Currently I am on the bench, so my days consist of self-directed learning. I am currently working on getting certifications in Qlik Sense and Automation Anywhere, while also training in languages SQL and Python, and even tools such as Jira. How would you describe the culture at Capgemini? Open and very down to earth. All of the staff including senior leadership are approachable, which has created a very welcoming environment. Capgemini is also very flexible as far as a work/life balance goes. What makes you feel empowered at work? Being asked for my opinion on how to approach a task, and then www.gradaustralia.com.au

having my advice used in the organisation to help the company improve and grow. How does Capgemini help support your sense of purpose in your career? Capgemini has given me the opportunity and framework with which I can build my career trajectory and this has helped with a sense of control and purpose. Capgemini has given me the support required to develop my skill set and effectively start my career. The entire graduate program has been designed to help me grow and develop. What three words would you use to describe Capgemini? Accepting, supportive and friendly. What advice would you give to students as they prepare for job applications and interviews? Apply to a lot of positions, don’t be discouraged by the process and learn how to sell yourself in the right lingo.

Tully O’Leary studied a Bachelor of Information Technology (Information Systems, Project Management)/Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation, and is an associate consultant at Capgemini.

Study Bachelor of Information Technology (Information Systems, Project Management)/Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation, University of Technology Sydney, 2018

ROLE Associate consultant, Capgemini

Capgemini has given me the opportunity and framework with which I can build my career trajectory and this has helped with a sense of control and purpose.

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On the job

Rhys Kilian

What’s your name and job title? Rhys Kilian, analytics analyst. What does your employer do? Management consultancy with offices across the globe working in all industries. What are your areas of responsibility? I work in the advanced analytics team. My responsibilities include working closely with the client to understand the intricacies of the problem, then applying analytics techniques such as statistical modelling and machine learning to develop a proof-of-concept solution. Can you describe a typical work day? The first thing on most days is to have a stand-up meeting with the Kearney team and client to plan the day ahead. Once I have a plan, my day will include working with various analytics tools and software to develop my statistical or machine learning model. The great thing about working in the analytics team is that I often leave my model behind, which is implemented by the business. More often than not, I also have regular check-ins with the client during the development phase to ensure they understand how to use the model. Currently, I am working on an inventory management project with a large Australian company. I am working to improve their supply chain practices by applying analytics techniques on their customer demand forecasts and inventory optimisation. Where could you or others in your position go from here? One thing the world is not running out of, is data. There is great

demand from clients within all industries to better understand the data they are creating. I could pursue a technical mastery path within Kearney to become a true expert in the analytics field, or continue to improve my consulting skills to move into management on technical projects. What do you love about your job? I love learning every day. There is only so much you can learn through a university degree. What is exciting about my job is that I can take cutting-edge research and apply it to real business problems. One of the great things about working at Kearney is that I can continue to improve my technical skills but directly see the impact of my work on clients. I will be here for many years to come, as there are plenty of problems still unsolved. What’s the biggest challenge of your job? As consultants, we often work on tight deadlines. There are often hundreds of sub-problems to be solved and it takes quite a bit of planning to ensure that I prioritise the tasks that will have the highest impact. However, I always feel supported by my team and they always help me to be successful. Which three pieces of advice would you give to a current university student? ■ Focus on learning – if you’re not learning, find a way you can. ■ Exercise and eat healthy – it’s easy to fall into bad habits when you start working. ■ Try and meet new people – you never know where opportunities will come from.

Rhys Kilian studied a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Hons)/Bachelor of Commerce (Business Analytics) and is an analytics analyst at Kearney.

Study Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Hons)/ Bachelor of Commerce (Business Analytics), University of Sydney, 2018

ROLE Analytics analyst, Kearney

One of the great things about working at Kearney is that I can continue to improve my technical skills but directly see the impact of my work on clients.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

On the job

Vincent Chan

How did you get to your current position? Engineering students need to complete a mandatory period of work experience prior to graduation. I completed mine in Brisbane where I was a process engineer at a wastewater treatment plant. I also interned at an intellectual property law firm, working on medical device patents. In my final year I travelled to Nepal with Engineers Without Borders to learn about humancentred design in humanitarian engineering. After graduating, I moved to Sydney to take a job at a cleantech start-up, designing and manufacturing next generation semiconductor materials. After two years in a highly specialised and technical role, I decided it was time to broaden my experience. I came across consulting briefly while I was at university and felt now was the time to try it. I applied for a consulting role at Nous and have worked here for six months. What does your employer do? Nous is a management consulting firm that partners with governments and organisations across sectors to improve their performance and solve their challenges. As a consultant, my focus is on delivering project work for our clients. This includes everything from conducting research, data analysis, stakeholder consultation and engagement, workshop facilitation, project management and anything else the client requires. The last thing I worked on was conducting geo-spatial analysis on a portfolio of retail stores to inform the implementation of a new logistics model. www.gradaustralia.com.au

What are the career prospects? Consultants at Nous are encouraged to develop their professional skills both on the job and through training. Twice a year our performance is reviewed and promotions to senior consultant and beyond are considered at this time. Consultants also build a wide network both within Nous and externally with clients, which can provide career opportunities in the future.

Vincent Chan studied a Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical Engineering)/ Bachelor of Science (Physics) and is a consultant at Nous.

What do you love about your job? The people and the culture at Nous are the highlights for me. It’s a place where you can do great work with people who want to make a difference. Nous has a growing data analytics capability and I enjoy using these tools to uncover insights for clients.

Study

Do you bear a lot of responsibility? Do you have to work on weekends? Nous’ self-management culture means you have a lot of responsibility to yourself and your project teams. The work is fast-paced and the cyclical nature of consulting means there can be periods that require late nights or weekend work. However, these are balanced by quieter times. We are empowered to manage our workloads flexibly.

ROLE

What advice would you give to a student? ■ It takes a bit of effort to keep in touch with your uni friends who move away for jobs and life, but it’s worth it. ■ Identify early what you value in a workplace. For example, money, your colleagues, interesting work, work-life balance. These are all valid and everyone has a different set of motivations. Find yours and stay true to them.

Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical Engineering)/ Bachelor of Science (Physics), University of Queensland, 2016

Consultant, Nous

It’s a place where you can do great work with people who want to make a difference.

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On the job

Malina Koo

Can you tell us about Oliver Wyman? Oliver Wyman works with large, prominent companies and organisations around the world to solve difficult problems that lack a clear answer. We create lasting impact by assigning teams of experts to understand and breakdown problems, then collaborate with our clients to develop solutions that change what’s possible for them, their industries and society. While the financial services industry makes up a large chunk of our client portfolio, we also work across the telecommunications, energy, retail and health life science industries. In addition, we dedicate a proportion of our time to social impact projects, in which we support organisations committed to improving communities and lives across the globe. What is the interview process like? Both graduate and experienced hires can expect five interviews, made up of CV, case and presentation interviews. As I joined the Oliver Wyman digital practice of the firm, I also completed a technical interview that included coding questions. What does your role involve? As an engagement manager for the data, technology and analytics practice, I would typically be the most senior person on the ground for a technology-based project. I am the person who clients reach out to if they have any concerns and am responsible for making sure the project team has what they need to deliver results.

What was the last thing you worked on? I recently worked on a project where the client wanted to launch a digital bank. Within a matter of weeks, we had to determine the functional requirements for the project, the level of effort it would take to implement each requirement, the sequence the implementation should take, the headcount and skill sets required, and the high-level costings for a 24-month project. What are the challenges of your work? Do you work on weekends? There is always a lot to do, so I need to be very savvy on how to manage my time. It helps a lot to understand where efforts spent produce the highest returns. Oliver Wyman is committed to having a sustainable work-life quality for their consultants and we are very much against working on weekends. Having said that, it’s natural for stress levels to rise during crunch periods and we try to minimise this by respecting each other’s working styles and preferences, and pitching in to get the job done. What are the career prospects? If consultants stay at the firm and have the desire to work their way through, it’s more of a matter of when, not if, they become a partner. However, not everyone wants to be a career consultant. For some, it is a great way to get exposure to multiple industries and work out what they want to specialise in. If consultants do leave the firm, their acquired skill sets are very favourably looked upon and they tend to end up in more senior positions than their counterparts who went directly into the industry.

Malina Koo studied a Bachelor of Engineering (Software) (Hons) and is an engagement manager at Oliver Wyman.

Study Bachelor of Engineering (Software) (Hons), University of New South Wales, 2004

ROLE Engagement manager, Oliver Wyman

We create lasting impact by assigning teams of experts to understand and breakdown problems, then collaborate with our clients to develop solutions…

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Manufacturing

Overview Australia has a long industry of involvement in the manufacturing industry, which, at its peak in the 1960s, contributed about a quarter of Australia’s gross domestic product. Over recent years, much of the attention has been on high-profile closures, with domestic automobile manufacturing facilities set to disappear by the end of this decade. However, it’s not all bad news: the CSIRO has argued that the manufacturing industry is in a state of transformation, not decline. Some of the new major manufacturing areas include advanced materials, sensors and smart robotics. Australian manufacturers also produce textiles, metal products, chemicals and printed media. What’s involved? The shared objective of most manufacturing organisations is the conversion of a raw material into a new product that can be sold on to retailers, other organisations or consumers. Manufacturing businesses cover every step in the process, working closely with transport and logistics companies to ensure an efficient supply chain. For example, businesses in the textile manufacturing space are responsible for sourcing the raw materials (such as cotton and polyester used to create apparel and textile products; processing it to create fibers and threads; weaving and knitting them to create fabrics; and using them to produce apparel, as well as non-apparel products such as carpets, towels, sheets and curtains. Similarly, chemical manufacturing companies turn raw chemicals into paints, synthetic materials (like plastics and polystyrene), cleaning preparations, agricultural chemicals and a range of other products. Given the complexity of manufacturing, many large organisations in this space rely heavily on professionals who have specific technical skills, such as chemists and engineers. They often find themselves in roles related to machine maintenance, product inspection and quality assurance, materials analysis, research and development, equipment operation and a range of other technical, administrative, managerial and support areas. www.gradaustralia.com.au

Where do manufacturing professionals work? Manufacturing jobs are located primarily in factories, with research and development professionals more likely to work in quiet laboratories and professionals involved in product creation or assembly more likely to work in production environments. Most Australian manufacturing organisations are found in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. There you’ll find industry leaders such as DuluxGroup (paints and pigments), BHP (smelted metals) and Rosella (foodstuffs). Entering the manufacturing industry There are several companies in the Australian manufacturing sector that offer graduate entry programs. These include Prysmian Group (cable manufacturing), Cochlear (speciality medical equipment), Orica (mining materials) and Nestle (food and beverages). More often, roles in the manufacturing industry are filled via direct application, with engineers, programmers and people with CAD drawing skills in particularly high demand. Career prospects As mentioned, the overall prospects of the Australian manufacturing industry has been a controversial topic over the past ten years or so. However, recent research has revealed encouraging signs of growth, with 4.1 per cent growth since 2013 and projected growth expected to continue until 2023 at a rate of 0.9 per cent. Areas with higher full-time employment rates include food product manufacturing and machinery and equipment manufacturing. Your own career in the manufacturing sector could see you pursue supervisory engineering or technical roles; senior managerial, business and financial occupations; or team leader positions in research and development or product testing. How can I take advantage of my STEM background? An engineering degree is indispensable if you wish to pursue competitive technical graduate roles in this sector. Having said that, the value of your STEM degree will shift based on the field of manufacturing in which your prospective employer is involved. For example, a background in chemistry might be very appealing to a paint manufacturer but considered

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Cochlear develops a range of products including cochlear implants, bone conduction implants and acoustic implants, which address different types of hearing loss.

An engineering degree is indispensable if you wish to pursue competitive technical graduate roles in this sector.

non-essential in a textiles-focused organisation. Similarly, acquisition of a degree in metallurgy or materials engineering is a surefire way to apply competitively for graduate metal or machinery manufacturing jobs. However, it may be of limited use in food manufacturing. If there is but a tenuous link between your STEM degree and your target job, you may benefit from drawing attention to any desirable generic skills you’ve developed. These could include attributes related to communication, problem solving, patience, teamwork and critical thinking skills. Average salary Salaries in the manufacturing sector change based on the branch of manufacturing (for example, pharmaceuticals or plastics), your position and employer. As a general guide, graduates can expect to earn a salary of between $50,000 and $70,000 during their first few years of employment. Choose this if you: ■ Have studied metallurgy, process engineering, mechanical engineering or another topic related to manufacturing. ■ Are open to working in a factory setting (though this may be only occasionally required). ■ Your STEM skills correspond to the position at hand.

Popular degrees sought by this industry

Learn more

Chemical engineering

page 22

Mechanical engineering

page 36

Electrical engineering

page 26

Manufacturing engineering

page 30

Civil engineering

page 24

Robotics and mechatronics engineering

page 44

Chemistry

page 78

Mathematics

page 50

Statistics

page 52

Data science

page 64

Environmental engineering

page 28

Biochemistry

page 74

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

On the job

Shahana Moon

What does your employer do? Cochlear provides hearing solutions to those with hearing impairments. Primarily, we provide implantable solutions for people who are profoundly deaf, through the cochlear implant. We implant an electrical solution to overcome the physical limitations for individuals with profound deafness. It overcomes the biological incapacity with an electrical solution and gives people their sense of hearing back. We also provide acoustic solutions for individuals who experience profound deafness due to a mechanical defect in their hearing system. Cochlear’s vision is emotive, powerful and motivational, which aligned with what I was seeking. Can you describe a typical day? A typical day as a graduate engineer can vary depending on what you’re working on. I have worked as part of both the implant, and sound processors and connectivity mechanical teams, as well as in production engineering, marketing, professional education and engagement, and business development (venture capital). Typical days in mechanical teams are very hands on. Usually I’d be working on CAD design or making things in the lab (and occasionally breaking things as well!). In production engineering, it’s all about getting ahead of potential problems and fixing the problems that come up day to day. Typical days in the marketing and professional education and engagement teams center on how we can get Cochlear’s amazing and life-changing products to more people! Whilst working in the business development team, www.gradaustralia.com.au

I experienced the forefront of new technologies, and my work centered around evaluating the feasibility of these new ideas and technologies from a commercial perspective. Currently, I’m working as a systems engineer. Here, I get to be the champion for our customers and be their voice in product design. Part of my role is to make sure our customers’ experience is seamless. The last thing I worked on was making sure a recent change in one product would not adversely affect the user’s experience across all of our other products, which is important given how interconnected are products are. What are the career prospects with your job? The great thing about Cochlear is you can jump into various specialisations without having specific formal qualifications in those disciplines. If you can demonstrate the technical and behavioral capabilities of a role, then you might have a good shot at securing it. What do you love about your job? The great thing about systems engineering is that I am challenged to seek out expertise. I also enjoy the challenge of bringing a crossfunctional team together to deliver customer centric solutions. I am much closer with the customer than I ever have been in my career and I love championing the customer experience! What’s the biggest limitation? At times it can ask a lot of you and sometimes it can be draining, as any job can be, but what pulls me back every time is the customer. It’s such a motivational goal to help people hear again and hear better.

Shahana Moon studied a Bachelor of Engineering (Material Engineering) and Master of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering. Shahana is a systems engineer at Cochlear.

Study Bachelor of Engineering (Material), Master of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering, University of New South Wales, 2018

ROLE Systems engineer, CLTD – R&D System Engineering, Cochlear

It’s such a motivational goal to help people hear again and hear better.

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On the job

Adela Annamalay

What’s your full name? Adela Annamalay. What’s your job title? Product development engineer. What did you study? When did you graduate? Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical)/ Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting), Curtin University, 2017. Where did you grow up? Important stages of your life? I was born in Singapore and lived there until I was five years old when my family migrated to Perth. I then grew up in Perth and went on to study at Curtin University. In the third year of my course, I did a summer exchange program on sustainable development in Madrid, Spain. How did you get to your current job position? I joined Prysmian Group at the beginning of 2017 on the graduate program. It allowed me to spend my first year in Prysmian Australia doing rotations in R&D, operations and commercial. Following this first year I chose to pursue a role in R&D and took on an international assignment in France for two years. What was your interview process like? After having done several online assessments, I was invited to a group interview. During this process we participated in a business case simulation. I was then invited to an individual interview to get to know my experience and career goals with STAR (situation, task, action, and result) style questions. What are your areas of responsibility? I work within the R&D department in South Europe, based in France, as a project leader and product

development engineer. This requires me to manage and execute projects for specialty industrial cables. Can you describe a typical work day? My typical day could involve being in the factory to produce prototypes or in the laboratory performing tests. I could then be attending meetings with clients, raw material suppliers or other internal departments. The remainder of my time involves being in my office researching new developments, reviewing international standards and doing various other project management tasks.

Adela Annamalay studied a Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical)/Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) and is a product development engineer at Prysmian Group.

Study

What are the career prospects with your job? I feel this role has opened many doors for me, having gained technical as well as commercial experience. I could move into a production role, a sales type role or management within R&D.

Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical)/ Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting), Curtin University, 2017

What do you love the most about your job? I love the variety of my role. I enjoy both the technical aspects (of working within a factory) as well as the management aspects (with suppliers, clients and project management).

Product Development Engineer, Prysmian Group

ROLE

What’s the biggest limitation of your job? It can be stressful at times working to meet client deadlines and achieving qualifications of new products. Which three pieces of advice would you give to a current university student? ■ Allow yourself to have as many diverse and challenging experiences as you can. ■ Have empathy. Everyone is different! ■ Have patience and see the positives in everything.

I feel this role has opened many doors for me, having gained technical as well as commercial experience.

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Maritime

Overview As its name suggests, the maritime industry involves shipbuilding and boatbuilding, as well as maintenance, repairs, upgrades and refits for private, commercial and government clients. This industry employs 31,000 people nationally and contributes $9 billion to the Australian economy, generating $575 million in exports each year. There is some overlap between the maritime industry and the marina industry, which employs more than 23,000 people who oversee the berthing, mooring and storage of boats. With 95 per cent of Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s imports arriving by sea, the maritime industry is of significant economic importance.

These are complex operations that involve many sub-specialities and discrete processes, including drydock operation, hull cleaning, shipwrecking, submarine construction and the manufacturing of canoes, dinghies, jet boats, yachts and powerboats. To achieve its goals, the maritime industry brings together engineers, electricians, motor mechanics, project administrators, draftspeople, technicians and many other types of professionals.

While many maritime industry workers are involved in large-scale public projects (especially for the military), approximately one third work on civil projects. The industry includes relevant engineering, design and consulting services, as well as people who work with radio and radar equipment, pumps and pumping machinery, hoists, scaffolding and within research and development.

Where do people in this sector work? There are approximately 2,000 businesses in the Australian maritime manufacturing sector and 32 per cent of them are found in Queensland, with 28 per cent in NSW and 18 per cent in Victoria. Major sites of shipbuilding and boatbuilding activity include the Greater Perth, Greater Queensland, Gold Coast, Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne regions. The day-to-day environment of a maritime manufacturing worker depends on their specific role and ranges from office work for designers and engineers, to dock work for painters and technicians.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s involved? The primary activity of those in the maritime manufacturing sector is shipbuilding and boatbuilding and associated repair services.

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Other activities in the maritime industry include the operation of cruise lines and recreational vessels, domestic sea freighting and the provision of support to Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s offshore oil and gas industries.

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With 95 per cent of Australia’s imports arriving by sea, the maritime industry is of significant economic importance.

While the defence force is a major employer in this industry, there are also several significant private employers, such as Arctic Steel, Austal, Incat, Rivergate and Steber International. Entering the maritime manufacturing sector There are a limited number of dedicated academic pathways for students who wish to work in the maritime industry. One can complete a maritime qualification at TAFE, or undergo training at the Australian Maritime College, Australian Maritime & Fisheries Academy or other private education provider.

such specialist technical roles, you will likely find that your STEM background is beneficial insofar as it demonstrates that you possess a strong attention to detail and the ability to engage patiently with complex problems. Popular degrees sought by this industry

Learn more

Mechanical engineering

page 36

Marine engineering

page 32

Alternatively, many roles in this sector are filled via direct application by graduates who possess relevant skills. These include mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, technicians, project managers and administrators. For most of these roles on-the-job training is provided.

Environmental science

page 82

Earth science

page 80

Civil engineering

page 24

Career prospects The Australian maritime industry faces uncertainty in some of its major operations. For example, domestic shipping companies face fierce competition from foreign operators and the location of major defence shipbuilding activities remains an object of controversy. However, Maritime Industry Australia – a commercial member’s body that represents the interests of maritime workers – believes that legislative changes can protect the industry and increase its GDP contribution by around 50 per cent.

Environmental engineering

page 28

Electrical engineering

page 26

Software engineering

page 68

Mining engineering

page 38

Petroleum engineering

page 40

Mathematics

page 50

Agriculture

page 72

How can I take advantage of my STEM background? Engineers are highly valued in the maritime industry and large ships – including cruise liners and freighters – will often have one on board. Outside of

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Mining, oil and gas

Overview Since the gold rushes of the 1850s, which attracted droves of hopeful prospectors from across the world, mining has played a central role in the development of Australia’s economy while also motivating many early explorers to map inland regions of the country. Recent booms in the production of iron ore, nickel and coal cemented Australia’s place as a major supplier of essential commodities to the global economy. Australia is the world’s largest exporter of coal and a significant producer of tin, aluminum, copper, gold, iron, diamond, opal and zinc. Its mining sector directly employs over 200,000 people, whose roles range from prospecting and maintenance supervision to driving and physical labour. What’s involved? Jobs in the mining industry fit roughly within four categories. The first includes people in professional occupations. Often, they are responsible for the work that begins long before any minerals are actually extracted from the earth. For example, geologists or petroleum technicians might analyse seismic data and core samples to identify areas of potential commercial interest. Engineers then work to figure out how best to extract the mineral, addressing issues such as mine design and the infrastructure required to transport minerals to processing plants or distribution centres. The second category involves roles associated with the extraction and transportation of minerals. This includes machine operators, engineers, drivers and labourers. Many employees within this category work with specialised equipment, such as the large rock-dust machines used to spray mine surfaces to hold down dust. The third category involves people in roles related to the construction and maintenance of both the mines themselves and all related machinery. Mines rely on engineers, mechanics, builders and other trade professionals to keep equipment running, even when it’s expected to function under conditions of extreme stress (such as high temperatures or large loads). www.gradaustralia.com.au

Finally, the fourth category involves professionals in administrative and business-related roles. For example, many larger mining companies retain significant in-house legal and financial teams. Where do people in this sector work? Due to the breadth of the mining sector, it employs people across Australia in both metropolitan and regional areas. Some of the more prominent mining organisations include Alcoa, BHP, Bluescope Steel, Hancock Prospecting, Newcrest and Rio Tinto. The regional centres of Australian mining are Kalgoorlie, the Hunter Valley and the Bowen Basin. Australia’s largest active mines are overwhelmingly concentrated in South Australia and Western Australia, which produce iron ore, coal and gold. There are also significant mining centres in the Hunter Valley (New South Wales) and the Bowen Basin (Queensland). While many mining sector personnel are based in remote towns, others have a ‘fly in, fly out’ lifestyle that allows them to spend weekends and off-time in the more densely populated areas of Australia’s cities and towns. However, you won’t only find the mining sector’s employees in the field. This industry provides jobs to some 600,000 people in support industries, including those who provide mining software and manage supply chains. Many of these employees are situated in major cities. Entering the mining sector As a STEM graduate, you will find that many of the careers best suited to your skills begin with entry to a graduate program. For example, larger engineering firms usually start their graduate recruitment process in March. They aim to attract, identify and hire standout employees by offering a range of structured programs. Due to the nature of the mining industry, many of these programs involve one or more rotations to regional areas of Australia. Career prospects After a sharp slowdown in the mining sector, industry analysts are once more optimistic. This is due to renewed demand for traditional commodities, such as copper, lithium, nickel and gold, as well as an emerging market for certain rare earth metals. These

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

metals, which include neodymium and vanadium, are present in large quantities in Australia and have many uses in electronics. As a result, the outlook for the mining industry at large seems bright, and this bodes well for the people who work within it. In Western Australia, the industry is predicted to increase by 4000 jobs between 2018–2023, with many of these positions going to engineers, technicians and other STEM professionals. How can I take advantage of my STEM background? Many mining roles require a STEM degree. Jobs in this category including mining engineer, electrical engineer, chemical and materials engineer, geologist, geophysicist and hydrogeologist. However, the sector is also replete with roles for which a STEM background isn’t necessarily mandatory. If you are applying for such a job – for example, as a project manager, equipment operator or production manager – you will find it beneficial to take stock of your transferable skills and emphasise whichever ones are most relevant to the position for which you are applying. If you studied biology and conducted studies that required a strong attention to detail, you would do well to mention this when applying for a role (such as safety inspector) that demands vigilance and the ability to detect small changes in real-time.

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Average salary The average entry-level package can range from $60,000 for truck drivers and machine operators, through to $86,000 for petroleum engineers. Choose this if you: ■ Are open to working in regional areas of Australia and possibly abroad. ■ Feel comfortable working around large machinery. ■ Have a background in geology, engineering or maths. Popular degrees sought by this industry

Learn more

Mechanical engineering

page 36

Electrical engineering

page 26

Civil engineering

page 24

Mining engineering

page 38

Environmental engineering

page 28

Chemical engineering

page 22

Computer systems and networks

page 60

Robotics and mechatronics engineering

page 44

Recent booms in the production of iron ore, nickel and coal cemented Australia’s place as a major supplier of essential commodities to the global economy.

Newmont encourages all staff to discuss their career goals with their manager and develop an action plan to achieve those goals.

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On the job

Dannielle MacKenzie

What’s your job title? Graduate chemical engineer, Alcoa’s Kwinana Alumina Refinery. Why did you choose Alcoa? Alcoa aligned with my values and provided a structured graduate program with plenty of opportunities for professional development. The role of chemical engineer in the refinery meant that I would be hands on, in the field, with direct access to a multitude of people and specialties. In other words, it ticked all the boxes. I have been with Alcoa for a year and two months. What are your areas of responsibility? I am responsible for a specialty product at Kwinana referred to as bright hydrate. Bright hydrate is a brighter, more refined hydrated alumina that contains less impurities. My role is to optimise the process to get the most out of it. I look at daily metrics to ensure we are hitting our process conditions – temperature, liquor concentrations, solids loading – and I look forward to ways of improving or adding to the circuit to maximise production. I am part of a greater team of technical, operations and maintenance personnel and the collaborations between this team are paramount for success. One of our latest improvement projects saw us install an additional pump to an area to allow adequate duty/standby configurations to cover us during planned maintenance and unplanned breakdowns. www.gradaustralia.com.au

What are the career prospects with your job? There are a number of different avenues that can be taken as a chemical engineer on the refinery. There is the option to stay technical and advance your career to a higher level in the engineering space, whether that be day to day area chemical engineering or moving into project work. Alternatively, it is common for some of the engineers to venture into more of a production line management role, where responsibilities shift from the technical to more people and operations management. On the refinery it is apparent how many different roles and opportunities there are. Career progression might not be strictly linear but there is definitely room for growth. What do you love the most about your job? The dynamic aspect of my job is super fun, sometimes exhausting but ever challenging. You are thrown so many different problems and changing conditions that you constantly have to be on your toes and ready to respond. There is never a dull moment and I am always learning new things. What advice would you give to a current university student? Networking may be scary but it’ll help you in ways you’d never expect. Attending events, talking to industry representatives or even just asking someone a question on LinkedIn can all help you to develop your career. You don’t have to treat the conversation like an interview; get to know the person, find out if they have any tips or a contact that might be able to help you. Keep in mind that they’ve been in your shoes too.

Dannielle MacKenzie studied a Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical) (Hons)/Bachelor of Science (Extractive Metallurgy) and is a graduate chemical engineer at Alcoa’s Kwinana Alumina Refinery.

Study Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical) (Hons)/ Bachelor of Science (Extractive Metallurgy), Curtin University, 2018

ROLE Graduate chemical engineer, Alcoa’s Kwinana Alumina Refinery

I am part of a greater team of technical, operations and maintenance personnel and the collaborations between this team are paramount for success.

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On the job

Alex Sunderman

What’s your full name? Alexandra Kate Sunderman. What’s your job title? Graduate mining engineer. What did you study? Bachelor of Engineering Science and a Master of Professional Engineering (Mining), both at the University of Western Australia. Where did you grow up? Important stages of your life (school, education, experience abroad, jobs etc.) I was born and raised in Perth. Before graduating I was able to complete three summers of vacation work. I was given the opportunity, through AusIMM, to travel around Australia, the USA and England to participate in the Mining Games. This gave me amazing opportunities to network. I was also given the opportunity to attend a summer school in China, where we learnt about some of their mining practices and culture. What was your interview process like? My first vacation work interview was at the company’s head office. I ended up only talking about one of the responses I had prepared! My second interview for vacation work went a lot differently. It was a phone interview with my superintendent. When the phone call came, I was asked if I was prepared to go onto the blast crew. Slightly shocked at how quick the interview was, I later found out that my superintendent had reached out to my previous vacation work site to see what I was like! What does your employer do? AngloGold Ashanti is a global gold mining company. We are the third largest producer of gold in the world by production.

Can you describe a typical work day? What was the last thing you worked on? My day starts off with meetings about our performance for the last 24 hours and plans for the next 24. After this meeting I will start designing any drill plans required and issue any charge plans for the day. In the afternoon we generally head underground to inspect our drill and blast areas. What do you love the most about your job? Which kind of task do you enjoy the most? The best thing about my job is being able to see the designs I create come to life… and then get blown up! What’s the biggest limitation of your job? I would say the biggest limitation, yet also perk, to my job is the roster and working hours. However, when you get back home you get a week to travel, undertake projects and spend quality time with your family and friends. Which three pieces of advice would you give to a current university student? ■ Networking isn’t always about talking to company representatives; it is also about networking with your peers who might one day be your co-workers. ■ Treat every job as if it’s your interview for the next one. ■ Find a hobby, sport or area of interest that you are passionate about.

Alex Sunderman studied a Bachelor of Engineering Science and Master of Professional Engineering (Mining). Alex is a graduate mining engineer at AngloGold Ashanti.

Study Bachelor of Engineering Science, University of Western Australia, 2016; Master of Professional Engineering (Mining), University of Western Australia, 2018

ROLE Graduate mining engineer, AngloGold Ashanti

The best thing about my job is being able to see the designs I create come to life… and then get blown up!

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On the job

Larissa Cortez Bran

Can you tell us about your background? I was born in El Salvador, Central America. I came to Australia with my family post-Civil War to try for a better life. Life after the move was challenging, as we were in a new environment, new culture and had to learn a new language. Education had always been important to my family and was always encouraged in our home. Both my parents had to start their careers from scratch and learn a new language, so they showed us we could do it too. How did you get to your current position? I applied for a job at Caltex by chance. I had made some friends/ contacts at Caltex while at my previous job. I had built a friendship with some of the Caltex personnel, so when a role popped up, they recommended I apply. I was offered a role as regional project engineer and I was in that role for six years. I am currently the terminal operations manager at Lytton Terminal and have been in this role for six months. What are your areas of responsibility? My team and I look after the day to day running of Lytton terminal. We ensure that fuel is loaded into tanker trucks safely to the market. As a regional project engineer, I was project managing infrastructure construction projects across our network in QLD. Can you describe a typical workday? As a project engineer, my days were varied. They ranged from writing www.gradaustralia.com.au

proposals to writing commissioning plans (I always found these exciting). I would be travelling to sites, meeting with contractors and ensuring construction jobs were progressing well. The last project I worked on involved the upgrade of a terminal’s firefighting system and the procurement and implementation of hydrant dispensers for airport refuelling activities. As a terminal manager, I deal with many of our internal stakeholders, as well as external drivers. Ensuring the safety of my team is my number one priority. I ensure reliable operation is performed by my team, which covers budget control, some stock accounting, maintenance and training. What would your career be if you weren’t doing what you’re doing now? I wanted to be a science teacher when I was a child. I think I’d be trying to encourage young girls to get into science!

Larissa Cortez Bran studied a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) and is the terminal operations manager at Lytton Terminal, Caltex.

Study Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical), Queensland University of Technology, 2008

ROLE Terminal operations manager, Lytton Terminal, Caltex

Do you have to work on weekends? As a project engineer, I was required to work weekends, depending on the progress of construction. I won’t deny some days were stressful to try and meet deadlines, but these are the moments when I learned the most. What advice would you give to a student? Don’t think you need to know everything when you start a job. Be patient with yourself and find your voice. It is hard speaking up when you are learning something new, but if you feel you need to stop and say something, do it.

Ensuring the safety of my team is my number one priority.

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On the job

Blaise Gassin

How did you land at Glencore? I applied for the Glencore graduate program in my final year of university. Upon successful selection I began my first year at the Newlands open cut coal mine in central Queensland, 250 kilometres north west of Mackay. This was the first rotation of a two-year program. Six months later I gained exposure at Oaky Creek North underground coal mine. It was here I spent the rest of my graduate program and have remained up until now. What does your employer do? Glencore is one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest globally diversified natural resource companies and a major producer and marketer of more than 90 commodities. Specifically, my area of responsibility is the safe, efficient and day-to-day extraction of high-quality export coking coal in an underground environment. Can you describe a typical day? A typical day is challenging and rewarding. It involves interdepartmental planning, whilst allocating equipment and labour. I must always plan with reference to timeframes and schedules. Each day, efficient resourcing works to create clear lines of communication notwithstanding an open and honest attitude. I am also responsible for concise data collation to comply with regulations. Suppose a student was considering your career. What would you advise them to study? Studying mining engineering with an economics or finance based double degree would provide a well balanced set of skills. Much

of mining engineering is based on cost down, margin up ideas to drive production. The mining aspect would drive the production and scheduling component, while the finance side would drive the cost component. These degrees offer a huge degree of flexibility, especially if you are seeking to move away from mining operations and into the corporate side of the business. Akin to a higher education background, I cannot stress the importance of being self aware and possessing communication skills. You cross paths with people from absolutely all walks of life and it is critical that you are patient, respectful and can communicate a clear and concise message. These skills can be developed by undertaking part-time work, playing team sport, and/or joining a social club. What do you love about your job? I love how the rawness, practicality and technical aspects of mining come together in the day-to-day operation of the business. I enjoy communicating and navigating my way around the hierarchical structure of the business and find it rewarding when plans come together to form positive outcomes for every employee. Without a doubt the only limitation is the geographical location. Do you work weekends? Weekend work goes hand in hand with roster work. Any advice for students? Talent x effort = skill. Skill x effort = achievement. The takeaway? As much as talent counts, effort counts twice.

Blaise Gassin studied a Bachelor of Mining Engineering (Hons) and is a statutory candidate mining engineer at Glencore.

Study Bachelor of Mining Engineering (Hons), University of Wollongong, 2015

ROLE Statutory candidate mining engineer, Glencore

Specifically, my area of responsibility is the safe, efficient and day-to-day extraction of highquality export coking coal in an underground environment.

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Day in the life

Sanam Misthry

4.45 AM I get ready for work and head to the mess to have breakfast. I love having a variety of breakfast options, from bacon and eggs to fresh fruit and cereal. I hop in my car and make the short commute to Olympic Dam from Roxby Downs. 5.30 AM I arrive on site and get changed into my PPE (personal protective equipment). I love wearing PPE because I don’t have to worry about outfits for the week and all our laundry is done on site. It’s a winwin! I get to my desk and check my emails. I flag the ones that require a more detailed response. 6.00 AM Whilst having a quick chat with my colleagues I put on my safety gear. Prior to heading into the mine, I complete a pre-start check on our vehicle to make sure it’s functional and all safety systems are in

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working condition. This includes checking the braking system, fire suppression system and numerous fluid levels. We then begin our drive into the underground mine! 6.50 AM We attend the daily pre-start meeting with the work crews to discuss any hazards identified the previous day and works planned for today. This is a great time to catch up with some of the operators before they head off to their working areas for the shift. 7.30 AM With a few minutes to spare before our weekly production improvement meeting, I follow up with stakeholders for some of my projects. A face-to-face chat is definitely the best way to get things done! This meeting involves a discussion with supervisors from each crew to evaluate any improvement ideas

Sanam Misthry studied a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering/Bachelor of Commerce and is a graduate engineer in the Underground Production Analysis and Improvement team at BHP’s Olympic Dam mine.

from our operators. These ideas are centred around making our operational environment safer for all workers whilst considering uplift in our productivity. Some of these improvements include installing better seats in our trucks to improve ergonomics or installing additional cameras on

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our production drill rigs for safer tramming. We also provide an update on current improvement projects and any actions required. 9.30 AM On our way out of the mine, we complete field leadership with one of our loader operators. Field leadership is an opportunity to have open conversations about safety, and ensure controls are in place and procedures are evaluated to determine if they are up to date. This presents an opportunity for a new set of eyes to identify additional hazards or suggest an easier, potentially more efficient, way to complete a task. Today I sat in the loader cabin for the first time, whilst the operator explained how the machine worked and its many controls. How cool is that?! 10.30 AM A quick pit stop at the quarry to retrieve data from our weighbridge, which I will analyse later in the day. The weighbridge was recently installed to provide more data regarding the weight and density of the payloads in our haul trucks. I am analysing this data to determine new tub factors to improve our reporting and to understand how our crews are loading the trucks. Too much in the tray results in more wear of the trucks, but too little means less production – it’s very much a fine balancing act! 11.00 AM Finally at my desk. I check my emails and reply to any that require immediate action. I update my task list and prioritise work for the rest of the day. 12.00 PM Lunch time – a quick break to refuel and socialise. I pack food from dinner the previous night, or enjoy a wrap in the comfort of our crib room. 12.30 PM Back to my desk to begin my data analysis. There’s a lot to do so this will keep me busy for a few hours/

days. I’m definitely on my way to becoming an Excel guru! 2.30 PM Risk assessment time! For every new project, a risk assessment is completed to ensure we identify all impacts a change or project may have on operations. This usually involves all stakeholders in one room identifying hazard scenarios. The stakeholders can include personnel from across the business to external suppliers and is a great opportunity to learn something new and expand your network. Today, I am facilitating the risk assessment for a trial of a new payload weighing system to be installed on one of our haul trucks. 3.30 PM That went smoothly! Now, to spend some time finalising the risk assessment before I send it for final review and approval.

4.30 PM I make my way back to camp. My afternoon varies between exercising and playing sport. Roxby Downs is a very sports-oriented community so there are numerous competitions and courts for some friendly competition with co-workers. 6.00 PM The best part about living in camp is that I don’t have to worry about cooking. I just rock up to the mess after my afternoon activity. There are about forty graduates at Olympic Dam so there’s always a familiar face and never a shortage of conversation. 7.00–9.00 PM The last hour or two of the day is spent getting ready for bed, catching up with family and friends, reading, Netflix or getting lost in a deep internet rabbit hole. www.gradaustralia.com.au

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Day in the life

Jack Murphy Cruise

6.45 AM Alarm goes off. Have a quick read of today’s news on my phone and take a shower. Have breakfast and jump in the car. 7.15 AM Drive down the coast through Fremantle and Kwinana to get to BP’s Kwinana Refinery. 8.00 AM Arrive at Kwinana Refinery and check out the flares on the way in to see if we have any excess gas. Kwinana is Australia’s largest crude oil refinery with a refining capacity of 152,000 barrels per day. Commissioned in 1955, it lies 35 kilometres south of Perth in the Kwinana Industrial Park. At 250 hectares, the refinery is 21 times the size of the WACA stadium.

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8.15 AM Check overnight refinery activity. The refinery is a 24-hour facility so once I get to my desk I check out how the refinery has run overnight and look for any deviations from usual production. As LPG and natural gas scheduler, I am most interested in any changes to these trends. I run the stock progression on LPG storage and make notes of any adjustments needed in production as I formulate the refinery’s LPG plan for the day.

Jack Murphy Cruise studied a Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical)/Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) and Master of Engineering (Renewable and Sustainable Energy). Jack is an LPG and natural gas scheduler at BP.

9.15 AM Grab a morning coffee with my team. 9.30 AM First meeting of the day is with the production and optimisation team to discuss the refinery’s position as a whole; we process

up to three types of crude oil and produce up to 10 products at any one time. We discuss any overnight or upcoming process unit changes, limitations or outages that will

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impact production or quality for all products including LPG. 10.00 AM Production morning meeting with operations where I provide an update to the team on any operational changes required to meet our LPG plan. It’s a good week for LPG and I ask the operators to open the catalytic polymerisation unit’s bypass line to maximise LPG production to meet higher demand from our customers. I also put in a request to the on-site laboratory to sample and test one of our butane storage drums for a certification of quality (CQ). 10.30 AM I get onto organising our natural gas plan. The refinery burns natural gas to produce the heat energy required to run various process units, and it needs to be imported via pipeline from various WA gas reservoirs and storage facilities. I call our natural gas supplier to purchase the gas I need for the day. I schedule the gas in the WA pipeline to reach the Kwinana exit point. 12.00 PM Lunch in the canteen with the other graduates and summer interns; there are 12 of us in total over summer. 12.45 PM I grab my safety gear and make my way to Kwinana Jetty at the west end of the refinery. BP provides ongoing training to its graduates and we have the opportunity to learn about all areas of the refinery – today we’re doing a site specific tour of our jetty facilities. This includes a tour of the crude ship that is discharging crude oil taken from the Middle East. The BP-owned British Respect, is off-loading enough crude to last four days of processing through our crude distillation units. 2.30 PM Video teleconference with our head office in Melbourne where

I provide the weekly operations update and report any operational issues to the supply team. 3.00 PM Meeting with my line manager to discuss any work updated, provide feedback and talk about any other issues. 3.30 PM Catch up on emails from the day. I need to approve the invoices for natural gas purchases, reply to any LPG customers, check product quality CQ’s and keep an

eye on any other issues relating to LPG and natural gas. 4.30 PM Last task of the day is to provide an updated LPG production strategy to the overnight operators. 5.00 PM Leave Kwinana and drive to football training. 7.30 PM Arrive home and have dinner with my housemates. Time to chill out and watch whichever TV series I’m hooked on before I head to bed! www.gradaustralia.com.au

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Day in the life

Lincoln Crooks

6.15 AM I snooze my alarm for the fifth time before panic sets in and I realise I’m running late. After quickly showering and eating breakfast I’m standing at the bus stop in less than 30 minutes – not bad. 7.00 AM I make my way up the lifts to level 18 to my usual desk in the Brisbane Integrated Operations Centre. 7.15 AM I briefly scroll through my emails, check my calendar and update my diary before our team stand-up meeting. 8.00 AM The first formal and back-toback meeting of the day. This video conference between the operations centre (OC) and site manager’s agenda is discussing what is happening on the ground.

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This can include information about maintenance shutdowns, production targets and how compact the shipping line-up is. 8.30 AM The same meeting – just for the second mine site region that the OC schedules. 9.15 AM I get out of the office with my colleagues and walk down to our ‘local’ (Strauss) – an alleyway/ Melbourne-inspired cafe. What started as being a general coffee run is now an essential part of our schedule where we debrief our current workload, discuss errors and pitch new ideas for our current longer-term projects that weren’t discussed in the earlier meetings. 9.45 AM After spending some of the morning catching up with my team it’s time to sit down and

Lincoln Crooks studied a Bachelor of Actuarial Science and is a data scientist in the dynamic scheduling team at Rio Tinto.

grind out the ad-hoc tasks I had been assigned throughout the morning’s meetings. These tasks can vary from ETL data processes from our on-site historian SQL systems through to a quick analysis. This morning’s task; comparing the current ship loader rates against historical information and identifying if there are any underlying trends or relationships in data.

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

11.00 AM As a graduate at Rio Tinto, you are assigned a senior mentor outside of your team. The aim is to catch up on a regular basis, to build upon your technical and professional skill set. Today’s meeting was a quick discussion on what cloud platforms are approved and utilised internally, and suggestions for productising my current project! 12.00 PM Third meeting of the day: the data strategy catch up. Rio Tinto is internally pushing teams to operate in an industry 4.0 approach. This time is utilised to identify pain points in our current data workflow and report on how we might improve upon and make a more intuitive process. At this stage we are flagging all manual tasks that can be developed into a more automated approach, most likely a Power BI solution, for more data-driven decisions (aka the death of spreadsheets!). 1.00 PM Lunch. I try to meal-prep on a Sunday so I don’t ‘forget’ my lunch, but on the days I do, there’s always somewhere new to eat in the Wintergarden with the team,

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which is always capped off with a bubble tea.

dropping my bags off and getting changed for exercise!

2.05 PM With a hot coffee in hand, it’s time to work on my long-term projects. Using the discussions from both the morning coffee run and the catch up with my mentor, I’m booting up either my AWS environment or R-Server to begin coding. That is, unless it’s a research day, where most of the time is spent reading academic papers and understanding what machine learning techniques can be applied. On a stressful day, I find it’s important to block out time (including closing emails) to get ahead on work with quickly approaching deadlines.

6.00 PM Time to start preparing dinner while watching Bondi Rescue. I was a little unprepared tonight, so I’m throwing together leftover vegetables to make a stir-fry.

4.00 PM A quick debrief with my manager, including what today consisted of, feedback and if there are any outof-schedule meetings I should expect tomorrow. 4.30 PM A massive benefit to my role is the flexible work hours that allow me to have a schedule that best suits my lifestyle. Living close to the city I am fortunate enough to have a gym within the apartment complex, a commercial gym and F45 all within a 250m radius of each other. Today I am quickly ducking to my apartment,

7.00 PM After sitting down and watching a combination of the news and some reality TV, I have built up the last of my daily motivation to start a new DataCamp online course called Supply Chain Analytics in Python. A massive benefit for working at Rio Tinto is the support to develop your skill set and achieve your professional development plan. In my team, we have a learning budget to support us attending courses and training. I am a massive advocate for continuous learning, and although I am no longer at university I am leveraging these online courses to ensure I am constantly improving technically! 9.00 PM It’s time for bed, although I’ll probably be on my phone scrolling Instagram and watching YouTube videos for the next hour before I actually fall asleep knowing that I’ll be snoozing my alarm again in the morning!

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Day in the life

Claudia Haugg

5.50 AM BEEP-BEEP-BEEP!

and the time that I can listen to my audio books.

It’s time to go-go-gooo! I jump out of bed, pull on my exercise clothes and flash out of the door. After a few quick stretches, I’m down the road and running next to one of my local freshwater lakes. The fresh, crisp morning air clears my mind and I am ready for the day.

7.30 AM I arrive at work – Rio Tinto’s remote operations centre. This is where the company’s mines, ports, and rail systems are all operated from a single location – more than 1000km away from the action! I’m part of the fixed plant control systems team who look after all the fixed plant equipment. These machines are amongst the biggest in the business and deal with the processing of ore after it has gone through the crusher to be made into finer pieces, sorting it, stockpiling it and then loading it onto the trains and sent to the ports where it’s loaded onto a ship and sent to our customers.

6.30 AM I’ve bounced back home and am ready for the next race – racing the clock to be ready to leave at 7AM. Optimisation and making processes more efficient has translated well from my work to helping me complete this task. The ‘getting ready sequence’ can be executed in 30 minutes, 29 on efficient days! 7.00 AM That’s me showered, dressed, lunch packed and I’m on my way to work. I enjoy the half an hour drive

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8.00 AM I’ve settled in at my desk, gone through my emails, checked what’s

Claudia Haugg studied a Bachelor of Science (Mechatronics Systems) and is a graduate systems/software engineer at Rio Tinto.

on the calendar for me today and brought up my ‘to-do’ list. But before I get onto those tasks I need some energy! KeepCups in hand, the team and I head out for our usual morning coffee. 8.20 AM I’m fortunate to be working on and writing logic for one of the coolest machines in the business – a reclaimer. This machine, as

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you can see below, has a giant bucket wheel with which it scoops up ore from the stockpile. This ore travels down the conveyor on the boom of the reclaimer and this then goes into a chute which loads up trains with the ore to send to the ports. So, once caffeinated, I check the weekly reclaimer report to see how my machine has been working. Not too many alarms showing up and productivity is looking good! Time to get Microsoft SQL open and pull some data from the database to investigate what those alarms were. 9.00 AM Time to do some of my own reclaiming – I reclaim spoonfuls of muesli into me as I keep an eye on some trends. I watch trends to get insights into the specific performance of the reclaimer which help me to know what code needs a bit of tweaking. Trends are friends! 9.30 AM I grab my notebook and favourite green pen and head to the common area for the morning stand-up meeting where the whole team comes together for a morning catch-up. We discuss any safety incidents that happened the previous day and the initial findings or improvements that may help keep our workplace safe. We also discuss how we are progressing on our tasks and what tasks we will be working on today. 10.00 AM Noise cancelling headphones on and I enter focus mode as I listen to my instrumental tunes. Time to get coding! I write code on PLCs (programmable logic controllers) which run much of the equipment on-site. 12.00 PM Finally, lunchtime – I’ve been very excited for my spaghetti bolognaise all morning! After heating up my lunch, I sit down with the team and we open the instructions for our Lego digger – time to get building!

1.00 PM Time to write up a change management form for some new code that I want to implement to improve the productivity of the reclaimer. This form captures what changes I’ll be making, what the impact of this will be as well as what some potential risks are and how I will mitigate them. 2.00 PM Now for a catch-up with the site to hear how things have been going that side. Liaising with sites is an important part of my role. We have to check with the site engineers to understand any issues that they have been observing with the machine to give us an idea if we need to make any changes to the code.

2.30 PM With the site engineers happy with the changes I want to implement, I can go ahead and book my flights and accommodation and then I’ll be all sorted for my site visit next week! 3.00 PM Back to more coding! Hmmm what’s the best way to go about writing this code? Might be time for a walk so my mind can churn away at the problem. 4.30 PM Aaand that’s a wrap! I tidy up my desk and wave goodbye to my team. It’s time to head home so that I can beat the traffic!

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On the job

Trent George-Kennedy

Can you tell us about your background? I grew up in Perth and completed a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Nanotechnology (Hons) in 2010. Upon graduating I found it quite difficult to find lab work that paralleled my qualifications. The mining boom had just started and I struggled (failed) to really get a foot in the door. I eventually got a start in the environmental monitoring equipment industry. Getting the opportunity to move to QLD for a year to open a service branch from scratch was a highlight, and through this I had the chance to visit a lot of really cool places, like mines, processing plants, power stations and even Navy frigates! This really ignited my passion for engineering and I decided to enroll in a Bachelor of Electrical Power Engineering. The rest they say is history! How did you land at Newmont? I applied across a wide range of graduate programs in 2018 and was fortunate to be accepted into the 2019 Newmont Australia Graduate Program. I spent my first year of the two-year program at the Superpit in Kalgoorlie, before transitioning to our Tanami Operation in the Northern Territory in January 2020. How did you choose your specialisation? My biggest decision initially was whether to pursue an electronic based or electrical power engineering stream. Given my struggles in finding a job after my first degree, I decided to look at a stream that would be as general as possible and offer the most diverse range of opportunities across my career. I settled on electrical power www.gradaustralia.com.au

because hey, everything needs power right? What does your employer do? Newmont Corporation is the world’s largest gold miner and operates across several jurisdictions across the globe, primarily North America, Australia, Africa and South America. In my current role, I am working in the mine maintenance and projects department. We provide support to the processing plant and underground mine for all electrical assets and infrastructure, as well as scope and execute small capital projects. In short, we’re responsible for all things electrical across the site. However, given the increasing levels of digitisation across the industry, we often cross into instrumentation and communications related projects. What are the career prospects with your job? If choosing to stay within the mining industry, one can typically pursue a technical pathway or a leadership pathway. Technical pathways involve specialising in your field and becoming a project manager or technical specialist, while leadership pathways would involve moving through a maintenance-based supervisor/superintendent direction. That said, there’s many opportunities outside of mining and resources. For example, working for an OEM/ vendor, infrastructure construction, consultancy or public sector utilities. What would your career be if you weren’t doing what you’re doing now? Hard to say! I spent ten years working out what I wanted to do with myself and I’d like to think I’m pretty satisfied with where I’m at now!

Trent George-Kennedy studied a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Nanotechnology (Hons) and a Bachelor of Electrical Power Engineering. Trent is a graduate electrical engineer in mine maintenance and projects at Tanami Operations, Newmont.

Study Bachelor of Science in Physics and Nanotechnology (Hons), Murdoch University, 2010; Bachelor of Electrical Power Engineering, Curtin University, 2018

ROLE Graduate electrical engineer, mine maintenance and projects, Tanami Operations, Newmont

We provide support to the processing plant and underground mine for all electrical assets and infrastructure, as well as scope and execute small capital projects.

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On the job

Ania Manka

How did you choose your specialisation and land at Santos? I chose a broad science/arts double degree because I did well at science and maths in high school, and loved languages. I studied a range of science courses across different disciplines and found I enjoyed geology for the field work and social learning environment. This led me to take Geophysics and Exploration Methods in my third year, which I liked because we were given the opportunity to practically apply the mathematical and physical concepts from previous years. I applied for the summer vacation program at Santos in my penultimate year and was accepted to intern as a student geophysicist. The project I worked on sparked my interest in the energy and resources industry and led me to undertake my honours at the Australian School of Petroleum. I did my honours in geophysics because it was the perfect combination of mathematical and physical concepts with an understanding of a dynamic earth. I completed my honours project and undertook another internship with Santos, before commencing the Santos Graduate Program mid-2018. What are your areas of responsibility? I am currently rotating through operations geophysics, supervising a geophysical processing project that involves taking seismic data and turning it into a friendlier image of the subsurface. It involves the application of theoretical concepts and mathematics to real life situations. Once the data is processed, it is then used by exploration and development geophysicists to pick drill locations and understand how much resource is there. My responsibility

is to ensure the processed data we are receiving meets necessary standards. As a graduate you can rotate through various roles that spark your interest. I started in Brisbane as a petrophysicist for ten months, then went on to drilling and wellsite experience in operations geology, before returning to Adelaide to learn about seismic acquisition and processing. Following this, I am eager to get experience in exploration, development and possibly finance, and keep acquiring skills and knowledge. The skyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the limit. Can you describe a typical day? My role is predominantly officebased at a computer, with meetings during the week and field visits a few times a year. I am in close contact with peers, the processing company and the asset team geophysicist through emails every day, making sure the project objectives are achieved. I use ProMax to view and play around with seismic data and create PowerPoint presentations summarising workflows and highlighting issues.

Ania Manka studied a Bachelor of Science (Geophysics, Geology) (Hons)/Bachelor of Arts (Spanish) and is a graduate geophysicist at Santos.

Study Bachelor of Science (Geophysics, Geology) (Hons)/Bachelor of Arts (Spanish), University of Adelaide, 2017

ROLE Graduate geophysicist, Santos

Could someone with a different background do your job? A geophysics major would be ideal but someone with maths, physics and geology majors with experience in oil and gas would be able to pick it up. What do you love about your job? I love being surrounded by extremely intelligent and passionate people. I am constantly learning and feel very supported, but at the same time I am given responsibility and charge of my own projects, which is really exciting.

I love being surrounded by extremely intelligent and passionate people.

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On the job

Harry Kaveney

What does your job involve? I work in the technical services team for Thiess at the Mt Pleasant Operation.

Engineers of different backgrounds, particularly civil and geotechnical engineers, often go into mining engineering roles.

I currently work in short-term planning, which is the field of mining engineering that’s responsible for design, scheduling and implementation of the mine plan. A typical week involves designing dig sequencing plans for the excavators, haul roads, ramps, waste dumps and areas of rehabilitation. Towards the end of the week, these designs are transferred into GPS files that can be interpreted by the excavators, dozers and graders.

In mining, the local environment is always changing. Every week thousands of cubic metres of material are moved and there are many challenges associated with this. An analytical mindset is needed to develop the most practical and financially suitable plan.

My other responsibility is to work with the team to develop the weekly mine plan that details the operational strategy for the coming week. To do this, I collaborate with the mining engineer, drill and blast engineer, geologist and surveyor. Several times a week I drive around and inspect the pit with the mine manager, supervisors and mining engineer. This pit inspection allows us to identify issues that may result in changes to the schedule, potential hazards and further design requirements to run a successful operation. One thing I find exciting is being present through all phases of the operation – from design and construction to implementation. I can see the full life cycle and understand how each impacts the operation technically, practically and financially, and identify opportunities for innovation and improvement. Could someone with a different background do your job? My job requires an engineering degree but is not limited to mining. www.gradaustralia.com.au

Having an understanding of the mining process and the different methods associated is crucial. It’s also valuable to have an understanding of the financial implications relating to a particular method of mining. What do you love about your job? What I love most is how I can have a direct impact on the layout and design of the mine. It’s incredibly rewarding to watch an excavator dig the design you made or watch a ramp develop based on your design.

Harry Kaveney studied a Bachelor of Engineering (Mining and Civil Engineering) (Hons) and is a mining engineer graduate at Thiess.

Study Bachelor of Engineering (Mining and Civil Engineering) (Hons), University of Wollongong, 2018

ROLE Mining engineer graduate, Thiess

Another highlight is the opportunities you receive. I have the opportunity to work all over Australia and potentially overseas in different roles and fields. What are the challenges? The biggest challenge is working in isolated locations. It can be difficult being away from family and friends. It is important to make an effort to socialise with your work colleagues. Personally, I think it’s a great way to travel and see the country. The graduate program rotates you to a different site every eight months, so you could be in the Hunter Valley one moment and a few hours from the Whitsunday Islands the next.

The graduate program rotates you to a different site every eight months, so you could be in the Hunter Valley one moment and a few hours from the Whitsunday Islands the next.

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On the job

Vinati Chaudhari

How did you get to your current position? In 2017 I moved to Perth to start full-time work at Woodside. The graduate program is three years long and graduates rotate every year. My first placement was in the technology team. Most people who are reservoir engineers studied petroleum engineering. I had not, so had a steep learning curve ahead of me. I learnt more in this year than I ever did at university, including data analytics, reservoir engineering, corporate style working, project management, coding and production modelling. During my first year, I went offshore to a drill rig, which was an eyeopening experience and one of the highlights of the year. I really enjoyed the role, but decided I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to be a reservoir engineer for the rest of my life. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m interested in climate change and the energy transition. I found out there was an environmental function within Woodside and there were people who worked as senior climate change advisers. I asked if I could work in this niche team in a graduate role and was given the opportunity to do so! What are your areas of responsibility? Climate change, emissions forecasting, emissions reporting, new technologies, carbon capture and storage, climate change strategy and governance, government policy and legislation, safeguard mechanism and carbon offsets.

Can you describe a typical day? My main job is to support robust emissions forecasts for all our assets. At the moment I am building these forecasts, but an important part of my role is developing the processes and technical capabilities so that others can build and maintain them. In my second year, I had the opportunity to go offshore to a drill rig in Myanmar. I also went to Exmouth for a simulated oil spill exercise as part of the onshore shoreline cleanup assessment team. What do you love about your job? I love that I am trying to address such an important issue in society today, working with a company that is committed to being part of the solution to climate change. It is an ever-changing space; every day there are new developments around renewable energy technology, energy efficiency targets, policy and legislation. No two days are the same.

Vinati Chaudhari studied Chemicals and Materials Process Engineering and is a graduate climate change adviser at Woodside.

Study Chemicals and Materials Process Engineering; University of Auckland; 2016

ROLE Graduate climate change adviser, Woodside

I like that I am getting to build my technical skill set in the emissions forecasting sense, but am also exposed to strategy and governance on the same topic. I learn new things every day that I want to go home and research more in my spare time; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s awesome. What advice would you give to students? Think big. The world is interconnected these days. Whether you want to start an Instagram business, work for a start-up or work for a corporation, the world is literally at your fingertips.

Think big. The world is interconnected these days. Whether you want to start an Instagram business, work for a start-up or work for a corporation, the world is literally at your fingertips.

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Pharmaceuticals

Overview The Australian pharmaceuticals industry includes biomedical research organisations, biotechnology firms, original and generic medicine manufacturers and associated wholesaling and distribution businesses. A recent survey found that the industry comprised over 40 originator companies (mostly subsidiaries of multinational companies), up to ten generic companies, 470 small-scale core biotechnology companies and over 20 world class medical research institutes. The chief customer of the Australian pharmaceutical industry is the federal government, which subsidies the cost of many medications through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). The budget controls overall expenditure on the PBS including the funding of new medicines and vaccines. Australia exports around four billion dollars worth of pharmaceuticals each year and has the world’s twelfth largest consumer market. What’s involved? Getting a new drug to the market is a lengthy and costly process – each medication that passes through a research and development phase and proves itself in a series of carefully monitored clinical trials, is then subjected to a stringent governmental review (overseen by the Therapeutic Goods Association). In Australia, this process, as well as the need to support existing drugs, generates about 16,500 jobs for scientists, engineers, chemists, technicians, marketers, doctors, machine operators and other professionals. They concern themselves with research and development, intellectual property, human resources, trial design and execution, marketing, manufacturing and engineering, and corporate management. Australian pharmaceutical industry employees have been behind several important medical innovations, such as the development of a Swine Flu (H1N1) vaccine and the synthesis of a drug (by Cytopia) that helps to prevent transplant rejection. Their work will become increasingly vital over the next two decades as the population not only increases, but also shifts towards a higher average age. www.gradaustralia.com.au

It’s also expected that environmental and social changes will bring new medical challenges, as will current issues such as the growing prevalence of antibiotic resistant bacteria. The federal government estimates that annual global spending on medicines will greatly increase, reaching $1.4 trillion US this year. Where do people in the pharmaceuticals industry work? The pharmaceuticals industry usually employs people in laboratories, offices and manufacturing facilities. With approximately half of its employees involved in marketing, the industry also has a considerable presence at conventions, conferences and trade fairs. Many of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies operate subsidiaries, or otherwise maintain a presence, in Australia. These businesses include Alphapharm, AstraZeneca, Apotex, Pfizer, Aspen Pharmacare, Merck, Sandoz, Sanofi-Aventis and GlaxoSmithKline. Entering the pharmaceuticals industry Many of the businesses listed above – for example Sanofi-Aventis and GlaxoSmithKline – have dedicated graduate programs that aim to recruit talented scientists, researchers and marketers.

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GSK’s IBL (Industry Based Learning) program is developed for undergraduate university students in their penultimate or final year of study upon commencement of the program.

The growth of the pharmaceuticals sector may see you focusing on new medications and hitherto unknown technologies However, you needn’t find a graduate program to apply for a job in the pharmaceuticals industry. The expansion of this sector means that roles are often advertised for both junior and senior positions. In replying to such an advertisement, you will benefit from emphasising not only your relevant technical skills but also your ability to communicate effectively, work in a team and contribute to in-depth research and analysis, while demonstrating adaptability, flexibility, initiative and sound judgment. Career prospects The federal government’s Job Outlook website offers good news to those considering a career in the pharmaceuticals industry: the numbers of medical technicians and medical laboratory scientists will experience ‘very strong growth’, while associated roles are expected to grow or remain relatively stable. Importantly, the growth of the pharmaceuticals sector may see you focusing on new medications and hitherto unknown technologies. For example, the federal government notes that ‘Australia, with its stronger intellectual property provisions, highly skilled workforce, maturing biotechnology sector and world class medical research institutes, may be better placed than many other countries to benefit from a new era of high value-added biologics manufacturing, which has the potential to create and sustain high value jobs.’

How can I take advantage of my STEM background? You will most likely require a STEM background if you wish to pursue many of the more technical, challenging and innovative jobs in the pharmaceuticals industry. Common majors among graduates in this field include chemistry, physics, biochemistry, medical science, chemical and biomedical engineering and maths. Popular degrees sought by this industry

Learn more

Biochemistry

page 74

Medicine and medical sciences

page 90

Chemistry

page 78

Manufacturing engineering

page 30

Mechanical engineering

page 36

Chemical engineering

page 22

Biology

page 76

Environmental engineering

page 28

Physics

page 92

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Public sector

Overview The public sector encompasses those sections of the economy that provide governmental services and are (primarily) funded by public resources. In Australia, the public sector includes the three main branches of government (the legislature, the executive and the judiciary); the military; the public healthcare system; the public education system; various infrastructural service providers; the members of the government (such as administrators and elected officials); and many other departments and agencies. What do public sector employees do? There are many roles within the public sector, from personal assistant to local councillor to prime minister of Australia. In this sense, the phrase ‘public sector’ is unhelpful – it refers to who employs you, but sheds little light on what you do. Having said that, what all public sector employees theoretically have in common is they are expected to serve citizens and enhance the state. They do this in a variety of ways, from performing crucial administrative functions (such as staffing community services centres) to overseeing public art projects and infrastructure initiatives. A healthy civic life relies on the contributions of various professionals, so the public sector is arguably the broadest industry in terms of the people it hires and the responsibilities it expects them to assume. Where do they work? Currently the federal government has 14 departments, which are collectively responsible for around 200 agencies, dealing with matters as diverse as fisheries research and native title. Historically, the largest federal government departments have been the Department of Defence, the Department of Health, the Australian Federal Police, the CSIRO and the Department of Home Affairs. Individual state governments are also broken down into departments and agencies, with local matters addressed by elected councils. Approximately 40 per cent of Australia’s 150,000 public sector employees are concentrated in Canberra, the nation’s administrative capital.

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The other 60 per cent are found everywhere, from Australia’s largest cities to its most remote communities, as well as on overseas postings. Entering the public sector Most government agencies that recruit graduates have regular and well organised admission programs that take applications during fixed periods each year. The easiest way to learn more about the different programs, including application procedures and what will be expected of new recruits, is to search for graduate programs on the Australian Government or APSJobs website, or by visiting gradaustralia.com.au. Government jobs tend to be highly competitive. Given their popularity, you shouldn’t be surprised if the application process is unusually rigorous. For example, to apply at the Department of Home Affairs, candidates must successfully move through a detailed online application, online testing, a video interview, an assessment centre, a referee record and security clearance. How can I take advantage of my STEM background? Employment options for STEM graduates in the public sector fall within two broad categories: roles that specifically require a STEM background and roles that instead draw upon the generic skills developed during the course of acquiring a STEM degree. In the first category, there are the many public and governmental positions that are filled by STEM graduates with specifically STEM-related responsibilities. It’s useful to note there is a broad range of jobs for STEM graduates even within this sub-category of the public sector. You’ll find them advising on policy development for individual parliamentarians, reviewing urban development plants for the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development, performing research at the CSIRO and overseeing demographic studies for the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The second category of public service jobs are those that draw heavily on, say, highly developed reasoning skills without employing you to perform a STEM-related activity. For example, the Department

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

of Foreign Affairs and Trade has a reputation for attracting high-performing graduates from various disciplines to diplomatic and foreign policy based positions. This is due to their training in analysis, pattern recognition and communication. Career prospects A career in the public service offers unparalleled stability. Indeed this, along with the attractive working conditions enjoyed by public servants, is a primary reason that people seek out public employment. As mentioned above, the public service is also very large and extends beyond Australia’s border to give it a presence in almost every country. As such, the possibilities for movement both upwards (via promotion) or sideways (by changing departments or applying for foreign rotations) are endless. A career in the public service really could see you anywhere, from a press room in Canberra to a diplomatic outpost in Trinidad. Average salary The average entry-level package for graduates in the public sector is $65,000 and the average industry hours are 37.5 per week. Furthermore, working conditions are highly competitive, with flexible hours, structured career breaks, job sharing and mobile working arrangements.

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Choose this if you: ■ Have a strong interest in public institutions. ■ Prioritise stability when evaluating potential career paths. ■ Are open to the idea of travelling for work – most often to Canberra or other Australian destinations. ■ Can communicate clearly with people from various backgrounds. Popular degrees sought by this industry

Learn more

Medicine and medical sciences

page 90

Data science

page 64

Computer systems and networks

page 60

Environmental science

page 82

Software engineering

page 68

Environmental engineering

page 28

Statistics

page 52

Mechanical engineering

page 36

A career in the public service offers unparalleled stability.

Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) offers opportunities to graduates who are passionate about the financial stability of Australia.

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On the job

Nicholas Erskine

What’s your job title? Graduate methodologist at the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). How did you choose your specialisation? I wanted to study something that was both mathematical and practical. I seriously considered studying to become an engineer or an actuary before deciding on statistics, which attracted me because of its broad applicability. After graduation I worked for the ABS as a temporary data analyst before applying through the ABS graduate program. The methodology stream in the ABS graduate program was a natural choice; it provided me the opportunity to work on challenging statistical problems across a wide range of areas. What was your interview process like? There were two interviews: a series of short recorded responses, followed by an in-person interview with a panel in Canberra. The questions in the panel interview were provided half an hour in advance, to allow time to prepare responses. They included a number of technical questions on areas of statistics relevant to the ABS, as well as questions on the broader role the ABS plays in society and the present and future challenges that the organisation faces. What are your areas of responsibility? I work in the Data Access and Confidentiality Methodology Unit. We are responsible for making sure ABS data doesn’t compromise the privacy of people or businesses that provide us with information, while making sure it remains meaningful and useful. This involves desktop research as well as working with www.gradaustralia.com.au

subject matter areas to help them implement confidentiality methods in their data releases. ABS graduates in the methodology division initially split their time between the regular business of their sections and a formal internal course in survey methodology. What are the career prospects with your job? Most graduate methodologists stay within the ABS and move up the ranks, either within the division or the broader ABS. Others have found opportunities in the private sector or other government agencies. A notable example is the current head of the Commonwealth Treasury, who started his public service career as a methodologist at the ABS. What do you love most about your job? I feel pretty lucky to have joined such a supportive team that encourages me to develop deep technical expertise in statistics. The work itself is highly technical and challenging, which is part of what drew me to the division in the first place. I’ve enjoyed writing code to implement a prototype of a new system for ensuring confidential information cannot be extracted from an ABS publication. Do you bear a lot of responsibility? Are the stress levels high? I was almost immediately given responsibility for work on one of our ongoing projects, which was challenging but also rewarding. Overall the team does well in keeping projects on track and keeping the workload smooth, which means the stress doesn’t become unmanageable. What advice would you give to students? People will tell you that your marks don’t matter, but this is nonsense. Take your studies seriously.

Nicholas Erskine studied a Bachelor of Statistics (Hons) and is a graduate methodologist at the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Study Bachelor of Statistics (Hons), Australian National University, 2019

ROLE Graduate methodologist, Australian Bureau of Statistics

I feel pretty lucky to have joined such a supportive team that encourages me to develop deep technical expertise in statistics.

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On the job

Dale Todd

What did you study? A Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and Master of Applied Finance.

What does your employer do? Performance and financial statement audits of federal government entities.

How did you get to your current job position? I started at the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) as a graduate in the finance team of the corporate management group. As part of my graduate program I completed a rotation into the systems assurance and data analytics group and spent a lot of time in the data analytics (DA) team. I discovered data analytics appealed to my problem-solving nature and being in the team helped me develop skills I wanted to apply in the finance sector. I have been fortunate to be able to stay in the DA team and have been working as a data analyst supporting our auditors for nearly six months.

What are your areas of responsibility? Analysing and interpreting available data for our audit teams, based on the direction of the audit. Responsibilities include stakeholder management, time management, upwards management (communicating with supervisors) and development of data solutions, most likely using Python.

How did you choose your specialisation? I studied mechanical engineering and thought I would like a career as an engineer but discovered it wasn’t for me. I enjoyed problem solving and had always had an interest in finance and investing. Throughout university I developed a liking for asset management and corporate finance, and after experiencing data analytics at the ANAO, my desire to learn data analysis was born. I realised the DA skill set was directly translatable to the finance field and was akin to concepts used in engineering problem solving. What was your interview process like? We had 15 minutes before the interview to prepare responses to questions, which reduced the pressure to think on the spot. Resultantly the entire process felt more like a relaxed chat.

When audit season is in full swing, I usually have quite a few meetings with supervisors, audit managers and/or the audit client (entity being audited). What are the career prospects? Data analytics is an extremely transferable skill set and can be related to any field of study. If you have data, you can analyse it! The mindset and style you learn to solve problems is also transferable. For example, data analysis could be utilised by a business consultant from an advisory firm. You can really go anywhere with data analytics.

Dale Todd studied a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and Master of Applied Finance. Dale is a data analyst at the Australian National Audit Office.

Study Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering, University of Adelaide, 2011; Master of Applied Finance, University of Adelaide, 2017

ROLE Data analyst, Australian National Audit Office

Which kind of task do you enjoy? Developing a data analytics solution under the allocated budget that will help an audit team complete work significantly quicker and improve the quality of the audit. What’s the biggest limitation? Being mindful of budgets, however that could be said about any job. Being a data analyst really is that good. What advice would you give to a current student? ■ Go to the gym. ■ Don’t run in somebody else’s race. ■ If in doubt, have a think.

Data analytics is an extremely transferable skill set and can be related to any field of study. If you have data, you can analyse it!

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On the job

Shakila Fernando

How did you find your way to ANSTO? In my penultimate year of university, I thought I would start practising the interview and assessment centre process by applying for some internships (something I highly recommend). I didn’t consider the implications of getting one, but I built up my communication and interviewing skills. This is actually how I started my journey at ANSTO, through the Year In Industry Internship Program, working as a laboratory technician doing hydrometallurgical chemistry. What does your role involve? ANSTO is the home of Australia’s most significant landmark and national infrastructure for research. Thousands of scientists from industry and academia benefit from gaining access to stateof-the-art instruments every year. My roles in this program have revolved around developing ANSTO’s innovation community and generating research impact. My daily tasks have included working closely with researchers to develop commercialisation plans, business models and map stakeholders, as well as donning appropriate PPE to get in the lab and do some synthetic chemistry myself. From engaging with the industry at conferences to communicating the impact of the amazing research that is being conducted at ANSTO, I have been able to take an active role in growing and developing research projects. How have your studies assisted your work? If you are from a STEM-only background, having a commercial background has helped me a lot in my roles. It has framed my way www.gradaustralia.com.au

of thinking, which is different from most people who have been through a research pathway.

Shakila Fernando studied a Bachelor of Commerce/Science and is a graduate at ANSTO.

If you are from a commercial background, my science degree has deepened my understanding of scientific methodology, which has assisted me in effectively communicating the science underpinning the projects I deal with. No matter what your background is, you must have an appreciation for science as well as have the business acumen to develop ideas. Could someone with a different background do your job? Yes. My role is driven by a passion for impact.Every time I read a research paper I think about the impact: how it can make the world a better place and the journey from moving it out of a research paper to a tangible product or service that people can use. If you like thinking about the future and can understand and communicate science effectively to a range of stakeholders, then you can do my job. I’ve used the skills I’ve learned in both of my degrees. The background you have is the value you will be bringing to the team.

Study Bachelor of Commerce/ Science, University of New South Wales, 2018

ROLE Graduate, ANSTO

What do you love about your job? I love communicating with external stakeholders about the research we are conducting, and building and maintaining the relationships I have developed. I love being able to talk researchers through the commercial process and bring their ideas into reality. What advice would you give to students? Get involved with your university’s innovation hub and start developing any ideas you have. Universities provide a lot of support to develop them.

If you like thinking about the future and can understand and communicate science effectively to a range of stakeholders, then you can do my job.

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On the job

Jaymes Bonacci

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your name and job title? Jaymes Bonacci, senior analyst in the insurance team. What does your employer do? APRA is an independent statutory authority that supervises institutions across banking, insurance and superannuation, and also promotes financial stability in Australia. I work in the insurance team as a supervisor. For a select number of institutions, I conduct financial analyses, write risk assessments and liaise with key stakeholders on risk matters to support the broader team. How did you get to this position? I have always had an interest in financial services and have prior professional experience in analytics and relationship management. While I applied for a number of graduate roles, I discovered APRA offered a unique value proposition that combined these interests of mine. Suppose a student was considering your career. What would you advise them to study? Which soft skills should they develop? I would advise them to study economics or finance to develop commercial acumen as a foundation. That being said, I would also encourage students to consider anything that is most enjoyable, because increasingly organisations are seeking more diverse skill sets. I believe the most important soft skill to develop is communication, both verbal and nonverbal. As part of the job and during your career, you will need to communicate with a range of people from varied demographics, organisations and experiences. Tailoring your message to the target audience will have the most impact.

I would also recommend pursuing work experience in a corporate environment as early as possible, choosing a range of different internships. What sort of person succeeds in your career? Someone who is enthusiastic, eager to learn and enjoys problem-solving. Someone who works well with others will succeed in any career. What are the career prospects with your job? APRA is in a unique position to provide its employees with a highlevel view of the entire Australian financial sector. Graduates are encouraged to rotate into different areas of the organisation such as data analytics, policy and advice, and supervision. Could someone with a different background do your job? Yes, of course. You do not need a finance background to work at APRA. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more important in an applicant are their qualities and potential, rather than employment history or specific degrees.

Jaymes Bonacci studied a Bachelor of Engineering/ Bachelor of Commerce and a Master of Applied Finance. Jaymes is a senior analyst at the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority.

Study Bachelor of Commerce/ Bachelor of Engineering, Master of Applied Finance; Monash University; 2016

ROLE Senior analyst, Insurance team, APRA

What do you love most about your job? The thing I love most about my job is the passionate people who work here, who really believe in our mission. I also really enjoy synthesising large volumes of data into meaningful insights. Do you bear a lot of responsibility? Do you work on weekends? The organisation as a whole bears a lot of responsibility to the Australian financial system. This, of course, filters down to individuals, however I am surrounded by a supportive team. Weekend work is a rare exception; if there is a need, I am allowed a high degree of flexibility to manage the circumstance.

The thing I love most about my job is the passionate people who work here, who really believe in our mission.

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On the job

Helen Liu

What’s your name? Helen Liu What’s your job title? I’m a graduate analyst at the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). Can you tell us about your studies? When did you graduate? I graduated with a Bachelor of Financial Actuarial Mathematics from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2017. I studied three years of pure mathematics and one year in the actuarial applications at UCLA. Mathematics is like a language that you can easily apply to many different areas. The main reason I applied for the college of mathematics is due to the diverse body of majors it offers: biomathematics, actuarial mathematics, mathematics/ economics and mathematics of computation. But of course, just like everyone else, the biggest reason I applied for this major is because you get to see Terence Tao! What does your employer do? ASIC is an independent government body. It is Australia’s corporate, markets and financial services regulator. My current rotation is with the market intermediary supervision team within the markets group. The team carries out proactive supervision with major market intermediaries including investment banks, stockbrokers and security dealers. The team conducts onsite reviews of market intermediaries. This can include meeting with boards, CEOs, key committees and internal/external www.gradaustralia.com.au

auditors to review a firm’s key business functions, culture and conduct, compliance, governance and risk programs. Can you describe a typical work day? What was the last thing you worked on? Each day is different and dynamic – you never know what the market will throw at you. As a graduate in the market intermediary supervision team, my typical day involves onsite trade surveillance of some of the most complex and high-risk market intermediaries. The best part is being able to sit with actual traders on the trading floor and watch them process hundreds of orders and alerts! What do you love the most about your job? ASIC’s graduate program opens you up to a range of different career opportunities, even as a maths and statistics graduate. I can work on monitoring trades, supervising financial advisers and analysing credit banking data. Which three pieces of advice would you give to a current university student? ■ Be open-minded. As maths and statistics students, you can use your skills across a whole range of tasks. There are many career possibilities! ■ Always ask questions. My colleagues and buddies are very supportive and there is no such thing as a stupid question. ■ Connect and engage with people from a range of backgrounds and skills. You never know what you can learn from them!

Helen Liu studied a Bachelor of Financial Actuarial Mathematics and is a graduate analyst at ASIC.

Study Bachelor of Financial Actuarial Mathematics, University of California, Los Angeles, 2017

ROLE Graduate analyst, ASIC

Each day is different and dynamic – you never know what the market will throw at you.

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On the job

Callum Blake

Where did you grow up? I was born in Australia but spent my early childhood travelling around the Pacific. After a few years, my family moved to Canberra as a temporary stopover and never left!

or environmental biosecurity, I also work on human biosecurity concerns, helping to keep serious human diseases out of the country and assisting with the movement of human remains.

Over the years I’ve lived around Australia, Europe and the US, and was lucky enough to extensively travel.

Can you describe a typical workday? What was the last thing you worked on? A lot of time is spent liaising with stakeholders to ensure we are all working efficiently. We also work with a number of areas within the Department in setting policies and procedures for staff operating in airports and seaports, and improving the systems they use every day.

How did you get to your current job position? For how long have you had it? I put my name down on the Department’s temporary employment register. Within a week I had secured a non-ongoing position for three months. This worked out well as it gave me an awesome introduction to the work. When it had finished I went straight into the Department’s graduate program in 2018. Not long after, I was successful in obtaining an acting position at a higher grade. What was your interview process like? We were required to do a written assessment and cognitive testing online. A few months later, as a team, we were required to put together and deliver a presentation on a relevant topic in a short time. Our individual interviews were run as a ‘speed-dating’ experience, where several recruitment staff members were placed around the room and interviewees were given two minutes to speak to each. Questions ranged from what I was most passionate about, to why I was interested in the Department, to what I thought I could bring to the program and what I thought I could get out of it. What are your areas of responsibility? While a large proportion of my time is spent on agricultural

Callum Blake studied a Bachelor of Environmental Science (Resource and Environmental Management) (Honours) and is a policy officer at the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.

Study

Where could you or others in your position go from here? The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment encourages and supports staff mobility. There are also opportunities to move within the Australian Public Service to other departments and agencies.

Bachelor of Environmental Science (Resource and Environmental Management) (Honours), Australian National University, 2016

What do you love most about your job? I really like the variety of work I get to do in my job. Day to day and week to week I may be working with different people on a range of different projects, all while managing my business-as-usual activities.

ROLE

Which three pieces of advice would you give to a current university student? ■ Make sure you keep doing what you love. ■ See every experience as an opportunity to learn about yourself, your interests and skills. ■ Always remember that people come first.

Policy officer, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment

I really like the variety of work I get to do in my job.

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On the job

Priya

What does your work involve? As an intelligence Organisation, ASIO achieves their mission through collecting information (through human and technological sources), analysing it, drawing conclusions and sharing it with relevant bodies to act upon. As a member of IT security, I perform a wide variety of activities under the umbrella goal of ‘enabling ASIO through the secure use of technology’. Such activities include: providing advice to operational areas on their utilisation of technologies to perform technical intelligence collection; performing security assessments of ASIO’s IT systems to ascertain their fitness for holding classified information; and responding to cybersecurity incidents that may involve ASIO’s infrastructure and/or information holdings. What was your interview process like? I undertook several interviews related to my aptitude, personal background and psychological profile, each to help determine my ability to hold a high-level security clearance and work in the Organisation. Each interviewer was pleasant and it never truly felt like an interview – more like a conversation. I was encouraged to be myself. What do you love most about ASIO? I love knowing my work is directly contributing to the security of Australia and its citizens. Whether it be through enhancing the security of a system that holds classified information or assisting operational staff in the secure implementation of their systems, I can always draw a direct line between my work and the Organisation’s mission. I have a strong sense of purpose working at ASIO.

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Do you bear a lot of responsibility? Are stress levels high? There is certainly a lot of responsibility (and sometimes stress) that comes with working at ASIO, particularly within the cybersecurity space. This not only comes with the mission but also from balancing the wide variety of tasking you must undertake to support that mission. However, the sense of fulfilment when you complete that tasking always outweighs the stress. Plus, ASIO has several support functions to help its staff deal with stress, including internal psychologists who are available to work through any personal or professional stressors. Typically, ASIO staff work within sensitive compartmented information facilities (SCIFs), which allow us to view and handle classified information. Understandably, we can’t take such information outside of the SCIF, which means once we leave work each day, we are much better equipped to disconnect entirely. What advice would you give to a current student? ■ Always keep one eye on the big picture. Think of each task or event as a stepping stone to your big picture and you’ll find a lot more purpose in doing them. ■ It’s okay to not know what you want to do in life; that means you have virtually limitless options to try! I’ve met so many people within ASIO who started their careers in fields like entomology, music composition and baking but found their way here because they saw the opportunity to try something different and took it.

Priya studied a Bachelor of Information Technology (Business Analysis) and is an information technology security advisor at ASIO.

Study Bachelor of Information Technology (Business Analysis), Charles Sturt University, 2018

ROLE Information technology security advisor, ASIO

I have a strong sense of purpose working at ASIO.

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On the job

Sophia

How did you land at ASIO? Choosing a career after high school was really hard because I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I’ve always had an interest in IT and was working at Officeworks as a sales assistant in the IT department. I applied online for the IT Traineeship program during my year 12 exams and joined the Organisation at 18. The best thing about the traineeship is that I didn’t have to choose a specialisation when I started; I was exposed to a broad range of IT in real-world applications and then decided where I wanted to go. The IT Traineeship is really great because it has four six-month rotations. What are your areas of responsibility? As an IT trainee, there’s a lot of responsibility placed on us to manage both working in the Organisation and completing our studies at the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT). We have to ensure our CIT work is completed efficiently, to best utilise the time work gives us to attend classes and complete assignments. My responsibilities have changed depending on the team I am in, however I have never been alone in handling them. The more responsibility you ask for and prove you can handle, the more you will be given. In my experience, it’s best to speak up when you feel you could handle more. What is the last project you worked on? I worked on building a system from scratch, based on a system that existed in production.

This included building servers, allocating firewall rules, SQL database management, Windows administration (DNS, Active Directory, PowerShell etc), and building and maintaining the application. There was limited documentation with a lot of assumed knowledge. My task was to make sure I filled in the gaps to make the process easy to follow in the future. I enjoy most tasks I get given, but I like building Linux and Windows servers for clients the most. It’s nice to know that what I’m building will be used in a project to achieve a business requirement.

Sophia completed her year 12 certificate and is an ICT trainee at ASIO.

Study Year 12 certificate, 2017

ROLE IT trainee, ASIO

What’s the biggest limitation of your job? The biggest limitation is not having access to personal emails/ electronics while in the office. This can be taken as a positive, as it means there are not as many distractions. However, studying at CIT and not having access to personal emails causes delayed responses and a sense of disconnection, especially around exam time. I work Monday to Friday and the most stressful part of the job is CIT. Trying to find balance with work and exams was difficult. What advice would you give to a student? Think differently! If you want a career in a particular field but don’t want to rack up debt by going to university, there are heaps of options to choose from. Whether it’s TAFE, online courses or an internship, there are so many ways to start your career in IT.

The best thing about the traineeship is that I didn’t have to choose a specialisation when I started; I was exposed to a broad range of IT in real-world applications and then decided where I wanted to go.

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On the job

Sarah

Can you tell us about your work history? Since school, I’ve worked numerous jobs in IT support at the local university, as an engineer on residential construction sites, and with wind turbines and waste-toenergy facilities. What does your current employer do? Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation (AGO) is the lead geospatial and imagery intelligence organisation in Defence. Its purpose is to provide geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) from imagery and other sources in support of Australia’s defence and national interests. GEOINT is intelligence derived from the exploitation and analysis of imagery and geospatial information about features and events, with reference to space and time. Recently I have been focused on automating the workflows of other analysts in the organisation as well as for some of our customers. To do this, I spend a few days immersed within different teams to learn about how they work and how I can help them. Automation of repeatable workflows allows analysts and customers more time to complete other tasks and products. I really believe this is the way of the future. Suppose a student was considering your career. What would you advise them to study? We have everyone from engineers to people with history degrees – as long as you can think critically and creatively! If I was recommending courses, I would www.gradaustralia.com.au

suggest geographic information system (GIS) courses, international relations, remote sensing, surveying, cartography, earth and environmental science, engineering or geomatics and spatial systems. However, AGO has a training program that all graduates partake in. Should students pursue work experience? I would consider work experience as incredibly important. All the jobs I had prior to working in Defence have set me up to succeed; they don’t have to be relevant to your degree to teach you a lesson. Prior to coming to AGO I already knew how to work within teams, how to research and how to conduct analysis. I would recommend that if students are curious to know a little more about AGO, they visit our website at www.ago.gov.au and try out the photo interpretation challenges. These are challenging and so much fun! What do you love about your job? I love the people. I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with, and see the mateship between, civilian and military personnel. I also enjoy the long-term projects – ones where I’m presented with a challenge that involves prototyping and testing to solve it. Do you bear a lot of responsibility? We bear responsibility as we handle classified information and are expected to hold a high clearance. However, unlike my friends in consulting firms, I’m not expected to work on weekends or unreasonable hours.

Sarah studied a Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Engineering (Electronic and Environmental) (Hons). Sarah is an intelligence officer at the Australian GeospatialIntelligence Organisation, Department of Defence.

Study Bachelor of Science/ Bachelor of Engineering (Electronic and Environmental) (Hons), Australian National University, 2015

ROLE Intelligence officer, Australian GeospatialIntelligence Organisation

Automation of repeatable workflows allows analysts and customers more time to complete other tasks and products. I really believe this is the way of the future.

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On the job

Zayne

What are you currently studying? A Master of Systems Engineering through the University of New South Wales (Australian Defence Force Academy). How did you get to your current job position? Whilst growing up, I always had a passion for aviation and the military, which led me to join the Australian Air Force Cadets (AAFC). All the years and time spent at the AAFC instilled in me a great sense of pride for the sacrifice and work our members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) undertake on a daily basis. This drove me towards exploring careers relating to the ADF and the Australian Department of Defence (DoD). Not too long after my bachelor’s degree, I found myself applying for the graduate program within the Australian DoD. Whilst on the program, I experienced unique opportunities right across the Defence workforce. My first rotation saw me working in the project acquisition phase, where my team and I were responsible for acquiring two landing helicopter docs – Australia’s largest ships in the Royal Australian Navy’s fleet at present. During my second rotation, I was fortunate to organise an out-of-stream rotation with the Special Operations Engineering Regiment within the Royal Australian Army. I was based at Holsworthy Barracks and the work exposed me to the rapid acquisition process of specialist equipment used in the chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive environments. I was also lucky enough to conduct some test trials with the explosive detection working dogs. Following this, I ventured into the project sustainment environment and

completed my third rotation at the mine clearance and diving system program office based within HMAS Waterhen. I successfully graduated from the Defence Capability Pathway program in February 2017. What does your employer do? The Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG) are primarily responsible for purchasing and maintaining military equipment and supplies. Military equipment ranges from acquiring new aircraft (eg Joint Strike Fighter project), ships (eg Future Frigates project) and submarines (eg Future Submarine project) to new weapon systems, army land vehicles and modernisation of soldier kits. CASG manages nationally significant projects that are unparalleled in their size, cost, timescale, risk profile and level of technological complexity. The core business is to deliver cuttingedge capabilities to the ADF. What do you love about your job? Working with cutting-edge technology and being exposed to unique opportunities and experiences has always kept me motivated. The idea of working on projects which have a direct influence on supporting the men and women serving overseas to protect our nation and its national interests drives my work on a daily basis. The great benefit of working for Defence is you get a flexible working arrangement, great remuneration packages and all weekends and public holidays are work free. Any final words of wisdom? A person who portrays a strong sense of teamwork, professionalism, leadership, integrity, courage and innovation will excel and be a great asset to the Australian DoD.

Zayne studied a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) (Hons) and is a SEA1448 Phase 4B project engineer at the Department of Defence.

Study Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) (Hons), University of Wollongong, 2014

ROLE SEA1448 Phase 4B project engineer, Department of Defence

I have always had a passion for aviation and the military…

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On the job

Emily Renshaw

How did you get to your current job position? I applied for the DELWP Science & Planning Graduate Program in the final year of my postgraduate degree. Through this process, I applied for the graduate water policy officer position, which I am currently in. I believe I was offered this position due to my passion to work within the water resource and catchment management sector, my academic knowledge and transferable skills (written and verbal communication, data analysis etc.) and my internship experience in a government-based organisation. Our two-year graduate program allows us to rotate between three teams/locations. I have been part of the program for just over a year now and am currently in my second rotation. What are your areas of responsibility? My position falls within the water & catchments group at DELWP. Water & catchments is responsible for effectively managing Victoria’s water resources to meet future urban, rural and environmental needs and works in partnership with stakeholders including water corporations and catchment management authorities. Within my first rotation, in the licensing, groundwater & unregulated systems (LGUS) team, I was involved in drafting forwards, diagrams and charts for policy documents; analysing data to produce a key performance indicator report; writing ministerial correspondence and presenting in stakeholder meetings. Within my second rotation, in the groundwater & streams team at Goulburn-Murray Water, I have undertaken risk-based assessments www.gradaustralia.com.au

of groundwater use applications, which assess potential impacts of groundwater extraction from this user on the environment and neighbouring groundwater users; the collection, input and analysis of groundwater use data; presentations to teams and community committees, and field work.

Emily Renshaw studied a Bachelor of Environmental Science (Geographical Science) and Master of Environment (Integrated Water Catchment Management). Emily is a graduate water resource officer at the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP).

What are the career prospects with your job? You can move sideways through secondment opportunities to gain broad experience across your department group and/or move up to become a senior project or policy officer, who takes lead on a project or policy. If you’re interested in managing others, you can make your way up to be a manager or director.

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As you gain experience within your group, there are always opportunities to move to another department group (from water & catchments to environment & climate change), to move into a consultancy or to work for a stakeholder (water corporation, Parks Victoria, catchment management authority). Which kind of task do you enjoy the most? I enjoy tasks that require research or seeking knowledge from others, including tasks I feel I can take ownership of. I also enjoy being given the opportunity to present on work I have been involved in. What advice would you give to a current university student? Once in a graduate position, say yes to every opportunity and seek the possibility to undertake a regional rotation. As a graduate, it is your aim to network, shadow others and expose yourself to varying projects across teams, which will allow a broader understanding of the department’s responsibilities and projects.

Bachelor of Environmental Science (Geographical Science), Monash University, 2016; Master of Environment (Integrated Water Catchment Management), University of Melbourne, 2018

ROLE Graduate water resource officer, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

As a graduate, it is your aim to network, shadow others and expose yourself to varying projects across teams, which will allow a broader understanding of the department’s responsibilities and projects.

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On the job

Christopher Tassone

How did you gravitate towards this field? I started working as a carpenter apprentice on weekends and I was introduced to computer programming. I fell in love with the ability to solve complex problems by combining multiple methods, and running my code and receiving instant feedback. It was then that I decided to become a software developer. After completing my bachelor’s degree, my supervisor asked me to apply for a scholarship to undertake a PhD, continuing my research in the field of digital forensic visualisation. Last year I was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy and realised how far I have come. I saw the graduate development program advertisement in the public sector job search website and applied. The selection process had several stages including an online test and face-to-face interview. What does your job involve? I am an information and communications technology (ICT) graduate at the Department of Home Affairs. The Department of Home Affairs is a global organisation dedicated to the protection and prosperity of Australia. The graduate program provides each graduate with an opportunity to move around the Department through scheduled rotations. I have been responsible for conducting enterprise data warehouse roles; producing architecture overview diagrams to illustrate the connections between different datasets, systems and teams; different data exploration projects to identify potential patterns and value of new and existing datasets; and developing an advance analytics Confluence Lexicon page. My typical day can range from producing architecture documents and frameworks to going to meetings with other colleagues, providing professional advice and

leading projects with different stakeholders. What advice would you give to students who are considering your career? Make sure you study what you’re passionate about and don’t wait until the end of your studies to enter your chosen field! As soon as you start your studies, look for work experience, internships and apprenticeships. Even donate your time to charities to build your skills. Remember that applying for jobs is an art. Customise each resume and use the STAR method!

Christopher Tassone studied a Bachelor of Software Engineering (Hons) and a Doctorate of Philosophy (Digital Forensic Visualisation). Christopher is an ICT graduate at the Department of Home Affairs.

My department accepts graduates from different disciplines including arts, sciences, economics, mathematics, business, finance and data analytics. The skills required to succeed in my career include critical thinking; complex problem solving; good judgement and decision making; excellent written and verbal communication; and the ability to establish positive relationships and be supportive of a workplace culture that values diversity, respect and inclusion.

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What do you love the most about your job? I love gaining exposure to the Department’s hardware and data flow environments, enterprise data analytic development and deployment capability across several domains including visa, cargo, traveller, trade and mail.

ICT graduate, Department of Home Affairs

What’s the biggest limitation? Every day, I enjoy being part of this Department. Being away from my hometown of Adelaide is hard. However, my supportive colleagues have helped me settle into life in Canberra and I appreciate the Department’s flexible working arrangements, which assists when flying home to see my family.

Bachelor of Software Engineering (Hons), University of South Australia, 2012; Doctorate of Philosophy (Digital Forensic Visualisation), University of South Australia, 2017

ROLE

Make sure you study what you’re passionate about and don’t wait until the end of your studies to enter your chosen field!

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On the job

Harrison Martin

How did you choose your profession? I considered a number of different professions but ultimately settled on a role in government as I believed my work would have an impact on the decision-making of government. I did consider other departments, however the interesting projects and responsibilities of the Department of Infrastructure’s portfolio were definitely a big factor in my final decision. What was your interview process like? The interview took the form of a panel interview with four representatives from the Department on one side and myself on the other. The interviewers were enthusiastic and you could see they wanted the candidates to give the best of themselves. They also sought further clarification on technical answers provided to them, which is the best indication that they are really interested in you. Generally, the questions asked were not specific to my academic or professional background but rather focused on broader issues like problem solving, stakeholder management and behavioural attributes. What does your employer do? The Department is responsible for designing and implementing the Australian Government’s infrastructure, transport, regional development and cities policies, programs and regulations. This supports the government in achieving a strong economy and thriving communities, now and for the future. The Department delivers against five purposes through eight Budget programs: ■ Supporting economic growth through transport ■ Making travel safer ■ Increasing transport access www.gradaustralia.com.au

■ Supporting regional development, local communities and cities ■ Providing good governance in the territories. I started my time with the Department through the graduate development program in 2018. I rotated through three very different sections, getting exposure to policy, regulatory and corporate functions of government. I finally landed in the market conditions team in the infrastructure investment division. I am responsible for developing evidence-based policy on different topics affecting the major infrastructure market. What was the last thing you worked on? A market intelligence gathering exercise, to help the Department form a position on an issue affecting the contracting of major infrastructure projects that have gained recent attention. What are the career prospects with your job? Outside of government, the skill set I hold would have broader applications in the resource and construction sectors, and a good knowledge of the workings of government would put you in a desirable position to enter these fields. What do you love the most about your job? In addition to being in a knowledgerich and caring team, I have also managed to land in a section that is influential in the decisions of government. This means there is an emphasis on research and ensuring the policy advice provided is sound in its evidence base. What’s the biggest limitation? Given the broad range of topics the team works on and the relative short turnaround time, there often isn’t the time to research a task as much as you would like.

Harrison Martin studied a Bachelor of Environmental Science and is a team member in the market conditions team at the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications.

Study Bachelor of Environmental Science, University of Canberra, 2015

ROLE Team member, market conditions team, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications

The interviewers were enthusiastic and you could see they wanted the candidates to give the best of themselves.

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On the job

Edwin Anderson

Can you tell us about your education and any previous employment? I had no idea what I wanted to do going into university. I travelled extensively to Sri Lanka, Italy, Turkey and Spain and also studied abroad, volunteered and worked every job under the sun, including hospitality, retail, admin, legal and engineering. All of these experiences helped me to slowly figure out what I enjoyed and where I could perhaps see a career for myself.

means you get the chance to influence policy at early stages and subsequently advise the government on what is the best policy. This means new deadlines might pop up and you have to adapt.

How did you choose your specialisation? I realised the things I enjoyed always involved a sense of giving back. I connected the dots and a job in the public service seemed to align perfectly. I chose to apply to public policy because I knew it involved two things: intense teamwork (something I loved during my engineering degree) and a chance to give back, however small that may be.

What are the career prospects? The best part of the graduate year at PM&C are the rotations, as they allow you to try out almost any area within PM&C. Graduates are working in everything from behavioral economics and the Office for Women, to social policy including education, immigration and infrastructure. I am excited to try new things and learn as much as possible.

What does your employer do? The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) provides advice to the prime minister, the Cabinet and our portfolio ministers on almost any issue â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from social, womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, economic and international policy through to issues of national security. We are in the heart of the government. It is fast paced, consultative and a lot of fun. I am currently working within the climate change and energy team working specifically on international climate and liquid fuels. Can you describe a typical work day? As cliche as it sounds, there really is no typical day. Being at PM&C

Edwin Anderson studied a Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering/Bachelor of Laws and is a graduate at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

The last thing I worked on was writing a brief to the prime minister on an emerging issue. I had to coordinate with many different areas within PM&C to provide robust advice, so the prime minister could make the best decision.

I love that my work requires me to work collaboratively not just with my colleagues, but with public servants from across government. I really thrive off working with people to solve a common problem. What advice would you give to a student? Find companies that align with your values. I know this is hard because the job market is competitive and almost every company seems to be an eco-conscious warrior. I sifted through the marketing jargon and really identified with the public service. PM&C really aligned with my values and my type of work.

Study Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering/Bachelor of Laws, Monash University, 2018

ROLE Graduate, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

We are in the heart of the government. It is fast paced, consultative and a lot of fun.

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On the job

Kate Newborn

What is your job title? User researcher. What do you love about your job? My role is heavily involved in user research. Being involved in the government allows me to talk to a diversity of people. There are always things to learn by talking to users or potential users of a service. I can find out what people are trying to achieve, what they do to accomplish this and how they feel about it. I learn what problems they experience and what opportunities there might be to improve things. I get huge satisfaction in listening to problems and undertaking practical change to make every user experience optimal. Can you tell us about the graduate program? The graduate program is great because you can customise it to your skills and experience, so you are constantly learning new things. As an older graduate (I started when I was 30) I’ve had a few office jobs and have established processes that work for me. Before the program I was a web developer. I loved coding, but I had skills in research, analysis and design as well. I applied for the program because I wanted to explore those other skills. This was great because I was exposed to different skills and aspects of the job through my rotations. If you stay open to different experiences, graduate programs can be the perfect way to discover new paths. I couldn’t be happier with my new career in user research. It uses a much broader www.gradaustralia.com.au

range of my skills and challenges me in ways I find much more satisfying. What does a typical day look like? Apart from a stand-up meeting, what I do each day varies according to my tasks. This makes me super excited to come to work because I know I will get a new experience each day. We work by flextime, which means we can make up hours when needed, which is great when we have other commitments. What has been your most inspiring project? In my final rotation I worked on a project that involved gaining a deep understanding of what people experienced when having a child in Australia. In a small team we looked at people’s journeys through pregnancy, birth and caring for a baby and the services they used throughout. We outlined the many activities someone might encounter during this life event and then mapped government and nongovernment services relevant to those activities.

Kate Newborn studied a Bachelor of Web Design and Production and is a user researcher at the Australian Government Digital Emerging Talent Programs.

E M E RG I N G TA L E N T P RO G R A M S

Study Bachelor of Web Design and Production, University of Canberra, 2017

ROLE User researcher, Digital Emerging Talent Programs

The map started out as a physical artefact, with post-it notes on a wall. It was about eight metres long! I found it eye-opening to see the number of complex situations expectant and new parents had to deal with and the huge potential for improvement if services worked together. What advice would you give to a student? Stay flexible! There are lots of careers that will suit you; don’t dismiss opportunities just because they’re not what you envisioned for yourself.

If you stay open to different experiences, graduate programs can be the perfect way to discover new paths. I couldn’t be happier with my new career in user research.

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On the job

Sai Lyons

What’s your job title? Adviser, Indigenous data analysis and research section, National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA). How did you get to this position? I completed a rotation in the Indigenous affairs group of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. This was just prior to the NIAA being stood up as its own agency as part of the 2019 federal election. What was your interview process like? The application process was really different to others I had experienced. There was a written application, followed by online psychometric testing. We were then invited to an assessment centre where, we participated in a written assessment, a speed dating style interview and an escape room! The interview room was set up with eight or so stations, each with different interviewers who asked different questions. I had about ten minutes at each station. I really liked this system, because each new station felt like a fresh start, particularly if I had just answered a tough question or wasn’t confident with my answer. The escape room was designed to test our teamwork and problem-solving skills. It was a fun challenge that helped calm our assessment centre nerves. What does your employer do? The NIAA is committed to implementing the government’s policies and programs to improve the lives of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The NIAA works to influence policy across the entire Australian Government. We liaise closely with state and territory governments, Indigenous peak bodies, stakeholders and

service providers to ensure that Indigenous programs and services are delivering for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as intended. I was in the legal, employment, environment and evaluation group where I specifically worked in the policy analysis and evaluation branch. It was so rewarding to be working on policy that will have an impact on the lives of First Australian’s in our community. What are your areas of responsibility? My team provides thoughtful policy advice by thinking deeply and creatively, and consulting widely. The NIAA has many areas of focus including Closing the Gap, community safety, constitutional recognition, economic development, education, employment, health and wellbeing, and Indigenous voices. What do you love the most about your job? I really feel I am contributing and making an impact to improve the lives of Australians. I enjoy working in a fast-paced environment with people who really care about their work and know their stuff. I love that I have been able to put my STEM background and skills to use in so many different policy areas. Whilst at the NIAA I worked in the Indigenous data analysis and research section. I worked specifically on overcrowding in remote Australia where I had to contribute useful data to the development of a brief. It was awesome to be able to use my research and analytical skills developed from my degree to provide the most up-to-date research for my team.

Sai Lyons studied a Bachelor of Science (Human Biology) and is currently completing a Master of Public Health. Sai is an advisor at the National Indigenous Australians Agency.

Study Bachelor of Science (Human Biology), Master of Public Health, Australian National University, ongoing

ROLE Adviser, Indigenous Data Analysis and Research Section, National Indigenous Australians Agency

I love that I have been able to put my STEM background and skills to use in so many different policy areas.

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On the job

Sarah Aldrich

What’s your job title? Graduate policy officer – conservation and sustainability team, green and resilient places branch, Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE). How did you choose your specialisation? I decided to work for the NSW Government as I knew I would perform best if I was passionate about my work and confident that it would have a positive impact on the people of NSW and the environment. I knew working in the public sector would allow me many opportunities for progression and movement into different teams, branches and departments. I also knew I would have a good work-life balance and stable employment with a competitive salary. What does your employer do? My team at DPIE are working on developing the Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan (CPCP) for the bio-certification of growth areas in Western Sydney. This involves strategically planning the location and management of conservation sites that offset the damage caused by development in growth areas. This involves research, policy writing and engagement with a wide array of stakeholders. What are your areas of responsibility? My main responsibilities have included helping create, edit and update the monitoring, evaluation and reporting framework for the CPCP, and helping manage the team’s relationships with our stakeholders and delivery partners. I acted as the single point of contact between the branch and www.gradaustralia.com.au

a consultancy firm and acted as secretariat at a weekly meeting with them. I conducted a lot of research projects, researching the potential use of blockchain technology to possible survey methods for the different threatened species in our project area. Can you describe a typical day? A typical day involves going through my emails, attending meetings about projects and undertaking specific tasks and spreadsheets. I sometimes have a quick chat with my manager about my progress, and like to have lunch with the other graduates and work on my Diploma of Government. What do you love about your job? I love that my job allows me to make a difference to the lives of the people of NSW as well as to the environment. I love that my job allows me to have good work-life balance, mentoring, networking, training and skill development. I also love that I am exposed to a wide variety of tasks and my managers have really tried to help me develop my skills in my areas of interest. What’s the biggest limitation? Are the stress levels high? Having three six-month rotations is good for access to a variety of tasks and workplaces. It can feel a little difficult moving as you feel you are just getting the hang of everything and then you are moved to another place, but this does not detract from the program. In the way of stress, I bear a level of responsibility suitable for me and if I ever need help, I am always able to get support from my team.

Sarah Aldrich studied a Bachelor of Science (Biology) and is a graduate policy officer in the Conservation and Sustainability team at the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.

Study Bachelor of Science (Biology), University of Sydney, 2018

ROLE Graduate policy officer, Conservation and Sustainability team, Green and Resilient Places branch, Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.

I also knew I would have a good work-life balance and stable employment with a competitive salary.

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Further Study

Sarah Strugnell

What made you decide to apply for the Crawford School? When I was living in Japan in 2017 as part of the Hamer Scholarship Program, I was on a train going from my host family’s house to university. While I was scrolling through Twitter, I saw that the Australian National University (ANU) Crawford School of Public Policy had signed a double masters partnership with the University of Tokyo. Without even really knowing what public policy was, I applied to the ANU! I had been to the ANU in 2016 as part of Asia Pacific Week (APW), which is an annual conference held at the ANU for 100 leaders from around the world engaging in the AsiaPacific region. Thanks to APW, I had a general idea about the campus. Looking back on it now, it was a really big risk, but it has certainly helped me to approach things from a whole new angle. How did you choose your further study course? After applying directly to Crawford School, I went along to a number of other information nights for postgraduate study in Melbourne, but I was completely sold on the idea that I could potentially graduate with two master’s degrees from two different internationally renowned universities. Despite what people say about Canberra, it is arguably the place to be for anyone interested in studying policy and government. This year I was selected for the Young Australians in International Affairs Young Leaders Series, which enabled me to go to places such as the

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to hear from some of Australia’s key policymakers in the Asia-Pacific region. What skills do you hope to gain by completing this course? I know that I will look back on my time at Crawford School and see it as an important juncture in my learning that allowed me to formally join my background in science with my interest in language and cultural studies. I have gained a greater understanding of how contentious policy-making is and the importance of applying critical thinking skills to policy programs that claim to impact the lives of citizens. My background in science and the humanities, as well as languages, has been invaluable for looking at policy from so many different complex angles. I think if you go into a program like this with an open mind, you will get so much more out of it. Crawford School has a vibrant group of brilliant students who will teach you a great deal about how you grapple with conflicting values. What do you love about your course? The people. From the academic and administrative staff to the close cohorts, Crawford School is an exciting place to study. Crawford School has its own academic skills advisors who are always there to keep you on the right track and help you towards setting your own academic goals (whatever they may be!).

Sarah Strugnell is studying the Master of Public Policy at Crawford School of Public Policy.

COURSE Master of Public Policy

visit crawford.anu.edu.au/ study/graduate-degrees/ master-public-policy

From the academic and administrative staff to the close cohorts, Crawford School is an exciting place to study.

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Retail and consumer goods

Overview Retailing describes the practice of earning a profit by selling goods and services to consumers. This industry includes small local retailers and transnational businesses, such as Amazon, Costco and Target.

between ten and thirty per cent of Australian retail transactions are conducted online. These stores often eschew customer-facing roles, instead employing warehouse stockists, administrative staff and various other participants in a supply chain that is, to the consumer, mostly invisible.

What’s involved? While you may think first of customer-facing roles when you hear the phrase ‘retail sector’, there’s an enormous industry of people who work behind the scenes to ensure that retailers remain competitive and consumer needs are met. In Australia, the retail industry employs some 1.2 million people. The domestic retail market turns over about $120 billion each year, contributing between seven and eight per cent of gross domestic product.

Larger retailers, such as department stores, global brands and franchise companies, often have a large back-office division that focuses on administrative, financial and other responsibilities. This is where you’ll find business strategists, senior managerial staff, consumer analysts and more.

Where do they work? Retail employees work everywhere where there are retail stores and Australia has many thousands of them. However, that’s only half the story –

Coles are looking for graduates to deliver new strategy and ‘sustainably feed all Australians to help them lead healthier, happier lives’.

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Entering the retail sector There are several graduate programs in the retail sector, most of which are offered by larger companies like Coles, L’Oreal, Woolworths, Myer and Aldi. Large retailers also directly hire professionals to work in various departments, such as finance and administration, human resources and training,

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Joining Mars’ graduate program, which is known as the Mars leadership experience, will kick off three rewarding years packed with great experiences, opportunities and learning.

STEM graduates may use their analytical skills and creativity to pursue retail careers that don’t draw directly on their STEM skills. logistics, information technology, store operations and marketing. How can I take advantage of my STEM background? STEM graduates may use their analytical skills and creativity to pursue retail careers that don’t draw directly on their STEM skills. While some such careers may require specific training – marketers, for example, will generally be expected to possess a marketing qualification – other advisory, administrative and managerial roles are more ‘degree agnostic’. There are also a limited number of positions within the retail sector that specifically call upon the services of STEM graduates. These include roles for data analysts and computer programmers. Career prospects With the arrival in Australia of new retail giants like Amazon, the retail sector will need to grow and adapt, relying increasingly on the management of online retail processes, efficient supply chains and the ability to understand changing consumer behaviour. Graduates can build careers that support these endeavours and the future of retail in Australia.

Popular degrees sought by this industry

Learn more

Mechanical engineering

page 36

Electrical engineering

page 26

Robotics and mechatronics engineering

page 44

Chemical engineering

page 22

Manufacturing engineering

page 30

Chemistry

page 78

Food and nutritional science

page 84

Biochemistry

page 74

Data science

page 64

Mathematics

page 50

Statistics

page 52

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Day in the life

Neelesh Patil

5.30 AM My thought every morning: ‘It’s so early, what am I doing?!’ But I’m up and it’s time to get moving. I go to the lounge, roll the mat out and get stretching. It’s yoga time! 6.00 AM I like to enjoy taking my time getting ready, so I’m generally quite slow in the morning. 7.15 AM I’m ready to head off to work. My commute is a difficult 30-minute stroll. 7.45 AM Focus time. I consider this the most important time in the day. I write down the most important things I need to complete for the day and make sure I complete them during this time. I’m currently assisting the project manager with the launching of our new BP Rewards program, so my main priority for this morning is ensuring the project schedule is up to date and identifying the key risk items for the week that need to be completed. 9.00 AM Catch up with the project manager to discuss which priorities I think we should be talking about in the upcoming weekly stand-up, and what we should get the team to focus on during the week. With a project of this scale, it’s important we get the team focusing on the ‘burning bridges’ of this week. 9.30 AM Time to get to my emails. I try to avoid looking at my emails until I’ve completed the most critical items. I find emails a little bit www.gradaustralia.com.au

distracting, so I generally turn off notifications or don’t even open Outlook until I’m ready. 10.30 AM My brain needs a break. I grab my banana and go for a small stroll. The office is located in Docklands, so I generally walk towards the water and back. 11.00 AM Time for the weekly project meeting. I pull up the activities that are outstanding and need to be completed during the week, and together as a team we go through each item. It’s a bit of an odd experience being a graduate and telling a room full of well experienced colleagues what their priorities are for the week, but what an experience and opportunity for me! 12.00 PM Lunch. Lunch for me is always 12.00 pm on the dot and always in the kitchen with mates. Today I have my favourite: rice and daal.

Neelesh Patil studied a Bachelor of Engineering/ Bachelor of Commerce and is now a marketing coordinator at BP.

program and it’s getting to the time of year where I need to start looking for a role to move into after the graduate program. My mentor has been brilliant in helping me navigate through the organisation. It can be so difficult in the early years knowing which pathway to choose. 4.00 PM Wrap up a few last minute things, then I’m ready to go home.

1.00 PM After grabbing some caffeine, I re-write my priorities for the afternoon. I generally jump back on my emails to see if anything critical has come up.

5.00 PM After I reach home, I quickly cook some dinner. Tonight, I have a game of ultimate frisbee, so I have my usual pre-frisbee dinner of pasta.

1.30 PM Focus time. Today I’m working in collaboration with the operations and offer workstream leads to develop customer journeys for how the new program will look once we go live.

7.40 PM Game time! It’s time to play some disc!

3.00 PM Catch up with my mentor. This is my last year on the graduate

9.50 PM After licking our wounds with a close loss I’m back home. I am spent! I have a quick bite to eat and then I’m off to bed.

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Day in the life

Belinda Hardiman

7.00 AM Beep. Beep. Snooze. Every morning my alarm goes off at 7.05 am and I eventually get up and get ready for my day (I am not a morning person!). For breakfast I make some poached eggs on toast and a mug of English breakfast tea. I jump on my bike and am ready for my 20-minute leisurely ride to work on the Gardiner Creek Trail. 8.00 AM I arrive at work and head down to the Coles gym where I have a shower and get ready. I make my way to the Coles Hub (atrium) where I buy a skinny latte extra hot (I am one of those people!) and catch up with a colleague. 8.30 AM Working as a digital analyst in martech (marketing technology),

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my job is to make difficult processes easier, measure the impact of marketing activities and drive more efficient spending. I use data to understand what our customers are doing online so I can tailor and create enhanced experiences. In the morning I read and sort my emails and create tickets in Jira (agile project management and bug tracking tool) with tasks. I like to use this time to prioritise my workload and set myself up for the day.

Belinda Hardiman studied a Bachelor of Communication Design/Bachelor of Business (Marketing) and is a digital graduate at Coles.

9.00 AM I have my first meeting for the day where I update my stakeholders about their channel’s performance. I have created a self-service dashboard in Adobe Analytics that provides real-time data. I like to use this time to gather requirements for further dashboard enhancements.

10.00 AM I get back to my desk and open Jira so I can move the tickets I completed yesterday to ‘done’ and start prioritising what I need to do. I decide to work on updating a stakeholder dashboard with their upcoming campaign so we can have it ready when it goes live. I use

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Jabber (internal messenger) when creating these workspaces so I can confirm with the stakeholder that I am including all the relevant metrics they report on. 12.00 PM Lunch time – and I am hungry! I typically meal prep and bring my lunch from home, but today I felt indulgent. I head down to the Hub (food court) where I grab a salad from Courtney Roulston (Season 2 MasterChef finalist). I then go and join the other grads outside in the courtyard, where we talk about upcoming music festivals and holidays. 1.00 PM After lunch I have another stakeholder meeting where I provide updates on how different segments of customers are using the website. I provide flow visualisations, funnels and fallouts to demonstrate processes and pages that are performing well and where opportunities can be found. 2.00 PM Now it’s time for our weekly workin-progress meeting. As a team we go through what we have achieved, what we learnt and what we could do to improve from the previous week. We also look at all our Jira tickets so that we can allocate resources and understand our team’s capacity. This session sets our team up for success as it helps prioritise our workloads and keeps us informed on what everyone is doing. 3.00 PM I see an email from the sensory booth; they are looking for 20 people to sample gingerbread houses. I walk (run) to the test kitchens and do a blind tasting of three different gingerbread houses and complete an online survey. 3.30 PM I get back to my desk and start actioning tasks. I send an email to a stakeholder with commentary from Hotjar (a heatmapping tool). I also create a Confluence page that documents the requirements for

tagging a campaign and continue to monitor the performance of multiple websites. 5.00 PM Home time! I make my way back to the gym’s changing rooms and get ready for my ride home. I always enjoy cycling home (particularly in spring when the weather is good), as it allows me to relax and switch off from work. 6.00 PM I have nothing to eat at my house, so I walk with my partner to our

local Coles supermarket to pick up some sausages and salad for dinner. We head to the park where we have a BBQ and kick the footy. 7.30 PM It’s Amazing Race time! I relax on the couches with my partner and housemate, and drink some Camomile tea. 10.30 PM Bed time!

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Day in the life

Alyssia Santilli

5.45 AM I never thought I would be a morning person. Before starting full-time work, I would laugh at friends who raved about an early morning wake up and gym session – it’s like they looked forward to it!? And yet, I am here being one of those people. These days I rarely even wait for my alarm to go off! The body clock wakes up at 5.43 am to be precise, I (rarely) jump out of bed and slip on those runners ready for a F45 or pilates session! 7.00 AM Rushing around the house to make the 8.10 am train is often a tight squeeze! 8.45 AM I arrive at work to be greeted by the bubbly FSQ team. It is always great to start the day with a friendly smile. While eating breakfast, I check my calendar and email, and create a daily to-do list. This way, I am set up to have a successful day of work. 10.00 AM As it is the start of the year and the business is finalising the NPD pipeline, I make my way down to South Melbourne where the ready meals marketing team are presenting concepts to our regular consumers. Focus groups allow us to gain an insight into individuals opinions, expectations and recommendations. It is really exciting to hear the creative and innovative concepts that the marketing team have put forward. As we sit behind a one-way mirror, we listen to the opinions of the consumers and make notes on www.gradaustralia.com.au

how we can amend the concepts and bring the products to life. 12.00 PM Lunchtime! Being a part of a graduate program is great as you make such awesome friends! Often we will all meet up, talk about things other than work and fit in a 15-minute walk. 1.00 PM It is R&D’s responsibility to create all the on-pack information. This includes calculating the nutrition information panel, writing up the ingredient list and ensuring all claims are validated. Currently I am working on a mac & cheese innovation product that will hit the shelves soon. I have received nutritional analysis results from our labs and will begin doing some calculations to understand if we can meet dietary fibre and calcium claims! Once completed, this document will be sent to our regulatory affairs and legal team to review and approve. 2.30 PM Time for a quick, cross-functional team meeting on an upcoming innovation. We review the timelines and create an action plan for everyone to achieve by the next meeting (normally run on a fortnightly basis). We are in initial stages working with the co-packer to develop bench samples, so I update everyone on how we are tracking. 3.00 PM My body thanks me for the early morning gym workout! While my colleagues are hitting threethirty-itis, I am full of energy and ready to smash out my afternoon

Alyssia Santilli studied a Bachelor of Food and Nutrition Science (Exercise Science) and is a R&D technologist at Kraft Heinz.

meetings. First up is a tasting! People in the office love to wander through the kitchen while a tasting is occurring, just for the free food! Sometimes we even have McDonald’s fries or nuggets (if it is a ketchup tasting). Today we are completing a competitor tasting for our frozen meal category. We do this at least once a year for each of our categories to see what is happening in the market, what new innovative products have launched and to benchmark products to assist us in developing new projects. We have about 15 products to taste, starting from healthy plant-based meals, moving to the hearty, cheeseoozing pasta dishes that really pack a punch! 4.00 PM I dial into a Skype call with people across the Australia and New Zealand business. Often, I have people reaching out to me for assistance in how to use Microsoft Project to manage their project timelines. As part of my graduate program, we had a project that

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focused on an area of the business that needed improvement. I created Microsoft Project timeline templates, which are unique to different types of projects we run at Kraft Heinz. This now assists teams to launch projects in a realistic timeframe. As this is a new software, I often hold training sessions. 4.30 PM Now to finish off the day with another tasting: mac & cheese. The marketing, consumer insights, quality and R&D members who

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worked on developing the mac & cheese line extension SKUs come together monthly to monitor the shelf life of the product over time. We check the appearance, texture, how creamy the sauce covers the pasta, the flavour and the mouthfeel. This is all documented and compared to previous months to note if there are any changes over shelf life. There are rarely any leftovers! 5.15 PM As the office starts to wind down, I review my to-do list for the day. I

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check my schedule for tomorrow, sign off and cheerfully say goodbye to the team. 6.15 PM I arrive home and change into my comfy ‘couch clothes’! One ritual post dinner is to prep my breakfast, morning snack, lunch and afternoon snack (I know… I own a lot of Tupperware containers), and then hit the couch for some well deserved Netflix!

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On the job

Tory Rowley James

What’s your job title? I am a second-year MECCA Brands graduate in the IT Data team. Why did you choose this specialisation and MECCA specifically? I’ve always loved maths and problem solving, and data analysis is an organic progression/natural fit. It’s exciting that these skills are now transferable to non-traditional industries and roles. I chose the MECCA Brands Graduate Program because I wanted an unfiltered entry into a game-changing business. I wanted to work in a role where I could use my technical ability, as well as be exposed to diverse experiences and develop well roundedness. Graduate programs are accelerated experiences and force you to learn and adapt to new environments quickly. MECCA is a game changer in the beauty space, globally. The environment is fast paced and extremely unique. Although I tossed up alternatives, based on all the information I had about MECCA and the opportunity I was looking for, it was the right choice for me. What was your interview process like? The process included an initial application, cognitive testing and a full day at the graduate recruitment forum at the Mecca Support Centre in Melbourne. This included two group activities and two individual interviews. The group interviews were focused on working in a team, brainstorming a project and managing unexpected change on short notice. The individual interviews were focused on understanding the detail of my technical ability as well as

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my cultural alignment with the business. Employers take a deep dive into your background and personality to assess not only your competency for the role, but to ensure you’re a good culture fit. I believe what made me successful, was being authentic, self-aware in my response and being able to think on the spot. What does your employer do? MECCA Brands is the leading beauty retailer across Australia and New Zealand. I’m currently placed in MECCA’s IT Data team, and I’m responsible for data delivery for a wide range of departments. Currently I’m working on building dashboards in Tableau for different departments and working on a CRM attribution model. Which tasks do you enjoy the most? I thrive in an environment where I have the freedom to choose my own adventure and go after the big rocks. I love working on tasks that have not been tapped into yet and are an innovative step in the future for the business.

Tory Rowley James studied a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance, Data Analysis) and is a secondyear MECCA Brands graduate in the IT Data team.

Study Bachelor of Commerce (Finance, Data Analysis), Bond University, 2018

ROLE MECCA Brands graduate, IT Data team

What’s the biggest challenge? Naturally, when you’re passionate about doing a good job and you care about the outcomes of tasks, you can easily get into a less than optimal work-life balance relationship. From experience, I know this is something I have to manage. What advice do you have for students and graduates? You can change your mind about what you want to do at any time. You haven’t wasted anything. New opportunities present themselves and you should be flexible and reassess your situation to ensure you’re doing things that interest you.

MECCA is a game changer in the beauty space, globally. The environment is fast paced and extremely unique.

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Technology

Overview Technology professionals aim to help individuals and organisations harness the power of computing by using appropriate software, hardware, services, networks and infrastructure to meet a range of goals, from centralising customer records in a readily accessible database to performing large-scale data analysis. It’s difficult to overstate the importance of technology to modern business – almost all major organisations rely on computing, whether they’re replying to emails or aggregating huge amounts of online shopping data. Consequently, technology has become a mammoth industry in its own right, with some of its most successful businesses, such as Apple and Alphabet (formerly Google), becoming household names the world over. In Australia, the technology industry is now seen as critical to the economy and national security. Global companies including Canon, Citrix, Google, IBM and Microsoft employ many thousands of Australians, while home-grown firms have made valuable contributions to areas as diverse as education, mining, finance, cybersecurity and health. What’s involved? Broadly speaking, tech professionals fall into five categories that reflect their area of expertise. First, there are technology workers who specialise in hardware, such as servers, microchips, printers, computers, network equipment and mobile phones. They have responsibilities ranging from research and development to manufacturing and design. Tech companies are engaged in a constant arms race when it comes to hardware (and software), with new breakthroughs and products promising lucrative returns. In the second category are the many tech workers who focus on software. Here, programmers, software designers, app developers, security experts and other professionals create the many pieces of software that make computers useful. This includes operating systems (such as Windows and Android), word processors (such as Microsoft Word and Google Docs), email clients (like Outlook and Gmail) and video games (from Pong to the present). The third category contains the professionals who focus on providing tech services. These professionals offer www.gradaustralia.com.au

software support, systems integration (making two incompatible software applications work together), the design of custom networks and computer systems, and more. Fourth, there are the many professionals dedicated to tech infrastructure. This includes all of the hardware and software used to support telecommunications networks, cloud data centres, colocation facilities and the internet. Finally, there are the positions in the technology industry that focus on administration, managerial responsibilities, sales, human relations and other primarily non-technical areas. Where do tech professionals work? Tech companies hire the largest proportion of tech professionals. These organisations tend to focus on one segment of the market, though others – particularly larger companies like IBM and Microsoft – may invest in multiple areas. Common market segments include hardware (Apple and Dell); internet retail (Amazon and Netflix); software and programming (Microsoft, Oracle and Adobe); semiconductors and chips (Intel and Qualcomm); and computer services (Facebook, Google and VMware). The success stories of companies like Whatsapp and Instagram have inspired many tech professionals to establish their own ventures. Hence the proliferation of start-up companies in the technology sector, with major businesses like Microsoft and Google originating in the garages of their founders. The past decade has also seen an increase in the demand for tech professionals within various management consulting firms, which offer tech solutions as a form of business support. Technology consultancy divisions can now be found at leading firms like Deloitte, McKinsey, Capgemini and the Boston Consulting Group. Of course, many businesses have sought to avoid relying on outside assistance by hiring tech professionals of their own. It’s not unusual for banks, insurance companies, media companies, schools and other institutions to hire tech professionals who work on site full time. Finally, the government is a major employer of tech professionals, whose tasks in the public sector are similar to those they would perform for a private

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business: troubleshooting hardware, designing software, enhancing cybersecurity, upgrading systems and so on. Entering the technology industry While it’s still possible for savvy programmers and other specialists to crack the industry with practical demonstrations of their experience (for example, apps they’ve designed or problems they’ve solved), almost all professional tech jobs now require you to possess a relevant degree. This usually means completing a four-year bachelor’s degree in computer sciences, programming, systems administration, management information systems, computer engineering, information technology or a related area. While there is some overlap between these areas, you’ll find that some are better suited to certain positions than others (and may be specifically requested in a job advertisement). For example, a programming background is essential for a software engineer but not necessary for a sales professional.

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or education. For example, you could enter coding challenges, apply for internships, research potential employers carefully, join professional networks or hone your skills by enrolling in an online open education program. Average salary Entry-level salaries for tech graduates range from $55,000–$66,000. However, salary progressions vary widely based on specialisation and employer, with competitive employers willing to secure talent by offering generous packages to standout graduates. Choose this if you: ■ Are attracted to the idea of working in a ‘tech’ environment – many tech employers are well known for their unique work cultures. ■ Can commit to ongoing professional development to keep up to date with new trends and technologies. ■ Want a job that makes you think hard about problems.

Many major technology organisations run dedicated graduate programs, with competitive salaries and exciting training opportunities available to successful candidates. Often, applicants must pass through a multi-stage recruitment process involving an online application, in-person interview and various aptitude tests. Your application will benefit from evidence you’ve completed an internship, gained industry experience, or worked on personal or academic projects related to the target role.

Popular degrees sought by this industry

Learn more

Computer systems and networks

page 60

Software engineering

page 68

Data science

page 64

Design and user experience

page 66

Career prospects The technology industry is expected to grow by leaps and bounds over the coming decades, with its centrality to modern business and culture encouraging many to push for the inclusion of subjects like programming in standard school curricula.

Artificial intelligence

page 56

Cybersecurity

page 62

Computer graphics and animation

page 58

Areas of major growth include ecommerce, mobile applications, cloud computing, health technology and computer security. Each of these expanding fields promises to employ many tens of thousands of additional tech professionals, with software developers, computer systems analysts and web developers in particularly high demand. The advancement of your own career will be determined largely by your specific role and the organisation for which you work. For example, larger companies like Microsoft and Apple offer various paths for internal career advancement, whether you decide to pursue leadership positions, overseas roles or acceptance to competitive research and development teams. How can I take advantage of my STEM background? For many popular jobs in the technology industry, a STEM degree is mandatory: you will, for instance, require a computing science degree to apply competitively to most graduate software development positions. Instead, it’s better to focus on advantageous ways to augment your STEM degree by acquiring additional experience

DXC Technology have opportunities to work alongside senior leaders on real projects with a diverse range of people.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

On the job

Anna Do

How did you choose your specialisation? I prioritised what I enjoyed doing and what I was interested in, which was coding and augmented reality respectively. What was your interview process like? The process involved a phone interview, aptitude questions, faceto-face interviews and teamwork activities with other applicants. During the face-to-face interview, I remember being asked about my problem resolution skills. For example, what challenge I might encounter if I started working at the company and how I would resolve it. I was also asked to describe a teamwork issue occurring in the past and how I resolved it. What does your employer do? DXC Technology is the world’s independent end-to-end IT services company that helps clients to harness the power of innovation to thrive on change. Quite simply, we use our years of experience running mission-critical systems with the latest digital innovations to deliver better business outcomes for our customers and their stakeholders. The team I’m part of provides design thinking consultation and rapid prototyping services. What are your areas of responsibility? A portion of the rapid prototyping we do is the creation of virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality application prototypes, which is my primary role. My responsibilities include making 3D models (virtual objects) and development of AR/VR apps, testing and working closely with clients to make sure we build exactly what they want. www.gradaustralia.com.au

Can you describe a typical work day? First of all I check and answer emails, then attend a team stand-up where we update the status of projects we are working on. When this ends, I continue working on a prototype. Making AR/VR apps is a lot like game development, in that it requires a lot of creative input to make the experience engaging for the user. Sometimes I ask my co-workers for feedback on how things look and feel. In the afternoon, there might be meetings with clients or project delivery teams. What are the career prospects with your job? AR/VR is a growing industry. While applications like Pokemon Go and Beat Saber are helping consumers get used to the idea of consuming digital content in AR/VR, businesses seem eager to incorporate it into the workplace. In the future, I see mixed reality technologies becoming more commonplace in everyday life.

Anna Do studied a Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering/ Bachelor of Arts and is an associate technical consultant at DXC Technology.

Study Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering/Bachelor of Arts, University of New South Wales, 2017

ROLE Associate technical consultant, DXC Technology

What do you enjoy about your job? I like the opportunity for creative input that it provides. Working with AR/VR technology can be trippy and fun. I like putting myself in the shoes of the user and asking myself, ‘Would I enjoy this? Does this feel easy to use? Is this aesthetic suitable?’ Do you have to work on weekends? We have a fixed amount of time to build each prototype. When we encounter a major change or problem, we might need to spend extra time at work to meet the deadline. The team environment is relaxed and friendly however, so that helps to reduce stress.

In the future, I see mixed reality technologies becoming more commonplace in everyday life.

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On the job

Jerry Wang

What does your role involve? Before starting my graduate role, I started my career with Expedia Group as an intern in the mobile development team. Now as an associate software development engineer, my responsibilities are to develop and manage our team’s software stack to connect property owners with their customers. In less than a year I have delved into all parts of the stack, from web front-end to managing infrastructure on AWS (Amazon Web Services). I have also been attending a lot of training sessions on skills such as machine learning as well as utilising AWS resources to further advance my essential skills. How did you choose this specialisation? I have been interested in software development ever since my discovery of the internet and have always wanted to be involved in creating products that millions of people use. Immediately after graduating from high school I enrolled in a Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical Engineering) at The University of Queensland, contradicting my love for software development. After a brief venture being a prospective electrical engineer, I decided to make the switch to a software engineering major, realising my passion lies firmly in software. It was not a painless change, but it was a life-changing decision I will never regret. Travelling to all corners of the world to experience different cultures and food has always been my mission in life, which happens

to coincide with Expedia’s industry and mission. Could someone with a different background do your job? Yes! As a new graduate without a lot of experience, I was able to smoothly transition into the role with the support of experienced colleagues who were always eager to help. What are the greatest aspects of your job? The great thing about working as a software developer at Expedia Group is having the freedom to express your opinion on your project no matter who you are. It is exciting to have the opportunity to hear diverse opinions from people all over the world. Expedia Group has a wonderful culture of caring about the product they drive forward. The drive to learn new things and try new technologies is prevalent across the company, as people are always looking for new ways to improve their product. Furthermore, we are given substantial support to acquire new knowledge and to try our newly acquired skills in our application without worrying about being reprimanded for making mistakes. When you remove the fear of making mistakes, other skills will come along naturally. Expedia Group offers thousands of training courses for both new and seasoned employees who wish to learn new skills. There are always new and exciting challenges to solve on any given day. It is exciting to see the work you do have an impact on real people – on someone’s holiday dreams.

Jerry Wang studied a Bachelor of Engineering (Computer Software Engineering) and is an associate software development engineer at Expedia.

Study Bachelor of Engineering (Computer Software Engineering), The University of Queensland, 2018

ROLE Associate software development engineer, Expedia

Expedia Group has a wonderful culture of caring about the product they drive forward.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

On the job

Asad Aziz

Can you tell us about your background? I grew up in Islamabad, Pakistan, a peaceful city with few people – relative to other cities in Pakistan, of course. I went to school in Islamabad and had an interest in science, then went on to get a Bachelor of Science (Electrical Engineering). While studying I had a few part-time jobs and internships. The most notable was with the WWF, in which I got to work in a team that was making a submersible dolphin tracking system. After that, I felt I needed some robots in my life, so I decided to get a degree in mechatronics. After having a look at a few programs online, I found one at the Australian National University, which provided the right mix of computer science and robotics. I applied, got in, packed my bags and moved to Canberra. How did you get to your current position? I have been working at Fujitsu since February 2019. I applied when the graduate applications were open for the 2019 graduate program intake. I attended the assessment centre in Canberra but based on my location preference and skills, was given the opportunity to join the automation team based in Sydney, which I happily accepted. What was your interview process like? It consisted of an assessment centre where a group of applicants had a scenario and individual roles/ characters. We had to determine how each character would perform in that scenario and present our findings to the interviewers. I also www.gradaustralia.com.au

had three individual interviews (two more than any other graduate I’ve met) to narrow down the ideal role/ the role that would complement my skills the most. These were more like conversations with managers of teams I was suited for. These interviews resulted in me finding the automation team and working on things I enjoy.

Asad Aziz studied a Bachelor of Science (Electrical Engineering) and Master of Engineering (Mechatronics). Asad is a technical graduate in Automation CoE at Fujitsu.

What are your areas of responsibility? I work in the automation team, primarily on projects that involve machine learning, AI and analytics. This includes, but isn’t limited to, writing design documents, machine learning algorithms and implementing/integrating solutions to our environments.

Study

What was the last thing you worked on? I am currently working on delivering a conversational virtual assistant (chat-bot) for one of our internal teams. The chat-bot will be able to hold a conversation with a user and answer any questions they have.

ROLE

Do you bear a lot of responsibility? I have a lot of autonomy in the workplace, which means there is responsibility as well, but it also means there is a lot of trust. Most of the work I do involves emerging technology and at times there is trial and error, but that makes celebrating success at the end even better. Everyone should take ownership and be accountable for the work they do. What would your career be if you weren’t doing what you’re doing now? I play the electric guitar, so probably a rock star!

Bachelor of Science (Electrical Engineering); Master of Engineering (Mechatronics), Australian National University, 2017

Graduate – technical, Automation CoE, Fujitsu

Most of the work I do involves emerging technology and at times there is trial and error, but that makes celebrating success at the end even better.

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On the job

Emma Flanagan

Can you tell us a little about yourself? I’m Emma Flanagan, 21 years old and currently taking part in a graduate program at Infosys – a global technology consulting company. Although it’s been just a few months, it’s been a learning experience that has taught me many important career skills. How did you choose your specialisation? After high school, I had no clue of what I wanted to do. I spoke to a guidance counsellor who (based on my good mathematics results and forward-thinking attitude) suggested I look at a degree in IT. I had a preconceived notion that IT would be super boring and just a bunch of guys talking about video games. Don’t get me wrong, there is still plenty of video game chat, but after completing my Bachelor of Information Technology from Australian Catholic University, I learnt that IT encompasses so much more. There are endless opportunities, from business consulting to blockchain and everything in between. For those without a set career path, a career in technology is definitely worth exploring. What was your job search like? The job search can be stressful for many and I think I was lucky to have had a relatively short lead time. I had a plan in place and identified potential suitors well before applying. I also had a distinct approach to each application – positioning my profile the best way for each role – which I think really helped.

I was successful in securing a few interviews and offers but decided Infosys was the best place to kickstart my career. It’s been just a few months now, but I’ve already had a fun and challenging learning experience, developing a good understanding of the tech industry and banking. How did you find your training? The training was definitely challenging but in a very positive way. It has made me more confident in my ability to work in a technology-based role. As someone with minimal development knowledge and experience, learning Java for the first time was difficult yet important. This especially helped me in my ability to learn other programming languages. It’s a huge stride in my learning journey because at university I had only programmed for a short time. What is the culture like? I really appreciate that my employer is focused on equal opportunity and diversity in the workplace and our community. The inclusive values that help unite people from diverse backgrounds are key to a great workplace. Personally, I’m looking forward to volunteering and creating awareness about digital skills, especially because I want to see more girls and women take up a career in technology. It’s a cause I am deeply invested in and I really wish to see more women in a field that is clearly dominated by men today.

Emma Flanagan studied a Bachelor of Information Technology and is a graduate at Infosys.

Study Bachelor of Information Technology, Australian Catholic University, 2018

ROLE Graduate, Infosys

The training was definitely challenging but in a very positive way. It has made me more confident in my ability to work in a technologybased role.

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Day in the life

Marta Kiki

7:00AM I’m not an early bird, so after I hit the snooze button for the third time I wake up at 7.30 am. I leave for work by 8.00 am. I use the bus ride to catch up on emails, social media and read the news. 8:45AM I make my way to the seventh floor and make myself comfortable on a desk by the waterside, trying my best not to get distracted by the mesmerising view of the harbor. It’s a hot-desking system so everyone seems to be attracted to the harbor view desks on this side of the building, making it seem like a race for the ‘front row seats’! As I go through my emails and calendar I routinely create a to-do list for the day accordingly. 9:00AM Coffee time. We love our morning coffee. There are coffee machines

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in every kitchen area around the building (if you haven’t had one already). These areas seem to be great places to meet new and interesting people.

Marta Kiki studied a Bachelor of Engineering (Telecommunications) and is a graduate engineer at Ericsson.

Today I’ve met someone from Dubai who has been with the company for 15 years working in different projects in various countries in Europe and Asia. Ericsson is very multicultural and you get to meet people from around the world. 9:15AM Hello to drawing reviews. This task is a priority and requires lots of attention to detail. I have to make sure the radio frequency (RF) section of each drawing has the correct information and that the antenna configuration details meet our design guidelines. We want our radio antennas to be installed and placed correctly on towers to avoid interference and other issues that

might occur in the future, hence, making the details of the drawings critical. 11:00AM I have a meeting with our Human Resources representative to discuss potential venues for the Young Professional Summit that will be held this year. This is a threeday event organised by Ericsson every year for the graduates. Within

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the Young Professionals Committee, I have been assigned to help with organising the venue and the speakers. This event is a first for me and it seem like a big deal for the company. Thus, I’m eagerly looking forward to it. 11:30AM After sending off a few more emails, I check if we have any requests to register radio spectrum. Designing new sites or adding capacity on various base stations sometimes requires additional radio spectrum, therefore we have to register all the radio spectrum we use through the Australian Communications and Media Authority. There are some technical questions that I just can’t get my head around, so I go and ask my buddy. As always, he’s super helpful. It all makes sense now. 12:20PM I can’t believe it’s lunchtime already. I’m meeting with the other graduates in the lunchroom and we use this time to share what we’ve been doing so far within our teams. I didn’t bring lunch today, so I’ll need to go grab some downstairs. There are plenty of restaurants in the area, which sometimes makes

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it hard to decide what to eat. We’ve decided to use a few minutes of our lunch break for a quick game of table football. I’m doing pretty bad here. 1:00PM MI have a meeting with the client. I quickly grab a quiet room and join the meeting via Skype. The RF design engineers will present the sites they’ve designed to the client. I learn something new about RF designing every time I attend these meetings, so I try to attend them all. 3:30PM Time flies. Back to my desk and drafting an email for the client to let them know that a design issue we had in one of the sites has been resolved. I have some electromagnetic energy (EME) report reviews to do before I leave. The purpose of these reports is to make sure the levels of EME likely to be emitted by the base stations are minimal. Also, here we go: I’ve just received another drawing review. 5:15PM We take flexible working seriously, hence, I’m leaving early today to

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attend the monthly Women in Engineering (WIE) Committee meeting at Engineers Australia. Within the committee, I’ve taken up the event coordinator role for this year. I am very passionate about gender diversity within engineering industries, so this is some volunteer activity I do outside of work. Having said this, there is a diversity and inclusion interest group within Ericsson that I plan on joining in the next few months. 8:00PM The WIE Committee meeting is finished with some astonishing outcomes: some great events and initiatives have been locked in for the year. We’ve decided to treat ourselves with dinner at one of the local bars on Bourke Street. 9:30PM What a day. I’m finally home. A warm chamomile tea while watching The Blacklist always helps. Sometimes I work late to catch up with tasks that I wasn’t able to finish on time, but normally I get home by 7.00 pm, so I get plenty of time for a gym session or walk with my mum.

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On the job

Katie Ward

What experiences led you to where you are today? When I was in primary school, I was struggling in my mathematics class and my teacher told my concerned parents, ‘Don’t worry, most girls just don’t understand maths.’ My parents pulled me out of that school and sent me to another where there was a strong emphasis on empowering girls. The never-ending support of my incredible teachers, parents and the countless strong young women in my life have led me to where I am today – a confident woman in tech. How did you choose your specialisation? As I went through university and was exposed to what a career in tech looked like, I saw that having a technology-centric skill set opened doors to a wide range of opportunities. Tech skills are needed across many industries, and there are so many ways to apply what you know. It is this endless opportunity to learn and discover new ways to apply my skills that made me choose tech. What stood out about your graduate experience at Microsoft? During my time as a graduate, there are two things that stood out: the strong support network; and the investment in my professional development. From the first day, I knew I had the complete support of my mentor, manager and the other graduates. As I’ve adjusted to my role and faced different challenges, this has only been confirmed. Being a recent graduate starting in a tech role, I have a lot to learn. With that can come a lot of anxiety. From the outset, my team www.gradaustralia.com.au

has been openly invested in my ongoing learning. I am constantly encouraged to take the time to educate myself on new topics and take myself beyond my comfort zone. Can you describe a typical day? There’s a large emphasis on continual learning in my role, so my typical day sees me dedicating a bit of time to expanding my knowledge and making sure I’m developing skills that can help our customers. For the rest of the day, I’ll be shadowing more senior team members on their projects. Despite being a graduate, I’m given responsibility and meaningful work that allows me to have an impact. This sees me being involved in client meetings, conducting research, performing proof-of-concepts and writing documentation.

Katie Ward studied a Bachelor of Engineering and is a cloud solution architect at Microsoft.

Study Bachelor of Engineering, Australian National University, 2019

ROLE Cloud solution architect, Microsoft

A recent project involved connecting Australian farms to the Internet of Things. That is, creating an infrastructure that allowed farmers to install sensors and easily monitor their farm’s health. This was a great project to work on, since I could see the direct impact that our work was having. What are the career prospects with your job? As Microsoft is a large global company, there are an incredible number of unique roles. The company strongly encourages us to constantly review our plans for the future and the roles we’d like to find ourselves in. No role is off limits, so the possibilities are endless.

From the first day, I knew I had the complete support of my mentor, manager and the other graduates.

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On the job

Graduate name

How did you get to your current job position? I applied for the 2019 Optus graduate program during my final year of undergraduate study and have been in my current role for just over 15 months. How did you choose your specialisation? Growing up, I was interested in international relations and languages, cultures and customs. I chose my specialisation on interest rather than market opportunities. I believe that if you choose an area which sparks your interest, you’ll always find yourself in a positive position. What was your interview process like? It’s rare for applicants to take a campus tour during an assessment centre, but that’s just what Optus did. There were a range of standard interview questions, experience related and behavioural related questions. The interview was more a conversation about my personality, the culture I would like to work in and my personal brand. What does your employer do? Optus is one of the leading organisations in the telecommunication industry, providing consumer and enterprise organisations with quality solutions through great customer experience What are your areas of responsibility? The Optus business strategy teams area of focus includes market insights, competitor intelligence, strategic planning, major programs, business analysis. Can you describe a typical work day? What was the last thing you worked on? My typical workday would consist of analysing market information,

drawing insights and creating informative presentations to be shared around the business regarding our strategy.

Betty Huang studied a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Arts at UNSW and is now a graduate at Optus.

What are the career prospects with your job? It’s a springboard which sets you up for roles in business analysis, strategy management and project management. What do you love the most about your job? Which kind of task do you enjoy the most? I love the creativity and challenges in my role. Every day is different, and every day I find myself learning something new about not only the industry, the business and people around me, but also something new about myself. I enjoy analysing, finding trends and presenting my findings to my stakeholders around me. What’s the biggest limitation of your job? Do you bear a lot of responsibility? There are times when a lot will happen within the span of an hour, with many moving parts in the business. But support within the team makes it less chaotic.

Study Bachelor of Commerce/ Bachelor of Arts, UNSW, 2018

ROLE Graduate, Optus

I believe that stress only comes from yourself; it’s the mindset that you’re ready for a challenge and ready to make a positive difference which is more important. Which three pieces of advice would you give to a current university student? ■ Always ask why. Challenge yourself and those around you. ■ Work hard in silence and let success be your noise. ■ Don’t give up if things don’t work out. You just haven’t found the right place yet.

Don’t give up if things don’t work out. You just haven’t found the right place yet.

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Day in the life

Bowei Liu

8.20 AM Once I arrive at the office, I ensure all the applications I deployed last night are working. This includes Instrument File Manager, our app that manages instrument data. If there are any bugs, I work on a fix before the markets open. It is very important to make sure Instrument File Manager reflects all the changes made in the database so our traders can access and trade these new instruments. Today everything is working (relief!), so I go through the logs and make sure there are no critical alerts that should worry me. 9.30 AM If there are no production issues, I’ll go to the kitchen and get some orange juice and bananas for breakfast. While enjoying my breakfast, I also take in the 360-degree view of Sydney from our kitchen – it never gets old!

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10.00 AM With the production issues out of the way, it’s time to start on my programming tasks. SIG enables graduate developers to have a voice on the planning and business impact of projects. My thoughts and opinions are valued as much as the senior members of the team. If I have any questions or see problems in our code base or project requirements, my team lead makes it easy for me to voice my concerns and then directs me towards a solution. My team lead has taught me a lot about how to design high-performance serverclient architecture that can handle large amounts of live data. I can already see how much I’m applying it to my next application.

I try to get there early as it is a popular dish. Lunchtime is a great chance to have some interesting conversations with my colleagues about a variety of topics such as the news, poker or work.

12.30 PM Lunchtime! SIG provides lunch and the menu changes daily. If there’s fried chicken on the menu,

1.00 PM After eating, I’ll continue with the programming work. We use Kanban boards to keep track of

Bowei Liu studied a Bachelor of Computer Engineering (Hons) and is a graduate trading software developer in the tactical team at SIG.

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

our progress, in order to make sure our work can achieve the business goals. In addition to larger projects, I’m responsible for solving any production issues throughout the day, as well as writing scripts based on the needs of traders and researchers. Today I’m working on a script to gather data used by traders in order to analyse market trends. 2.00 PM On Tuesdays and Fridays, it’s time for our stand-up team meeting. Every team member will discuss their progress and plan for the remainder of the week. The team meeting provides us with a platform where we can share new technologies between team members. You can pick up a lot in a team meeting! I’ve learned about specifics like protocol buffers (a method of serialising structured data efficiently) and entity framework, as well as larger concepts like the purpose and variety of our internal applications. 2.30–5.00 PM If my team lead is free, at this time we’ll usually sit down together

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and review my work. It’s a good opportunity to learn and improve software development skills from someone more experienced. After all the production issues have been solved, I am able to focus on my larger development projects, which are typically done in C#. My technical skills have grown a lot since leaving university. At school you work on stand-alone assignments, whereas at SIG I am working in a large code base with complicated requirements and multiple dependencies, in order to solve problems that have direct impact on the business. I’m currently working on the internal alert manager – an application with client and server architecture that enables users to view and acknowledge alerts sent by different applications running in-house. Due to the large volume of data flowing through the SIG office every day, the alert manager is responsible for handling high volumes of live data without affecting the application performance. It’s the first time I have had to actually think about software scalability and conduct

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a lot of research and experiments to get it right. It’s been a great opportunity for me to learn about software architecture design. 5.00 PM Before I leave for the day, I’ll deploy my code into production (if it’s ready). This process includes software deployment, raising JIRA tickets and restarting the application. I’ll make sure the application can be successfully restarted before finishing. 5.30 PM If everything goes well, I like to end my day with an office poker game! If I can’t find one already happening, I’ll arrange one myself. We have a very strong poker culture and there are a number of very talented poker players at SIG, including World Series Of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winners. Poker gives me the chance to put my decision-making and quantitative thinking to the test. I have even used the poker knowledge I learnt from SIG and ranked 59/1147 in one of the major WSOP events hosted in Sydney.

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On the job

Andrew Gu

What does your employer do? We do analytics, data science and machine learning. As part of consulting, I’m responsible to customers for providing accurate, advisory support and building analytical solutions that help them run their business. I’m also responsible for leading and educating them in new technology and techniques, for example neural networks or Internet of things! Can you describe a typical day? A typical day would be working on different projects while communicating with international colleagues in different regions of the world. I have the freedom to accomplish tasks I’ve set for myself or tasks I’ve received from colleagues. I can reach out for support at any time and others reach out to me too, so we can share knowledge. I’ve recently worked on building a text analytics use case for a utility company, scraping tweets about a certain topic and performing natural language processing to extract topics, categories and concepts. I then take these text features and augment them with geo-data so I can visualise them on dashboards for further analysis. This is powered by neural networks – I’m basically teaching an AI how to read tweets! What are the career prospects? The career prospects are surprisingly broad and SAS gives you freedom in choosing where and how you want to proceed. Want to become a docker/Kubernetes guru? Or maybe a data scientist, cloud specialist or fraud expert? As for me, I’ll be doing Internet of things and machine learning! www.gradaustralia.com.au

What do you love about your job? I love that I’m on the cutting edge of technology and constantly doing cool stuff I’ve only read about in tech news. Solving problems by constantly learning and adapting is the bread and butter of engineers! Is your job stressful? It can be stressful and scary when talking to customers, because I always imagine them to be magnitudes smarter than me, but that’s part of my responsibility; being confident in the advisory service I provide them, in the area of my expertise. The biggest limitation for me would be having to wait for projects related to me to pop up, so I can really dig into some real-world problems. One special thing about SAS is how we value work-life balance and take it seriously. It’s reassuring to see nearly all of my colleagues pack up and go home at 5.00 pm. What three pieces of advice would you give to a student? ■ Be open to new ideas from different disciplines. You will be working with people from many backgrounds, all of whom will approach problems with different strategies. Every education path has strengths and shortcomings: you won’t have all the answers! ■ Diversify yourself and allow personal experimentation and flexibility. Refuse to conform to stereotypes or expectations: go against the grain and be unique. ■ Always ask, ‘Why are we doing this?’ and ‘Can we do this better?’ Don’t be afraid to challenge and innovate.

Andrew Gu studied a Bachelor of Renewable Energy Engineering/Bachelor of Arts (German) and is an associate pre/post-sales systems engineer at SAS.

Study Bachelor of Renewable Energy Engineering/ Bachelor of Arts (German), University of New South Wales, 2019

ROLE Associate pre/post-sales systems engineer, SAS

I’m basically teaching an AI how to read tweets!

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On the job

Victoria Holm

What does your employer do? TechnologyOne is Australia’s largest enterprise software as a service (SaaS) company. With offices across six countries, TechnologyOne caters to over 1,200 leading corporations in the industry markets we serve. What’s your job title? Graduate solutions architect. What are your areas of responsibility? The responsibilities of the solutions team in research and development (R&D) include acting as a conduit between the consulting and R&D product teams, as well as working with R&D product teams to enhance product functionality. The goal of solutions is to create shipped configuration templates for our Ci Anywhere platform, based on industry needs, that can be provided to our customers to help streamline implementation. What are the career prospects with your job? One of the best things about TechnologyOne is the opportunity for both horizontal and vertical growth. If there is a role in the organisation that interests you, TechnologyOne is happy to help you get the skills you need to get to the place you want to be. In terms of horizontal growth, the solutions team works with many parts of the organisation, so this has been a great way to see what the role of business analyst, project manager and consultant are like in the organisation. Within solutions there are also many prospects for vertical growth; once my time as a graduate finishes, my

role will change to solution architect and my responsibilities will increase. Further opportunities include becoming a solution architect lead, taking care of a specific product with a sub-team of solution architects. What do you love most about your job? I find TechnologyOne to be an enjoyable and creative place to work. I love the collaborative culture and the willingness of people around you to lend a hand. I feel valued and enjoy the opportunities we have to participate in the many fun events held by the company. In my work, I’ve found creating templates and configuring software to be fulfilling, as I know the work I’m contributing to will be a great help for our customers and consultants. What’s the biggest limitation? The biggest limitation has been the steep learning curve. There has been a lot to learn about the software we provide, along with how local governments operate; understanding such a large and vastly differing industry, as well as the massive and complex product, takes time and patience. I’ve been grateful to have a strong support network, with the members in my team acting as mentors, sharing their extensive knowledge and guiding my work. What advice would you give to a current student? Don’t be afraid to ask for help. It’s very daunting starting a new job and wanting to make a good impression. I’ve discovered that when there is a lot to get your head around, the sooner you can overcome the fear of asking ‘silly’ questions, the faster you progress.

Victoria Holm studied a Bachelor of Business Management/Bachelor of Information Systems and is a graduate solutions architect at TechnologyOne.

Study Bachelor of Business Management/Bachelor of Information Systems, Queensland University of Technology, 2018

ROLE Graduate solutions architect, TechnologyOne

One of the best things about TechnologyOne is the opportunity for both horizontal and vertical growth.

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On the job

Daniel Gibson

What’s your name and job title? Daniel Gibson, graduate consultant developer. What does your employer do? We’re in consulting. ThoughtWorks is a premium software delivery partner. We build custom web solutions and applications for clients, using agile practices. How did you get to your current job position? I joined ThoughtWorks as a CareerTrackers intern in 2015 and since then have returned in my semester breaks for further experience. Throughout my internships I learnt about ThoughtWorks as a business, different tech stacks, clients and met lots of ThoughtWorkers along the way. Upon graduation I joined the graduate program in 2019. What are your areas of responsibility? This varies from project to project. As a consultant developer my role on a project will differ based on scope and requirements. For example, in my first project I was in charge of product quality where I conducted testing for the application and fixed bugs alongside other developers. Currently in my new project I’m building backend systems for a client. What are the career prospects with your job? ThoughtWorks doesn’t have set career pathways – graduates are able to obtain a broad understanding of technologies through training and project experience. I’m still in the early stages of my career, so having the ability to explore and learn is important to me. I have an interest in infrastructure, so there are opportunities for me to work in this space within projects. We also www.gradaustralia.com.au

have individual training budgets and training leave, which means I can attend relevant conferences, enrol in courses and be certified in areas that are of interest to me and beneficial in my career.

Daniel Gibson studied a Bachelor of Information Technology and is a graduate consultant developer at ThoughtWorks.

What do you love the most about your job? The flexibility and culture. ThoughtWorks’ environment gives me the freedom and opportunity to really learn and develop; there’s no hierarchical structure. The task I enjoy most is the opportunity to pair program with senior developers. The amount I learn in one day is significantly higher than in other environments. I’ve also had the opportunity to pair with my peers, which reinforces my knowledge and is a valuable experience in itself.

Study

What’s the biggest limitation of your job? Are the stress levels high? As a consultancy we have set deliverables and timelines with clients. The tasks and projects (or time spent working on them) may not necessarily align with my interests at the time, but the ability to continuously learn within a team environment is invaluable.

Graduate consultant developer, ThoughtWorks

Bachelor of Information Technology, University of Wollongong, 2018

ROLE

Stress levels come and go with project deadlines. You’re never alone though; projects are done within a team environment so we’re all in it together. What advice would you give to a current university student? ■ Obtain work experience in an area that’s of interest to you. My internships solidified my career path decision. ■ Everyone has their own journey and university isn’t the end. There are many options if one path doesn’t work out.

We also have individual training budgets and training leave, which means I can attend relevant conferences, enrol in courses and be certified in areas that are of interest to me.

I am changing perceptions.

Spend tracker, smart alerts, auto bill pay, personalised insights – What do they have in common? They’re powered by CommBank’s technology team. If you are curious about the world around you and have an open mind, we have many tech career pathways to choose from. Discover where your journey can take you commbank.com.au/graduate

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Telecommunications

Overview The Australian telecommunications industry has a long history that has been shaped by the vast size of the continent, as well as its distance from Europe and Asia. The country’s first telco grid – a network of telegraph cables connecting Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney and Tasmania – was completed by 1859. One hundred years later, the telephone and radio had created a new, more easily used network and by the 2000s the telecommunications industry was again reshaped by the emergence of widespread internet usage. Now, with many internet users regularly sharing content they’ve created themselves, the modern telecommunications system – which includes home phone, mobile phone, internet and satellite services – is indispensable, with telco companies keeping more than 18 million Australians connected to each other and to the world. What’s involved? The telco industry is broadly concerned with connecting new customers to existing networks while upgrading communications capabilities via largescale projects, such as the replacement of ageing copper wires with superior fibre optic lines. Careers in the telco industry are split into four broad categories, the largest of which includes occupations related to the installation, repair and maintenance of telecommunications equipment. Workers in this category are responsible for phone exchanges, cables and access lines, consumer communication devices and telecommunications systems. The second category includes office and administrative support occupations. Companies like Telstra, Optus and Vodafone employ thousands of staff members whose job it is to assist customers by resolving problems and providing product information. They also fill important financial, managerial and administrative positions. The third category includes the telco industry’s professional occupations. Here you’ll find the engineers who design cable routes, plan the expansion of existing infrastructure and assist customers with custom installations. Most telecommunications www.gradaustralia.com.au

engineers inevitably specialise in areas such as the design of communications systems, the integration of communications equipment with computer networks or the use of lasers to send fast signals across fiber optic cables. Computer engineers play an important role in maintaining the hardware and software systems that underlie modern telecommunications. Finally, the telecommunications industry employs many people in sales-focused roles. They aim to promote different services – such as residential phone lines and ADSL packages – while also selling physical products such as new phones, modems and other equipment. Where do people in this sector work? People in the telecommunications sector work everywhere, from regional towns to capital cities. Most administrative, support and sales staff are based in cities and larger towns, where there is a large enough market to support an office or retail store. Similarly, senior managerial staff will usually work out of a company headquarters in a capital city. By contrast, engineers are more likely to travel while responding to maintenance needs, unless they’re focused on research and development in a fixed location. Entering the telecommunications sector To enter the telecommunications sector, you must first meet the degree requirements of the position you’d like to pursue. For technical positions, a general engineering background is usually expected, though a focus on certain specialities, such as electrical engineering or computer engineering, may be advantageous. Administrative and managerial positions are often easier to apply for if you have a background in finance, business or commerce. Several of Australia’s major consumer telecommunications organisations, such as Telstra and Optus, have dedicated graduate programs, as do other industry leaders, including Skype. Alternatively, you might consider working for a smaller telco company, a start-up or a related government agency, such as the Australian Communications and Media Authority. Graduate entry programs for most positions open at the beginning of the year and close in May.

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Telstra graduates will work in an environment that’s embracing new ways of working like Agile, DevOps, Human Centred Design and Lean.

Career prospects The size of the major telecommunications organisations means that most entry-level positions come with various opportunities for career advancement. For example, as an engineering graduate, you might aim to run a regional team, lead a research and development unit or focus on a technology of special interest. Alternatively, as a business-focused graduate, you could aim for upper managerial positions or career advancement opportunities abroad. Whatever your stream, you stand to benefit from the industry’s overall growth. With internet usage at the heart of modern business and more people connected than ever before, the telecommunications sector is expected to grow by leaps and bounds over the coming years. How can I take advantage of my STEM background? Many technical positions in the telecommunications industry require you to possess a specific STEM degree. For example, a background in engineering is mandatory if you wish to play a significant or supervisory role in the implementation, development or maintenance of new equipment. However, other STEM degrees still work well if you wish to pursue roles with less specific requirements. For instance, a background in chemistry, with its emphasis on patiently solving problems, prepares graduates well for the solutions-focused nature of, say, telecommunications consulting. Similarly, the generic skills gained from a biology degree – highly developed written and verbal communication skills,

for instance – could be emphasised in a way that strengthens a graduate’s application to managerial or administrative roles. Average salary Graduate salaries at major telecommunications organisations like Telstra and Optus range from $55,000 to $70,000 (depending on the position filled). Later salary increases are based on one’s career path, with the range of roles in this sector making it possible to pursue much higher remuneration. Popular degrees sought by this industry

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Data science

page 64

Software engineering

page 68

Actuarial science

page 48

Statistics

page 52

Mathematics

page 50

Computer systems and networks

page 60

Electrical engineering

page 26

Mechanical engineering

page 36

Robotics and mechatronics engineering

page 44

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Transport and logistics

Overview The transport and logistics sector is concerned with moving things as efficiently as possible from A to B. However, as you will see below, this is no straightforward process, even when it comes to the transportation of regular items. The Australian transport and logistics industry currently employs some 1.2 million people and accounts for about 10 per cent of GDP. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s involved? Common careers in the transport and logistics sector include data analyst, consultant, supply-chain manager, procurement officer and logistics manager. The sector also contains roles related to information technology, business management, engineering and statistics. Together, these professionals work for various types of business, including freight companies, which manage the transportation required to shift goods around; distribution companies, which help businesses move their goods from the site of manufacture to the marketplace; and supply chain and logistics companies, which take a holistic view of the process whereby products are connected with consumers, and look for ways to make this more efficient, profitable and manageable.

DHL graduates join a team driven by delivering excellence every day.

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Specialty areas in this sector include distribution logistics, which focuses on getting goods to customers; disposal logistics, which deals with the transportation of waste; and, increasingly, digital logistics, which aims to improve efficiency using computer software and automation. The transportation and logistics sector is particularly important in Australia, because as isolated as it is from key international markets, Australia must maintain efficient domestic supply chains if it is to compete on a global scale. Where do people in this sector work? The transport and logistics sector is geographically dispersed in a way that reflects the often immense distances between Australian importers, manufacturers, wholesalers, suppliers, businesses and consumers. Road freight accounts for around 75 per cent of the goods transported inside Australia, with logistics companies relying on a network of road and rail routes that link various warehouses. Given the globalised nature of many supply chains, this is a sector in which many employees can expect to travel regularly and work unusual hours (especially when liaising with stakeholders in different time zones).

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As a Toll graduate, you will participate in a structured two-year program moving through key areas of the business including our global logistics, global forwarding and global express divisions.

Given the globalised nature of many supply chains, this is a sector in which many employees can expect to travel regularly.

Some of the largest employers in this sector include Toll Group, Linfox Australia, Australia Post, Swire and DHL Supply Chain. Entering the transport and logistics sector Employers in the transport and logistics sector tend not to select graduates from any particular discipline (the exception would be for graduates who have completed one of the relatively uncommon Bachelor of Supply Management/Logistics degrees). Some of the larger companies, such as DHL and Linfox, have dedicated graduate programs. Linfox, for example, offers a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;24-month development program that involves a comprehensive induction and sixmonth rotations at various Linfox sites across Australia and New Zealand.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Many other roles in the transport and logistics sector can be pursued via direct application. Career prospects The size of the Australian transport and logistics industry is set to triple by 2050, especially as more and more regional centres become connected to our urban capitals. The way the industry works is also changing as new technologies (like drones) and foreign retailers with superior supply chain expertise force Australian businesses to be more competitive and creative. How can I take advantage of my STEM background? Many of the generic skills developed during a STEM degree are invaluable in the transport and logistics sector. These include creative thinking, the

ability to manage complex processes and a high degree of attention to detail. Transport and logistics companies also employ engineers, data analysts and programmers for a range of purposes. Popular degrees sought by this industry

Learn more

Mechanical engineering

page 36

Civil engineering

page 24

Environmental engineering

page 28

Robotics and mechatronics engineering

page 44

Environmental science

page 82

Computer systems and networks

page 60

Data science

page 64

Electrical engineering

page 26

Software engineering

page 68

Materials engineering

page 34

Cybersecurity

page 62

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On the job

Hayley Whitehead

Can you tell us about Jetstar and its graduate program? Jetstar is a low-cost carrier that aims to offer low airfares to make flight accessible to more people, more often. The Jetstar Graduate Program is a generalist program. You are rotated into various teams doing various roles on a whole range of topics within the airline industry. The graduates come from a diverse background: multiple engineering fields, finance, business, aviation management, marketing, people management and more! Currently in the engineering team, we work across a range of things. Lately I’ve been working on bringing new aircraft into the fleet and all that entails, as well as a project to install some additional cockpit technology. What was your interview process like? I recall the assessment centre being the least stressful and most comfortable assessment centre I attended whilst searching for a graduate position. Everyone was very friendly and the previous graduates were there to chat and answer questions – it wasn’t intimidating. There was a period with one-on-one discussion (more interview style) and we talked about how I dealt with problem solving and difficult situations. We also talked about topics outside of work on a more personal level. Can you describe a typical work day? I wouldn’t say there’s a ‘typical’ work day as anything can happen, and reprioritisation happens often.

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I like to come in early to avoid the packed trains. I get a cup of tea, read any new emails and check my calendar to make sure I’m prepared for any meetings coming. I tend to have a quick meeting with my manager in the morning to go over any complications/issues or areas that need clarification. The day can go anywhere from here: meetings, workshops, emails, discussions, analysis and so forth. What are the career prospects with your job? Ideally, the program will lead to a role within Jetstar. The program gives you a broad understanding of how the business works and helps build a strong network of connections. What do you love about your job? I love going out to the airport and getting on a plane. It always feels special even if you’re not actually going anywhere. Getting to sit in the jumpseat during flight is pretty special too – and a great opportunity to see the pilots in action.

Hayley Whitehead studied a Bachelor of Engineering (Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics) (Hons) and works in engineering support at Jetstar.

Study Bachelor of Engineering (Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics) (Hons), RMIT University, 2016

ROLE Jetstar Group engineering support, Jetstar

Do you bear a lot of responsibility? Are the stress levels high? Stress can be raised when there are important deadlines or when you’re juggling too many things at once. In my experience, the responsibility that you bear is up to you. If you want to get the most out of your time at Jetstar, take on as much as you can handle responsibly. What advice would you give to students? Don’t underestimate yourself or your capacity. Everyone was a student once. If you don’t know something, be open about it and ask questions. Getting clarification shows maturity.

If you want to get the most out of your time at Jetstar, take on as much as you can handle responsibly.

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WOMEIN IN STEM

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Chapter 3

Women in STEM Women in STEM �� 280

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Women in STEM

Introduction One needn’t look very far for evidence of the groundbreaking contributions made to various STEM fields by talented women. Some of the more famous examples in research include: ■ Marie Curie, whose pioneering research into radioactivity won her the Nobel Prize twice. ■ Rosalind Franklin, an English chemist who made vital contributions to our understanding of the structure of the human genome (and was, according to many, robbed of a Nobel Prize for her efforts). ■ Dorothy Hodgkin, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing protein crystallography. ■ Chieng-Shiung Wu, who led groundbreaking research in nuclear physics and became the first recipient of the Wolf Prize. ■ Dame Jocelyn Burnell, an astrophysicist credited with the discovery of radio pulsars. ■ Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier, whose astounding joint work on CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology has established them as two of today’s most celebrated biochemists. ■ Elizabeth Blackburn, a Tasmanian-born biologist, who received the Nobel Prize for her co-discovery of telomerase, an enzyme implicated in cellular aging. And outside of research: ■ Peggy Johnson, an electrical engineer who is now Microsoft’s Executive Vice President of Business Development. ■ Indra Nooyi, a physicist and chemist who went on to become the CEO of PepsiCo. ■ Angela Merkel, who completed a PhD in quantum chemistry before entering German politics. Despite the obvious contributions of STEM-trained women to research and industry, gender inequity within STEM remains a pervasive issue. Worse, this inequity has an effect on women and girls of all ages. For example, according to research performed by Donna Farland Smith, if you take a group of primary school aged students – be they Greek, Australian, Chinese or American – and ask them to draw a scientist, between 65 per cent and 78 per cent of them will draw a male every time. Moreover, most recent figures reported by the Australian Government show adult women occupying fewer than one in five senior www.gradaustralia.com.au

positions in Australian universities and research institutes, and one in four positions within the overall STEM workforce. In this section of the STEM guide, we consider three myths that surround women in STEM, briefly survey the effects those myths can have on women at all stages of their life, and then turn our attention to what this means for graduates today, with a particular focus on programs designed to support women as they enter STEM careers (you can skip ahead to this section if you’re already convinced that women in STEM face unique obstacles). Three myths holding women back in STEM areas There are multiple reasons for the historical underrepresentation of women in STEM areas, ranging from entrenched cultural attitudes (for example, the belief that women are better suited to interpersonal roles) to systemic issues, such as the impact of discriminatory practices in professional and academic settings. The three influential ‘myths’ below confirm the challenges facing women in STEM, while underscoring the importance of programs designed to boost female representation in STEM areas. Myth: There is a relationship between gender and mathematical ability Fact: Girls and boys are equally competent at maths – there is no evidence of inherent superiority one way or the other. According to an OECD report, Australian girls are less confident when it comes to maths, while boys are more confident. However, a Psychological Bulletin metaanalysis of more than 240 studies published between 1990 and 2007 shows no statistically significant difference in mathematics performance when boys and girls are given the same standardised tests. Evolutionary biologist and behavioural ecologist Shinichi Nakagawa co-developed this meta-analysis to test for variations between groups. He and his colleagues used a sample of 1.5 million students across English speaking countries worldwide. STEM grades for boys were found to have 7.6 per cent higher variance, but this isn’t enough to upset the average. In a simulated classroom featuring the top 10 per cent of STEM students, boys and girls would be evenly distributed.

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Nakagawa’s team also found girls to have 7.8 per cent higher average grades and 13.8 per cent less grade variability in non-STEM subjects. This suggests some girls may be discounting STEM, even if they’re good at it, because they see themselves as better at other things. However, opening one door doesn’t close another. If you’re good at STEM, it’s worth considering on its own merits. Myth: Men and women in STEM now receive equal pay for equal work Fact: Women continue to earn less than men who occupy identical roles Pay inequality remains a pervasive issue in Australia. Currently, the national gender pay gap, as measured by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, is 13.9 per cent. For the past two decades, it has hovered between 14 per cent and 19 per cent. The gender pay gap is higher among managers (25.1 per cent) than non-managers (18.5 per cent). When comparing the percentage of STEM graduates in the highest income bracket, reports the Office of the Chief Scientists, 32 per cent of males earn above $104,000, compared with just 12 per cent of females. Importantly, a marked disparity remains even once one has accounted for the higher proportion of women who work part time; whether or not one has children; and one’s highest educational attainment. Myth: The battle for gender equality in STEM disciplines is over Fact: Much work remains to be done before women are equally involved in STEM areas and fairly recognised for their contributions.

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According to recent data from the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, women make up only 17 per cent of the entire population of STEMqualified individuals and only 14.5 per cent of all STEM professors. This, of course, has been influenced by high attrition rates, job insecurity and limited career prospects. Furthermore, having embarked on a STEM career, women may also face sexual harassment and the effects of conscious and unconscious bias. For example, in one study performed by Corinne MossRacusin, researchers presented employers with identical resumes to which male or female names had been assigned at random. Employers tended to rate the ‘male’ applicants as more competent and offered them higher salaries. What do the three myths above mean in practice? Cultural, social, educational and professional barriers to women’s participation in STEM have ongoing consequences for women throughout their lives. Primary school As described above, by age nine, girls and boys are more likely to draw a man when asked to draw a scientist. Furthermore, though girls in grade four perform equally well in standardised maths tests, only one third are confident of their maths abilities (compared to 44 per cent of boys). Secondary school The Officer of the Chief Scientist reports that, at the age of fifteen, girls are more likely than boys to believe mathematical skills will not help them with later study

Nuramalia Isnin is a HSE graduate at Monadelphous. She is supporting the sustaining capital team, which is one of the business units for its maintenance and industrial services north west division.

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or getting a job. By year twelve, boys outnumber girls 3:1 in physics and 1.9:1 in advanced maths. University The Office of the Chief Scientist also shows that by the time they reach university, women are vastly outnumbered in most STEM areas. When it comes to the attainment of bachelor degrees, they account for only 13 per cent of IT graduates; 14 per cent of engineering graduates; 22 per cent of physics and astronomy graduates; 33 per cent of maths graduates; 36 per cent of earth sciences graduates; and 42 per cent of chemistry graduates. Women slightly outnumber men in agriculture (51 per cent) and biology (59 per cent); in non-STEM areas, they account for 65 per cent of all completed bachelor degrees. The workforce Female STEM graduates who enter the workforce face continued inequality, with STEM employers remaining less likely to employ women. The least inclusive industries are construction and transport, where the proportion of female graduates is 12 per cent and 15 per cent respectively. Women fare better in education and healthcare, where the proportion of female graduates is 41 per cent and 60 per cent respectively. Women who remain in academia must contend with systemic challenges of their own: only 14.5 per cent of STEM professors are female, even though females make up around 40 per cent of junior STEM academics. Why is it important to increase the representation of women in STEM areas? Gender inequality in STEM is not just a problem for women – it’s something that should concern all of us, for moral, civic, cultural and even economic reasons. Why? We’ll let you be the judge. Below is a collection of statements from a variety of influential organisations who advocate for more diverse representation in STEM today. ‘Studies show that women researchers are squeezed out of science careers by structural barriers. The loss of such expertise is a significant waste of knowledge, talent and investment. Gender equity and gender diversity impact our nation’s scientific performance and productivity.’ – Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) ‘Careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) offer the opportunity to engage in some of the most exciting realms of discovery and technological innovation. Increasing opportunities for women in these fields is essential to our economy and to the achievement of gender equality. By attracting and retaining more women in the STEM workforce we will maximize innovation, creativity and competitiveness.’ – Office for Women, Government of South Australia www.gradaustralia.com.au

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‘STEM skills are critical to the management and success of R&D projects as well as the day-to-day operations of competitive firms. [...] An education in STEM also fosters a range of generic and quantitative skills and ways of thinking that enable individuals to see and grasp opportunities. These capabilities – including deep knowledge of a subject, creativity, problem solving, critical thinking and communication skills – are relevant to an increasingly wide range of occupations. They will be part of the foundation of adaptive and nimble workplaces of the future.’ – Australia’s Chief Scientist, 2014 ‘Attracting and retaining more women in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workforce will maximize innovation, creativity, and competitiveness. Scientists and engineers are working to solve some of the most difficult challenges of our time and engineers design many of the things we use daily. When women are not involved in science and engineering, experiences, needs and desires that are unique to women may be overlooked.’ – Nature Education So… I’m a female graduate hoping to embark on a career in a STEM-related field. What’s the good news? If you’ve read up to this point, you may be feeling discouraged – after all, you probably already know much remains to be done if women are to achieve equity in professional and academic STEM areas. But what about solutions to this problem? Fortunately, the increased attention given to gender inequity in STEM has sparked some promising developments. Two guiding frameworks were released in 2019, outlining the government and industry’s commitment to improving representation and equity for women in STEM in Australia. These are the Women in STEM Decadal Plan, developed by the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering; and the Australian Government’s Advancing Women in STEM strategy. The strategy’s 2020 Action Plan offers a promising start, with action areas listed as: ■ Enabling STEM potential through education ■ Supporting women in STEM careers ■ Making women in STEM visible. These frameworks add to existing initiatives including Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) and the STEM Male Champions of Change. The need for support within STEM industries has also led to changes within the business community, with companies like Boston Consulting Group, PwC and Deloitte enacting policies and programs designed specifically to empower female employees. Be sure to ask about similar initiatives as you make your way through graduate interviews.

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John Holland’s CEO said that promoting gender balance and female participation and inclusion at John Holland is an essential prerequisite for the business to achieve its strategic growth plans.

Of course, as noted above, much remains to be done in pursuing gender equity within STEM. However, the progress so far has been encouraging. Below, you will find some of the resources now available due to this ongoing shift towards increased diversity and equity.

Support and advocacy groups BPW Australia BPW is a lobbying and advocacy group that focuses on issues that affect working women in Australia. In addition to its activism work, BPW offers grants, a mentoring program and various networking events. bpw.com.au Professionals Australia Professionals Australia is a member’s organisation that advocates for the interests of all Australians in professional occupations. Through its gender and diversity division, Professionals Australia provides practical support to professionals facing a range of employment issues. This includes assistance negotiating pay; advice on wages, rights, career progressions and other aspects of professional life; contract reviews; and events designed to bring together like-minded individuals. professionalsaustralia.org.au/ professional-women SAGE Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) is a government-funded advocacy group that aims to improve gender equity in the sciences through a program of activities designed to support women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine.

As an intersectional organisation, SAGE also aims to support transgender, indigenous and LGBTQI+ individuals in STEM, as well as individuals who belong to ethnic or racial minorities. sciencegenderequity.org.au Women in Engineering A branch of Engineers Australia, Women in Engineering funds a range of initiatives designed to support working female engineers with continuing professional education, career progression and more. engineersaustralia.org.au/Communities-AndGroups/Special-Interest-Groups/Women-InEngineering Association for Women in Science (AWIS) AWIS is a global representative body for women in all STEM disciplines. In addition to organising networking events and providing various resources for women in STEM, AWIS maintains a strong commitment to advocacy work. It aims to promote diversity while creating ‘inclusive, fiscally responsive systems to drive research excellence, feed long-term growth and fuel innovative solutions to the global challenges facing all our citizens’. awis.org Women and Leadership Australia (WLA) WLA focuses primarily on equipping female professionals across all disciplines with the leadership and business skills they’ll need to succeed in their careers. It runs various conferences and symposia and also offers funded places for earlycareer women who wish to take advantage of its courses in leadership and management. wla.edu.au www.gradaustralia.com.au

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Grants for women For Women in Science Sponsored by L’Oreal, the ‘For Women in Science’ grant recognises four Australian women and one woman from New Zealand each year, providing successful applicants with $25,000 to support their careers in science.

and technology. Successful applicants receive an academic scholarship that recognises ‘academic performance, leadership and impact on the community of women in tech’. They are also invited to participate in retreats, mentoring programs and other initiatives. womentechmakers.com

Mentoring Programs

forwomeninscience.com.au Superstars of STEM Awarded each year, the Superstars of STEM program aims to support up-and-coming female scientists with the goal of creating role models for younger women and girls who might be considering a STEM career. Successful applicants are able to access a range of mentoring and educational workshops and also commit to visiting three to five Australian high schools to inspire young students. scienceandtechnologyaustralia.org.au/ what-we-do/superstars-of-stem Women Techmakers Scholars Funded by Google, the Women Techmakers Scholars programs aim to identify female undergraduates and graduates who excel in the fields of computing

Franklin Women Mentoring Program The Franklin Women Mentoring program is aimed at female health and medical researchers, providing them with six months of professional and academic support. franklinwomen.com.au/mentoring Mentor Walks Australia An informal gathering for female professionals, Mentor Walks Australia fosters cross-organisational connections between women at all stages of their careers. mentorwalks.com.au

On the job What does your employer do? TechnologyOne is a software company that focuses on software as a service (SaaS) enterprise software that transforms the way businesses are run. TechnologyOne is also a vendor that develops, sells, implements, supports and runs a fully integrated suite of enterprise software solutions all under one roof. It services eight key markets: local government, government, education, financial services, health and community services, asset intensive industries, project intensive industries, and corporates. What are your areas of responsibility? As a graduate developer, my responsibilities lie in creating elegant code to develop new features relating to property and rating (government-based)

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applications and bug fixes. I also develop technical solutions in design sessions alongside business analysts, product architects, product managers and senior developers. I participate in daily stand-ups, sprint planning sessions and internal product showcases. I love how I am able to work collaboratively and also autonomously in my role. Typically, software development is done on your own, however through design sessions I am able to participate in collaborative discussions between multiple roles within the company. This allows me to understand varying perspectives and ideas, helping me get a better understanding of the product, the market my application is for and improve my technical skills. Honestly, the sky’s the limit at TechnologyOne.

Sandra Finow

Sandra Finow studied a Bachelor of Business (Business Management)/Bachelor of Information Technology (Computer Science) and is a graduate developer at TechnologyOne.

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On the job

Eromanga Adermann

What is your current role? I’m currently a consultant in the insights and data service line, specifically in the artificial intelligence engineering capability. How have your studies helped you in your work? I have a Bachelor of Science (Advanced Mathematics) and a PhD in Cosmology and Astrophysics. I studied to become a research scientist, which perhaps unsurprisingly, requires skills that are great to have in consulting. My science degrees helped me develop critical thinking and analytical skills that are needed to deconstruct and reframe problems, as well as creative thinking skills, which are required to produce innovative solutions to hard problems. I also learned to code during my studies, which has opened the door to the AI space for me. What are you passionate about in your role? I love the process of solving problems. There is a nice feeling of satisfaction that comes with finishing a project or challenging task! I also love helping people in some way, so if my work has made things easier or in other ways benefited them, then it makes me happy. Additionally, I love exploring the possibilities of how technology will evolve and imagining what the future could be like, and in my role I get to be in the thick of cuttingedge technology. I’ve been able to develop skills in areas of interest to me, specifically in automation, data science and AI. How would you describe the culture at Capgemini? I love the culture here at Capgemini! It’s a wonderful mix of team spirit, fun and freedom.

We work hard, but we make it enjoyable. All the graduates and grad alumni get together regularly for trivia nights, putt-putt, hot pot dinners and more. I think Capgemini has got the balance between work and play right! There is certainly an expectation that we put in our best effort at work, but everyone understands if we can’t be at work or if we have to leave early. There is also a lot of freedom to build your career. If you want to try out different types of work or move into a different capability, there are people who will help you do that. One of the most amazing things about Capgemini is that everyone is so friendly and supportive. What has been your most empowering moment? I think the most empowering moment so far was when I figured out how to automate a process that would save a lot of manual work. I started without the necessary expertise or experience for what I was doing and initially had very little faith that I could do it. I spent weeks on a learning curve while I tried to solve the multitude of problems that just kept popping up. It made me realise that we can solve so many problems if we just keep at it and don’t let our doubts get in the way. What have you gained from working at Capgemini from a career perspective? I have gained a far better understanding of the technology landscape and what the world could look like in the near future. I’ve also been able to develop skills in areas of interest to me, specifically in automation, data science, and AI. Non-career wise: The most valuable thing I have gained from working at Capgemini is life-long friendships.

Eromanga Adermann studied a Bachelor of Science (Advanced Mathematics) and Doctor of Philosophy in Cosmology and Astrophysics. Eromanga is an insights and data consultant in Artificial Intelligence Engineering at Capgemini.

Study Bachelor of Science (Advanced Mathematics), Doctor of Philosophy in Cosmology and Astrophysics, University of Sydney, 2018

ROLE Insights and data consultant, Artificial Intelligence Engineering, Capgemini

I love the culture here at Capgemini! It’s a wonderful mix of team spirit, fun and freedom.

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On the job

Emily Bocking

What’s your name and job title? Emily Bocking, IT graduate. What does your employer do? DHL is a third party logistics company that offers customised logistics and industry solutions. This includes the areas of supply chain management, warehousing and distribution. What are your areas of responsibility? As part of the DHL graduate program, every six months my role within IT changes and therefore so do my responsibilities. Recently I completed a rotation that had me working on IT products and solutions: more specifically, digitalisation. In this area I was working on improving the technology that our pickers use to do their jobs, which includes things such as voice picking. Can you describe a typical work day? Each day at work brings something different, so there is no truly typical work day for me. However, my morning normally starts with me coming into work, making myself a cup of tea and sitting down to read my emails to check what has to be done for the day. The last project I worked on was assisting in the implementation of new smart devices that are now being used on the floor in the warehouse. This involved customising applications to suit specific needs for our operations and also working on our new voice picking software. What are the career prospects with your job? There are so many different directions a job in IT can take,

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because there’s such a variety of things technology is capable of and used for. For example, you could become an IT solutions analyst or IT integrations analyst, move into IT infrastructure and service management, or into IT products and solutions. With some of these positions there’s also the possibility of working anywhere in the world. There are so many options that you’re bound to find a niche for yourself, doing something you enjoy, in a place you love. What do you love most about your job? I love that I get to work on different projects and that every day brings something new I can learn from. I love that I can actually help to further an operation and improve it. Diversity in the projects I am working on is important to me, to ensure I continue to enjoy coming to work every day.

Emily Bocking studied a Bachelor of Information and Communications Technology and is an IT graduate at DHL.

Study Bachelor of Information and Communications Technology, University of Western Sydney, 2016

ROLE IT graduate, DHL

What’s the biggest limitation of your job? The only limitation I have come across in my time working for DHL is the lack of knowledge I have of some of the systems. As I am changing roles every six months this is a challenge I’ll continue to face, however this constant change keeps things fresh and interesting, rather than becoming stagnant. The job can place a bit of pressure on a person sometimes, but it all depends on how you manage your time and organise yourself. You are always supported within the team to succeed.

There are so many options that you’re bound to find a niche for yourself, doing something you enjoy, in a place you love.

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On the job

Dalzy Mendoza

Can you outline your journey to ThoughtWorks? I moved from the Philippines to Australia for university and took my first part-time job as a mathematics and reading tutor in my first year. However, in my second year, I got caught up in extracurricular activities and stopped showing up for classes. Eventually, I found my way back and finished a year and a half later than my original graduation date. Having been delayed, I strived to be more active in my final year, so I joined hackathons and meetups, and became a demonstrator and tutor in the university. A friend of mine recommended me to a ThoughtWorks graduate recruiter and the recruiter then contacted me. I have now been in my current position for ten months. How did you choose your specialisation? As a graduate software developer, there isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t an expectation yet to specialise. The type of project you get assigned to shapes which specific area you first get exposed to and learn in depth. However, if you do want to try out a different area, most graduate developers would start doing online courses on their own and have conversations with developers in those areas for guidance. What was your interview process like? It comprised of several stages: a take home coding assignment, code pairing session, behavioural interview and a short presentation on any topic I wanted. There were three problems to choose from for the coding assignment, and on the code pairing session I had to

show my solution, explain how I did test-driven development and do a small improvement on the code whilst pairing with the interviewer. The behavioural interview spanned questions from being a team player to social causes I cared about. What does your employer do? ThoughtWorks is a software consultancy that enables core technology and digital services uplift to clients in different industries such as finance, healthcare and transport. Most engagements will be focused on software delivery while some will be on advisory. What are your areas of responsibility? I work as a developer in a delivery team that is comprised of both ThoughtWorkers and client developers. My primary area of responsibility is to develop quality software that aligns with the prioritised goals of the client. I need to be in constant communication with the team to surface any technical issues or roadblocks and ensure we are building one cohesive system. What do you love most about your job? Building things and incrementally adding to their functionality and value. I enjoy understanding how software systems work, how theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re connected and wired up, and how I could use that knowledge to implement what I need to do. What are the challenges? The vastness of software engineering makes it difficult. There can be internal pressure to do extra selfstudy due to how quickly technology changes.

Dalzy Mendoza studied a Bachelor of Science (Computing and Software Systems) and is a graduate developer consultant at ThoughtWorks.

Study Bachelor of Science (Computing, Software Systems), University of Melbourne, 2018

ROLE Graduate developer consultant, ThoughtWorks

The behavioural interview spanned questions from being a team player to social causes I cared about.

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Chapter 4

How to get hired Specialist vs generalist �� 290 Five year checklist �� 293 Researching and choosing the right organisation �� 294 Writing a CV and cover letter �� 296 Sample cover letter �� 298 How to ace an interview �� 300 What to expect at an assessment centre �� 301 Getting an offer �� 302 Managing social media �� 303

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Specialist vs generalist

Recognising the adaptability of a STEM degree There is abundant evidence that STEM graduates find employment faster than their non-STEM counterparts and that once they’ve established a career, they earn a more competitive salary. However, those aren’t the only reasons to study a STEM degree. In fact, a key benefit of studying a STEM degree are the transferable skills. While you may be inclined to overlook their value, these skills are highly sought after and greatly diversify the professional choices you can make as a graduate. For example, even if a mechanical engineering graduate decides not to pursue a career in that field, they still possess mathematical reasoning skills, teamwork experience, programming know-how and so on. As such, they could reasonably consider pursuing an alternate career in finance, information technology, the public service or various other areas. Graduates of less specific STEM degrees – such as mathematics and physics – often find themselves in a similar position. With this in mind, it’s helpful as you navigate the options available to you as a STEM graduate, to distinguish between specialist and generalist roles. Specialist roles Specialist roles require you to have developed certain technical or professional skills while working towards the completion of a specific degree. Often, such degrees must be authorised by a trusted accrediting body, which reviews curricula and course outcomes to ensure that graduates will meet entry-level professional requirements. For example, Engineers Australia is the national accrediting body responsible for evaluating Australian engineering degrees. Examples of specialist roles include: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

mechanical engineer actuary chemist pharmacist veterinarian microbiologist aeronautical engineer medical scientist

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Generalist roles Generalist roles require you to possess skills that, though often developed to a high level within STEM degrees, are not exclusive to STEM areas. Such skills include mathematical reasoning, problem solving, research, communication, methodical analysis and programming. Examples of generalist roles include: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

financial modeller research analyst consultant sales professional business manager

Tips to help you decide between generalist and specialist roles Ideally, by the time you’ve completed your degree, you’ll have a good sense of whether or not you’d like to pursue a specialist career or a more general alternative. Maybe you loved the things you studied and found your internship meaningful or exciting. Maybe you thought your degree was a total drag. Or maybe it was a bit of both, leaving you feeling uncertain as to which career you should pursue now that you’ve graduated. Unfortunately, there’s no quick way to decide between the specialist and generalist paths. However, the tips below can help you consider your choices in a way that makes it more likely you’ll arrive at a satisfying decision. Consider whether you’d prefer to be a subject matter expert or a jack of all trades. In considering this choice it can be helpful to focus on the consequences of choosing to be a generalist instead of a specialist. ■ Is it important to me that I’m recognised as an expert? ■ Are there desirable skills or professional experiences that won’t be available to me in a specialist role? ■ Will I get bored if I’m focusing on the same challenges every day? Be honest about your experiences so far The ‘sunk cost fallacy’ describes our all-too-human tendency to avoid ‘wasting’ investments we’ve already

The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

made, even if committing to them will lead to future losses. Try to avoid it when asking yourself candid questions. ■ Did I actually enjoy my studies? What about my industry experiences? ■ Would putting into practice the skills I acquired as a student bring me satisfaction or enjoyment? Beware of false dilemmas It’s all too easy to forget about the diversity of experiences available within specialised professions or the possibility of integrating specialist skills into a general role. So don’t get caught up making an unnecessary choice. Instead, where appropriate, ask: why not both? ■ Can I combine my options to get the best of both worlds? Know your options Start with a list of all the obvious career choices before you; then force yourself to make it bigger. Make sure you haven’t excluded something that could offer excitement, fulfillment or excellent pay. Then, once you’ve identified all your options, narrow them back down to create a shortlist: ■ What would I do if my first choice weren’t an option? ■ What would I do if money weren’t a consideration? ■ What do my friends or family members think I’d be good at? ■ Could I combine any of my choices?

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■ Is it possible for me to ‘try out’ a career by working on a short project, volunteering, asking if I can shadow a current professional for a few days or something similar? ■ Do I know anybody from the profession who will provide honest answers to my remaining questions? Keep things in perspective If you’re truly stumped, it can be helpful to remember that the majority of people do change their careers; that switching professions, while occasionally difficult, is not impossible; and that you’re only choosing your first career path, not necessarily the path you’ll take for the rest of your life. So aim to make the best decision based on the information you have, even if it’s imperfect or leaves you still feeling a little uncertain. New information will help you make more informed choices in the future about whether your career requires a minor course correction or a completely new approach. ■ Is one of my options more ‘reversible’ than the other? If I choose a generalist role now, will it be harder to move into a specialist role later? ■ What if my hard work actually pays off? ■ What if, in a month’s time, I’m surprised by how certain I feel that I’ve made the right decision?

Address the unknown Don’t ignore any nagging unanswered questions. Write them down and then commit some time to researching the possible answers; you might be surprised about how it influences the decision you make. ■ Can I really get a specialist job in this field? ■ Will I earn as much money if I don’t work as an engineer? ■ Will I have a bigger impact on my community as a research biologist or as an employee of this non-profit organisation? ■ Will I really enjoy being a web developer? Be a scientist and test your hypotheses It’s often said that you should trust your intuition and this is true enough – but that doesn’t mean you should trust your intuition alone. Instead, test your assumptions by accruing more knowledge and experience. ■ Is there a book I can read about this specialist/ generalist career to see if it interests me? ■ Have I searched for any relevant online career reviews?

Chemistry students working in a laboratory at the Curtin Perth campus.

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Job-readiness checklist

Applying for graduate jobs can be a long and arduous process. Applications usually involve multiple steps, beginning with an online application and followed by interviews, assessment centres and testing. It’s a competitive process and it pays to plan ahead. Even if you are still in the early stages of your degree, there are things you can do now that will make it much easier to succeed professionally later on.

First year

Middle Year Final Year

■ Develop a study plan and consider forming a study group.

■ Talk to members of your target profession or specialisation.

■ Keep up to date with networking and job opportunities.

■ Start thinking about your electives or whether to switch majors. Ask peers in the year above what subjects they enjoyed most.

■ Develop your soft skills and network at industry events.

■ Attend information sessions and open days. Prepare questions tailored to each organisation and your specialisation.

■ Seek out career advice so you can understand all your options. ■ Participate in extracurricular activities such as sport, music, drama, personal development and community service programs.

■ Explore opportunities to intern or complete volunteer or pro bono work. ■ Explore ways to demonstrate your skills outside of class. ■ Consider study abroad opportunities.

■ Research the types of firms or organisations that interest you and prepare your CV accordingly. ■ Apply for a graduate program. Good luck!

■ Look for opportunities to cultivate leadership skills, whether in your part-time job, volunteer work, student society or a sports club.

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Researching and choosing the right organisation

Once you have chosen a specialisation, then your next decision – which organisation to apply for – can fast become a vexing one. Even if you have a strong sense of where you’d like to work, it pays to ensure your decision is a carefully considered one. After all, why shouldn’t you reward yourself with the best possible start to your career?

To help you make the best choice, we’ve compiled a list of seven key questions that every STEM graduate should be able to answer when considering a prospective organisation.

To properly evaluate the culture of an organisation, you’ll need to ask a variety of questions such as: How competitive is the organisation? What sort of people work there? What is expected of graduate employees? What are the people like? How many hours a week will I work?

How large is the organisation?

STEM organisations range in size from small research bodies to global giants like Roche, which employs some 90,000 people. There are pros and cons to working in organisations at either end of the spectrum. While some may be drawn to the scale, stability and career advancement opportunities offered by medium and large organisations, others will prefer smaller organisations where they can focus on specific topics of interest or work closely with renowned experts in their chosen STEM field. Smaller organisations may have a faster growth trajectory given their ‘all hands on deck’ approach.

Will you be working in a specialisation that interests you?

As you’ve seen in the first section of this guide, there are many areas in which you could choose to specialise. If you have a strong sense of which specialisation interests you most, then it’s worth seeking out organisations that will cultivate your passion. It’s also important to consider whether your personality fits the specialisation. Bear in mind that it may be challenging to switch specialisations once you commit to one. This doesn’t mean it can’t be done! There is always scope for change – you may just need to take a backwards or sideways step, depending on the stage at which you choose to switch. For example, it can often be easier to make a change in the early stages of your career rather than later. www.gradaustralia.com.au

What’s the culture of the organisation like?

The importance of culture in an organisation cannot be overstated. After all, there are few other environments in which you’ll work as intensely or closely with other groups of people, so it pays to ensure you fit in and feel supported.

Organisations and even individual teams within organisations also vary widely in their value systems. Some may value individualism, conspicuous effort or the pursuit of monetary targets; others may value employee and client satisfaction, work-life balance or community engagement. Where possible, try to secure a position in an organisation whose values are consistent with yours.

Will working at this organisation help you in your career?

On average, people change jobs 11 times during their careers. So, it’s worth considering where you want to be not just for the next few years, but in a decade or so. If you have a strong sense of your career goals, then you should ensure the firm you’re interested in will help you meet them. This might mean checking that you’ll learn the right skills, focus on the right issues, gain the right experience or network with the right people. Some firms have established professional development initiatives, especially those with structured graduate programs. Just be certain that your career will grow at the target organisation and not be restricted. Remember, you should always choose an organisation that facilitates the greatest rate of growth. The moment you stop learning, it’s time to look elsewhere, either in terms of role or organisation.

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Does the firm have an international presence?

For graduates excited about the prospect of working abroad or focusing on international projects, it could be worth prioritising organisations that have a global presence. It can be much easier to find employment overseas if internal transfers are available, and international firms often leverage their global presence to address issues that span multiple regions. On the other hand, if you’d prefer to work in a single location or focus on domestic issues, you may wish to avoid international firms in which overseas postings or training programs are considered a natural part of your career progression.

Will I have a healthy work-life balance?

You will have your own sense of what a healthy work-life balance looks like – some people may derive satisfaction from working late, others may prefer more regular hours with ample time for personal commitments. In either case, it’s important to check that your idea of a healthy work-life balance is achievable at a target organisation.

Who are the clients?

If your role involves working with clients, you might want to consider who they are. Will you be working for homeowners as a civil engineer at a consulting firm? Will you be working for business clients as an actuary at a financial services institution? Perhaps, as a grant-focused researcher, you won’t have clients per se – however, it’s still important to consider who you will be working with. Other things to consider If you’ve completed an undergraduate degree or alternative qualification in an area outside of STEM, this may make you more employable in specific areas. For example, if you studied commerce alongside your science degree, you may find it advantageous to pursue a career at, say, a start-up biotech firm in need of chemists with business acumen.

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■ Will you receive a variety of interesting work? ■ Will you have an opportunity to rotate through different specialisations? ■ Will you be required to work very long hours without a clear link to performance and pay? ■ Are there opportunities for professional development, including training, education (such as funding for further study) and mentoring? ■ What is the professional reputation of the person you will be reporting to? What are they like and do you think you will enjoy working with them? How to find answers If you are interested in working for a particular organisation, it’s helpful to speak with current employees about their individual experiences. One way to do this is by approaching representatives of your target organisation at careers fairs. Alternatively, recruitment agents and other contacts and friends who have worked at the firm can provide honest and valuable information about its culture, reputation and working environment. You can also refer to graduate job reviews and insider guides on the GradAustralia website (gradaustralia.com.au). Online research can be a helpful way to find answers to your questions, although you should, of course, endeavour to base your opinions on reputable sources. You can also seek out the advice of lecturers, tutors and career counsellors. Finally, there’s no better time to ask clarifying questions than during a job interview. By doing your research and deciding carefully on an organisation that fits your values, goals and expectations, you can be confident of your choice and get your career off to a flying start!

You should also take into account your interests and explore the possibility of using them to create a more satisfying career. If you like painting and science, for example, you might find a fulfilling vocation in art restoration. Or you might combine your interests in coding and chemistry to develop new ways of modelling experimental data. Other questions to consider when choosing the right organisation: ■ Where is the organisation located? ■ Will the organisation meet your salary expectations? ■ Will you have any autonomy and if so, how much?

Optus have a very diverse culture that actively promotes a work-life balance.

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Writing a CV and cover letteR

First impressions are lasting and this is especially true when it comes to CVs and cover letters for graduate jobs. After all, the content of your application is only half the game – as a graduate, it is expected that you can communicate clearly and effectively. Moreover, recruiters are often time-poor professionals who want to separate the wheat from the chaff quickly, before reaching out to candidates who distinguish themselves with their academic credentials, work experience or diverse interests. So, to help you put your best foot forward, we’ve assembled some tips on how to create a killer cover letter and CV.

The contents ■ A cover letter should include the following: ■ Your personal/contact details ■ The date ■ A salutation/greeting ■ How you heard about the job/organisation ■ What attracts you to the job or organisation (you can mention some of their projects or significant staff members) ■ Why you believe you would be an asset to the team ■ A ‘soft pitch’ ■ A closing/signature.

Creating a standout cover letter

The trick is to have a clear idea as to what the company does and what the job entails, then draw out evidence of your own relevant skills. Here, the more specific you can be, the better. For example, instead of simply writing that you’ve completed an internship, you could say, ‘As an intern, I worked with computer modellers on a project related to the safety of a new open-cut mine’.

The basics A cover letter is like a sales pitch and what you’re trying to sell is your own suitability for a target job. Successful cover letters: ■ Highlight the important parts of your CV. ■ Provide a sample of your written communication skills. ■ Show how your skills, education and experience are relevant to the position for which you’re applying. ■ Address any specific selection criteria in the job advertisement. ■ Draw attention to your achievements. ■ Use appropriate formatting and a professional and confident tone of voice. ■ Encourage prospective employers to read further into your CV. ■ Demonstrate one’s command of the rules of grammar and style. Why invest in writing a good cover letter? Cover letters can be time-consuming and that’s largely due to the importance of writing a new one for each application. Nothing turns off a prospective employer quite like the sense that they’re reading a template letter. It’s vitally important that your submission – or at the very least, the bulk of it – is specific to the employer in question. It’s a chance to convince them that you want to work in their industry, for their specific organisation and in the job role they advertised. For example, why do you want to use your degree at this large consulting firm? What research have you completed that demonstrates your suitability for this specific government grant? www.gradaustralia.com.au

Structure and tone Your cover letter should have a clear structure with an introduction that leads into a coherent summary of your relevant skills and experiences. This should be followed by a closing statement that reiterates your interest in the job, thanks the employer for their time and includes a ‘soft pitch’. For example, you might write something like: ‘I look forward to speaking with you further about how I can make a positive contribution to your team’. Throughout the letter, your tone should be polite and professional. This doesn’t mean, however, that you should tie yourself in knots trying to sound overly formal. Simply avoid colloquial language wherever possible and focus on providing evidence of why you should be hired (as opposed to simply claiming to be ‘excellent’ or ‘talented’). Finally, keep your cover letter succinct – it should be no longer than one A4 page and have your details clearly written as part of a letterhead.

Get to the top of the pile: writing a successful CV A curriculum vitae (CV) is a written overview of your experience and other qualifications for a job opportunity. Creating a good CV generally takes more time than writing a cover letter. However, once complete, a CV can

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be submitted to each new employer with only minor adjustments. The basics A CV should concisely outline your relevant educational history, work experience, professional accomplishments and qualifications. It may also include details of referees (if requested). A successful CV: ■ Can be read easily and uses a clear font in a reasonable size with logical headings and well structured bullet points. ■ Uses a skills-focused or chronological format. ■ Emphasises skills or job experiences that are particularly relevant to the job description. ■ Why invest time in writing a good CV? The role of a CV is to provide recruiters and prospective employers with an easily scannable summary of your achievements so that they can decide whether or not to progress your application by offering you an interview. As a graduate, you’ll often find that your educational pedigree is similar to other applicants, many of whom will have completed near-identical degrees at equivalent institutions. Consequently, it’s worth taking the time to figure out what differentiates you from the crowd before subtly emphasising it in your CV. For example, you might bill yourself as having strong communications skills and include the fact that you volunteered at community organisations. Or perhaps you speak another language, love coding or have a specific five-year goal that the role you’re applying for would help you achieve. Giving your CV a novel ‘twist’ is a sure-fire way to make sure it doesn’t get lost in all the noise. The contents A CV should include the following: ■ Your contact details, including your phone number, address and email. ■ Your residency status (if applicable). ■ A career overview (with an emphasis on industry positions or transferrable skills from other jobs you’ve had). ■ A summary of your education and training. ■ A list of any professional accreditations/other qualifications you have (this is where you should mention if you’ve received, say, a certificate of proficiency in a different language). ■ Details of your referees (or an explicit offer to provide them). Education Your academic history from your university years should include your predicted or actual degree grades, information on your dissertation (if relevant), any units relevant to your job, and relevant academic awards. Many employers of STEM graduates prioritise

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educational performance when assessing candidates, so it’s a good idea to emphasise any special achievements and give this section a prominent position in your C.V. (For example, at the start or end of the document). Work experience You should prioritise any work experience you have and highlight specific accomplishments that are relevant to the position to which you’re applying. Of course, as a graduate, your experience may be limited, if you have any at all. Fortunately, many employers look very favourably on a diverse range of achievements and experiences. Examples worth mentioning include fundraising, voluntary work, independent overseas travel, sporting achievements or leading roles in university clubs or societies. You needn’t go into too much detail – a summary of your achievements and any relevant transferable skills (leadership, teamwork, planning or problem-solving skills) will suffice. Structure and tone The most common CV format is the reversechronological order, which presents your most recent work experience and educational accomplishments first. If you follow this approach, make sure the chronology is clear and there are no large gaps that could confuse or worry employers. For example, if you took a year off to go travelling between jobs, you might even include that as a CV entry. As with your cover letter, your tone should be polite and professional, and your entries as specific and detailed as possible. Here are some tips to get you started: ■ Describe achievements, not just job titles. Instead of saying you were ‘an engineering intern at GE’, mention specifically what you accomplished, learned or contributed. ■ Emphasise more recent jobs and achievements. ■ Be honest. You should expect that your CV will be read critically and important points cross-checked with referees or industry databases. ■ Keep paragraphs to three or four lines and space them well. This helps the reader pick out the main facts and assimilate a number of points quickly. ■ Use bullet points wherever they add clarity and visual style. When writing bullet points, use direct action words such as ‘designed’, ‘built’ and ‘organised’. This has the effect of assigning credit for your achievements and enhances the CV’s overall credibility. ■ Prioritise relevance but also leave some room for things that make you seem interesting or well rounded. For example, there’s no reason not to include a cooking qualification as a point of interest, but you needn’t claim that it will be integral to your success in business. www.gradaustralia.com.au

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Sample cover letteR Sample cover letter #1 Applying for an internship

[INSERT YOUR NAME] [INSERT YOUR ADDRESS] [INSERT YOUR NUMBER] [INSERT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS] [INSERT DATE] [INSERT NAME OF RECIPIENT] [INSERT RECIPIENT’S POSITION] [INSERT RECIPIENT’S ADDRESS] Dear [RECIPIENT], I am a [first/second/third]-year student at [insert academic institution] and I’m writing to apply for [name of position advertised] position with [name of organisation]. I have a strong [insert average mark], which I achieved while [include example of extracurricular activity, significant academic achievement, or personal challenge]. Completing a placement at [insert organisation] would allow me to continue my commitment to [insert an issue relevant to the organisation, and for which you are genuinely passionate]. I feel confident that I will make a positive contribution to your office while strengthening the skills I’ll need for a career in [insert relevant specialisation]. [NB: We will assume from this point onwards that the author is applying for an internship at a large engineering firm]. As a student at [insert academic institution], I wrote an honours thesis on [insert topic]. Specifically, my thesis argued that [provide brief summary]. I am passionate about applying these insights to real-life industry problems. [Here, you could provide an example of how you might do that.] I was drawn to [organisation’s name] because it is my career goal to work in an industry that encourages strategic and creative approaches to [relevant problem]. As a market leader in engineering, [organisation’s name] has [insert examples of its involvement in this area, such as a major client]. These projects resonated with me because I’m also committed to [doing some cool thing]. This semester, I worked with a start-up to develop an app designed to connect disadvantaged youth with potential employers. I was responsible for building relationships with a broad range of stakeholders including disadvantaged youth, youth organisations, smaller businesses and corporates. I was able to learn how to interact with multiple stakeholders representing different interests. I believe these skills will be a valuable asset in helping to build client relationships and business development opportunities in the future. Given my ability to learn quickly and in a fast-paced environment, I believe I will be able to adapt to the demands of an engineering internship. Moreover, my concurrent study of commerce has provided me with the analytical toolkit that I believe will be valuable at your organisation. I have enclosed a resume highlighting my education and work experience. I hope to have the opportunity to interview with you about an internship position, and I will call your office in a few weeks to see if I may schedule a time to speak with you. Thank you in advance for your time and consideration. Sincerely, [insert name].

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Sample cover letter #2

Applying for a graduate position [INSERT YOUR NAME] [INSERT YOUR ADDRESS] [INSERT YOUR NUMBER] [INSERT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS] [INSERT DATE] [INSERT NAME OF RECIPIENT] [INSERT RECIPIENT’S POSITION] [INSERT RECIPIENT’S ADDRESS] RE: Application for [Position] at [Organisation] Dear [Mr/Ms last name of contact person], I am writing to apply for the graduate program at [organisation name]. I am currently in my penultimate year of an [insert degree and unit], having previously completed my undergraduate major in [insert subject]. I have a strong distinction average, which I have achieved while maintaining multiple extracurricular commitments, including being elected by my peers in 2020 to the role of [position] in the [student society/leadership organisation], and working part time. I am applying to [organisation name] because of its position as a market leader in the Asia Pacific region. This is reflected in [organisation name]’s success in consistently winning the [award] as well as its prominent role in [example]. [NB: We will assume from this point onwards that the author is applying for a trading graduate role at an investment bank]. My interest in trading was born of my experience developing and trading my own portfolio, where I have consistently been able to generate an above market return. In 2019, I was a finalist in a three-day simulated market challenge run by the University of New South Wales and the Trading Society. From these experiences, I have learnt how to identify trading opportunities and execute these under pressure in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. Given my passion in trading, I have taken every opportunity possible to prepare myself for a career in this industry. In 2019, I completed a summer internship at Macquarie’s Commodities and Global Markets unit, where I was responsible for researching the energy futures market with a focus on Australian coal and power [insert other achievements where relevant]. Furthermore, in my most recent semester, I completed an online course via Coursera on algorithmic trading to enhance my understanding of the impact of technology on the market. I believe that my [insert character attributes], and my dedication to [organisation name]’s mission will enable me to make a positive contribution at your firm. Please find enclosed my resume and a copy of my academic transcript. Thank you in advance for your time and consideration. Yours sincerely, [Your name]

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How to ace an interview

First impressions: how to nail your job interview A job interview is essentially an opportunity for you to show off your skills, talents and experience while demonstrating your knowledge of the job and asking any questions you might have. In this section, we’ll focus primarily on the main question you can expect to be asked during an interview: why do you think you’re suitable for the job? Here are some tips to make sure you can knock it out of the park. Research the job! We know – this seems like an obvious tip. However, recruiters often express their amazement at candidates who arrive to interviews with only a superficial understanding of what their target job will entail. You should instead possess an in-depth knowledge of the job description and be ready to convince the jury, with evidence, that you’re the best person to take it on. Start by reading the job description, paying particular attention to any academic requirements, as well as essential and desirable attributes. If there’s anything you want to clarify, be proactive and reach out to graduate recruiters or company contacts. You can also check if gradaustralia.com.au has a profile of the company. Get a feel for what life will be like in your target job by talking with personal contacts in similar roles, or checking out graduate stories and graduate job reviews on our website. Find out more about the organisation, such as the types of clients it works with, where it is based and what types of projects it takes on. Deepen your understanding of the job When it comes to demonstrating your suitability for a particular role, the general rule is this: the more specific you can be, the better. Of course, this means arriving at a deep understanding of what the role will require. You can do this by asking the following questions: ■ How much of your working day will be spent working alone and how much interacting with others? ■ Will you only have to deal with your immediate team and supervisor, or will you interact with internal or external clients? www.gradaustralia.com.au

■ Is this job more focused on meeting immediate, conflicting deadlines in a fast-paced environment or longer-term planning and development work? ■ How flexible will you have to be in terms of travel, working hours, changing projects or picking up new skills at short notice? ■ What industry sector(s) will you be working in/for? Will you need to develop a working knowledge of, say, the construction sector, energy and utilities sector or the retail industry? ■ Will training and development time be built into your job or will you be expected to learn extra skills and keep up to date with new developments in your own time? Bringing it all together into your own pitch By combining what you’ve learned from the position description and your own supplementary research, you’ll arrive at a strong sense of the talents and attributes you should emphasise in the interview. For example, you might reach one of the following conclusions: ■ I will be working for both internal and external clients, so I’ll need to show that I have good interpersonal skills such as the ability to communicate effectively, build relationships and negotiate with tact and patience. ■ I’ll be working to tight deadlines, so I’ll need to show that I can handle pressure and manage competing priorities. ■ I’ll be working closely with community stakeholders, so I should talk about my contribution to volunteer projects and extracurricular involvement in community activities. ■ I’ll be performing delicate research with precision equipment, so I should discuss my experience as a laboratory assistant. Master the STAR technique When responding to interview questions, use the STAR technique to organise your answer. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

What was the situation? What was the task? What action did you take? What was the result? What did you learn from reflecting on the experience?

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What to expect at an assessment centre

Assessment centres Many organisations use assessment centres in their recruitment processes for student and graduate recruitment. What is an assessment centre? Candidates are invited to assessment centres to undertake a combination of individual and group exercises. They are used by organisations to compare candidates on the same day and reduce the number of shortlisted candidates moving to the next round. The length of time you’ll be expected to be present at an assessment centre varies widely, from as little as a few hours to as long as three days. How to prepare One of the main objectives of assessment centre recruiters is to see how you perform under pressure. As such, you should anticipate some degree of stress. People perform better when they know to expect stress and have done everything they can to manage it. You should also know what the schedule for the day is, read any preparatory material, and double-check the dress code (typically formal). It can be daunting, but remember: this is a chance to show off your skills while also assessing whether the organisation is right for you. Things you can do in advance include: ■ Know what is happening in the world. A general understanding of world politics and business will give you a broader understanding of most topics that can arise during formal and informal conversations. ■ Know what is happening in the sector. Be sure to include the most relevant updates. Research whether or not the organisation in question has been in the news lately. You should also familiarise yourself with any broader industry trends and news stories, and be sure to have an opinion. This may not be obviously relevant, but it’s the kind of thing that a recruiter or fellow candidate might bring up in conversation. ■ Know the competitors. This will help you answer any questions about where you think the future of the organisation will be. Will they follow a competitor who is doing well or are they doing things differently?

■ Practise. Assessment centres often subject candidates to psychometric tests, verbal reasoning tests and numerical tests. You would do well to practise each of these – there are many online resources that you can draw upon. Alternatively, you may contact a careers advisor for advice on how to prepare. ■ Brush up on your public speaking skills. Some recruiters will ask you to prepare a presentation for delivery at the assessment centre. This will allow them to test your communication skills. Their attention will focus on the structure of the presentation, as well as its content and the style of your delivery. On the day Don’t be surprised if, on the day, you find yourself joined by a large group of people all applying for the same role. There will also be an organiser and various representatives of the employer. It’s natural to feel some anxiety, but bear in mind that your nervousness is usually related to how people will react to your performance. The performance itself is a separate issue – something relatively within your control – and if you’ve prepared well, then you have nothing to worry about.

PwC assessment centre days usually include a group case study.

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Getting an offer

Your contract of employment Before entering into a contract of employment and accepting your first position, you should seek clarification on the following: ■ Start date. ■ Duties and/or job description. ■ The number of hours you will be required to work. Keep in mind you may be told you have to work 9.00 am–5.00 pm, plus any further hours as required to meet your clients’ expectations and demands of the job. In the private sector, it is possible you will spend at least ten hours a day in the office in order to meet the requirements of the role. ■ Rate and method of pay (weekly/monthly). ■ Whether the salary offer is a package (base and superannuation combined) or a base salary in addition to superannuation. ■ When and if you will be entitled to a salary increase (particularly if you are paid junior rates). ■ Any leave entitlements, including parental and long service leave. ■ Whether you will be employed on a permanent, part-time, temporary or casual basis. ■ When you can expect to receive a written contract of employment. ■ Confirmation of all employment conditions in writing (including your next salary review date). ■ Which Enterprise Agreement or Award you will be working under, if any. ■ The termination notice requirements of both parties. Before signing your first contract read it carefully, making sure you don’t sign anything you don’t understand. There’s no need to feel pressured into signing a contract on the spot. Tell your potential employer that you want to take the contract home and will return the contract as soon as practicable. If you don’t agree with a certain clause in a contract, you can rule a line through the provision you don’t agree with and place your initials in the margin. Your salary Salaries will vary substantially between large and small organisations and different specialisations. More generous salaries are likely to be associated with larger firms or certain specialisations. For www.gradaustralia.com.au

example, those working shifts on mining sites may be required to work long hours. They can generally demand higher salaries as compensation. Superannuation As a general rule, you are entitled to a minimum of 9.5 per cent superannuation paid into a fund of your choice. However, if you are employed as an independent contractor or on a contract for services you will not be automatically entitled to superannuation. If you have previous superannuation policies but are unsure of the name or policy number, contact the Australian Taxation Office Superannuation Line on 131 020. If you have had previous casual and part-time positions, it is likely that you have several superannuation funds. To consolidate your accounts, obtain and complete a rollover form from your current superannuation fund of choice. Rolling over your superannuation will: ■ Minimise the risk of you losing your superannuation ■ Minimise administration fees you are likely to be charged ■ Help you keep track of your superannuation as it is all in the one place ■ Minimise the statements you will receive.

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Managing social media

Social networking sites are a great way to stay in touch with friends and family, organise events and share photos and videos. However, recruiters are increasingly using these networks as a way of vetting applications. So, as you start thinking about applying for jobs, it is crucial that you ensure your online persona aligns with your career goals.

While you are at it, why not switch your profile to ‘friends only’? That way, should a recruiter search they will only have access to the content that you want them to see. Don’t forget areas such as blogs, forum posts and other applications like YouTube. Anything you have ever posted under your real name could show up in a search.

A balancing act Whether you are a dedicated social networker or just spend a few hours a week on networking sites, it is worth giving serious thought to who can access your data. The content you place online can have a big impact on your future.

Let the internet work for you The web isn’t just there to catch you out: it can also be your friend. In one study, half of recruiters said that the information they had found about a candidate online had positively influenced their decision-making.

Unless you have made the effort to change your privacy settings, your profile could be visible to any HR person and searchable on Google. Joining location networks on Facebook will also open up your profile to anyone on that network, not just your friends. If you use Facebook’s ‘check in’ feature, others can easily find out how you have been spending your free time. Many employers use social networks to screen candidates. If your profile is public, any potential employer could have details on a lot more than just your qualifications and work experience. This doesn’t mean you need to remove every trace of your existence. However, you need to be savvy and ensure that your online persona portrays you at your best to recruiters and employers. Managing your reputation Consider which content you are happy for anyone to see and which you feel is best saved for friends and family. A good option is to use LinkedIn for your professional life and Facebook for your private life. Start by using the settings Facebook and other networking sites now offer to help you control your privacy level. You can choose who can see particular status updates, photos and anything else. Next, pop your name into a search engine and see what comes up. Most social networks have a public listing that contains information from your profile and a link. This can be switched off by editing your privacy settings.

Some graduate recruiters have created groups on social networks to make it easier for graduates to get in touch and find out more about their organisations, which can be an excellent research opportunity. Twitter can also be a good way to connect with employers, researchers, potential mentors, and industry leaders. You can use it to listen to what recruiters are saying and to keep up-to-date with their latest news. If you are interested in working for an organisation, follow its feed to find out the latest company information and recruitment activities. Many savvy students have already set up their own website or blog. If you haven’t, consider it. It demonstrates initiative and, if you do it right, is a good way of showing off your creativity and communication skills, and highlighting achievements in greater detail. However, don’t forget to make it look professional and appropriate for your future career. The web is a valuable resource and you can have fun with it, just remember it is a public arena! Ensure it helps, rather than hinders, your career search. Tips for making social media work for you ■ Be aware: Google yourself regularly to see what information about you is out there for anyone to find. ■ Be proactive: use networking to help you develop and maintain your reputation and relationships. ■ Be consistent: make your personal brand consistent across any platform that is accessible to a potential employer. ■ Be knowledgeable: get to know what people in your target field are interested in hearing about to ensure your messages hit the target. www.gradaustralia.com.au

CAREERS INTELLIGENCE RIO TINTO GRADUATE REVIEW: TRAINING

There is a broad range of internal educational material on offer that is free to access and produced by the company on a dedicated platform. The company also supports participation in external learning and development programs for targeted development. I have picked up many networking, presenting, technical and commercial skills through these resources. – Graduate, Rio Tinto, Brisbane

IMC TRADING GRADUATE REVIEW: SATISFACTION

My work changes drastically day to day depending on what features I am working on. The people I work with change every day and my role requires a hands-on approach a lot of the time. – Graduate, IMC Trading, Perth

AURECON GRADUATE REVIEW: CULTURE

Aurecon has an open desk plan that encourages collaboration and is perfect for a graduate as you learn from watching as well as asking. The company also encourages workers to relax (either via a Zen room or recreational activities), focus on our health (mental and physical) as well as developing our careers. Outside of work hours there are get-togethers at least once a month but often much more frequently. – Graduate, Aurecon, Brisbane

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Chapter 5

Surviving and Thriving Understanding probation �� 306 Handling performance reviews �� 307 Establishing strong professional relationships �� 308 Managing your time �� 310 Learning how to resign �� 311 Dealing with bullying and discrimination at work �� 311 Maintaining mental health �� 312

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Understanding probation

When you start a new role, you may be placed on probation. Don’t worry, this is pretty normal! The purpose of probation, which typically ranges from three to six months, is for both you and your employer to assess if you are suited to your new role. During this time, your employer will typically help you to develop performance goals (also known as key performance indicators or KPIs). This gives you both a clear view of what you are working towards and something by which to measure your performance and suitability for continuing employment. It’s important to understand the terms of your probation. This means confirming: ■ The length of your probation ■ All goals and tasks you are responsible for during your probation ■ Whether there will be a formal performance review at the end of your probation ■ Who you can speak to if you have any questions or concerns about your probation ■ How the firm deals with employees who don’t meet their probation requirements (especially when prevented from doing so by extenuating circumstances such as accident or illness). Your employment can be lawfully terminated if you fail to achieve the required expectations (subject to the terms and conditions of employment). A strong support network can be invaluable in helping you deal with your employer’s expectations – especially if those expectations are not reasonable. According to the Australian Government Fair Work Ombudsman, employees who do not pass their probation are still entitled to receive notice when their employment ends. Furthermore, you are not to be denied any basic entitlements, such as paid leave and sick leave, during your probationary period. While being on probation can feel a little daunting, you should see this period as an opportunity to learn as much as you can about your role and organisation. This is the time to ask lots of questions – after all, no one expects you to know all the www.gradaustralia.com.au

Seeing every opportunity as a learning opportunity and cultivating a growth mindset will help you develop resilience and compassion for yourself as you move ahead in your career.

answers just yet! It will take some time before you find your rhythm – most learning curves are steep at the very beginning, so be patient and remember you are there to learn. Don’t be alarmed if you make a mistake or two. Mistakes happen and if seen in the right way, are a great learning experience. Think about what it was that didn’t work and how you could do better next time. Seeing every opportunity as a learning opportunity and cultivating a growth mindset will help you develop resilience and compassion for yourself as you move ahead in your career. It’s also important to take the time to regularly reflect if this is the right path or place for you. Sometimes it can be confronting when you realise a chosen path isn’t necessarily what you thought it might be. In fact, it is often the case that a role may not exactly match your expectations – some aspects might be more exciting than you thought, others perhaps more mundane. The reality is that there will always be some aspect of your job that you dislike more than others and sometimes you just need to ‘stick it out’. Know that your role will evolve over time and that you can have a say in this! If you see aspects of your role that you particularly like, or would like to do more of, be sure to express this to your manager. At the same time, don’t be scared to admit the truth. If you continue to feel that your specialisation or role is not quite right, that’s okay. It’s never too late to change your role, specialisation or place of employment. There are always options if you look hard enough.

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Handling performance reviews

Performance reviews can be intimidating, but it’s important to remember that in an ideal situation, they have a positive objective. They are designed to help you learn more about how to succeed in your role and grow towards the career goals that are important to you. Generally, performance reviews are held once a year. You and your manager will review what you’ve accomplished during this time, and discuss any ways you might improve in your role. It’s also an opportunity to discuss remuneration (salary and bonuses). Here are some strategies to help you prepare for your performance review: ■ Know what you want. Remember, this is your career; no one else is going to be as interested in it as you. It’s critical therefore to enter a performance review knowing what you would like to get out of it. Do you want a promotion? An internal transfer? A move to a new location? Study or professional development opportunities? Be clear on your intention for the performance review. This will help you to prepare your thoughts – whether it’s questions to ask or arguments to put forward – and will help you guide the conversation. ■ Be open to feedback. Performance reviews are an opportunity to really listen to how your manager and team think you could improve. Maybe it’s learning to speak up in meetings, pay more attention to detail or look at the bigger picture in a more strategic way. Whatever it is, this feedback is extremely valuable and if taken on board, can help you to grow in your role and beyond. ■ Ask questions and get clarification. If you don’t understand feedback that is given to you, don’t be afraid to ask questions. It’s important that you are clear on what you are being asked to do – and how to do it. The performance review is a time dedicated specifically to you and your development, so be selfish, use the time, and ask the right questions to get the answers you need. ■ Agree on a path forward. It’s important during your performance review that you set the expectations

for your performance in the future. Know what you’re being asked to do going forward and set in place some performance metrics with which you can measure your progress. This will provide an objective measure for future performance reviews. ■ Know your worth. If you are planning to negotiate your salary or bonus, it’s important to know your numbers. Find some benchmarks for comparison, whether they are internal or external (such as other organisations or industry averages), so you have something to compare to. Be sure you are able to point to examples of things you have accomplished and reasons why you deserve higher pay. ■ Don’t lose your cool! If you believe you are being unfairly criticised, or do not agree with the feedback you have been given, be careful in the way you respond. Taking a defensive or aggressive attitude and showing you aren’t open to feedback – and therefore growth and personal development – may not be the best move. Sometimes, it is best to take some time to reflect on the feedback you have been given. You can take the time to prepare a counter argument or examples, and then meet up again with your manager. During your performance review, feel free to say that you would like to take some time to reflect, and ask if you can pick up the discussion again later.

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Establishing strong professional relationships

Working in any organisation, be it a research team or a mining company, frequently requires collaboration. So it’s vital that you foster strong professional relationships characterised by open communication, mutual respect and the shared pursuit of common goals. As a graduate, you can learn a lot about how to do this by observing your colleagues, taking their advice seriously, and remaining open to constructive feedback. Below we have discussed some ways to establish and manage your professional relationships with the key people you are likely to encounter in your initial graduate experience – your manager, colleagues, clients and other stakeholders. Your manager When you start your role, you will be assigned a manager. Sometimes you will have met your manager during the interview process, other times they will be an entirely new face. Regardless, it’s important you are clear about what you are there for and what you would like to learn and achieve as a graduate. Your manager is someone you can rely on to help you achieve your professional goals. After all, you are the only person in charge of your career. If you don’t tell anyone what you want to learn, they won’t be able to read your mind! The level of interaction with your manager will depend on your organisation and specialisation. Typically however, the role of your manager will be to assign you work as required, hold you to account and assess your performance (which then has implications for salary increases or bonuses awarded). It is important then, that you understand exactly what is required of you when delegated a new task. If you are confused or unsure, communicate this to your supervisor and seek clarification. Don’t be afraid of asking questions! You will gain respect for demonstrating a desire to learn and get things done in the right way. Taking notes is a good way to ensure you successfully integrate advice, and gives you something to refer back to if you need to refresh your memory. If you feel that you are unable to complete a task by a given deadline, it is important to let your manager know immediately. Your supervisor can use this www.gradaustralia.com.au

information to manage workflows across their team more effectively, ensuring you aren’t assigned too many tasks or tasks of undue complexity. Remember, managing your time means being aware – and realistic – about how you spend it and prioritising accordingly. Finally, it is important that you own up to your mistakes. You’re there to learn! While a mistake may feel mortifying in the first instance, remember that every mistake is an opportunity to ask for feedback and advice on how to avoid making the same mistake in the future. Doing this will help to establish trust in your relationship with your manager. Your colleagues One of the best things about entering the workforce as a graduate is your cohort: the people who start with you as part of the annual ‘intake’ at your organisation. Depending on your specialisation, these graduates will have studied similar fields to you, such as science or engineering. Alternatively, if you enter a specialisation such as management consulting, they could have a diverse range of backgrounds beyond business, such as finance, arts or marketing. ‘Nousers’ are motivated and engaging. Nous values diversity of thought and of life experience.

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At Coles, you can expect a buzzy, fast-paced, dynamic and collaborative culture.

While a mistake may feel mortifying in the first instance, remember every mistake is an opportunity to ask for feedback and advice on how to avoid making the same mistake in the future.

Depending on the graduate program within your organisation, you will typically find yourself spending a lot of time with other graduates, from formal group training sessions to casual Friday night drinks. It can be comforting to know there is a group of people who are going through the same challenges as you and to share your experiences. It’s common for many graduates to hang out beyond the office and it can be the start of many lasting friendships. While this is a great way to get to know the people in your organisation, remember to be careful about what you (or your colleagues) post on social media. Aside from your graduate cohort, you will inevitably work with other members of your organisation. These may range from more senior partners or directors to more junior colleagues. While it may be intimidating at first to meet so many new faces, it is a great way to learn more about your organisation and all the different roles. At some organisations, you may be assigned a ‘buddy’ or a mentor. Don’t be afraid to ask them all your questions, from routine queries like how to apply for leave, to more serious advice about how to progress within your organisation. Your clients If you work in professional services, you will increasingly be expected to deal directly with your organisation’s clients. This may even mean spending time directly on site during a project. Therefore, it’s worth spending some time to really walk in your client’s shoes. What do they think about? What keeps them up at night? What do they really need? They

might be big-picture oriented or love the nittygritty details. Either way, being on the front foot and anticipating their needs – and questions – is critical to success. For example, when presenting a piece of analysis, think about what your clients might ask you, where they might challenge you and what they might think are the next steps. Running through your analysis with your team or manager ahead of time will help you prepare for anything that might come your way. If you’re working in-house or at a corporate, your clients may in fact be your end customer, particularly if you are working in sales or customer service. Thinking about their needs in a similar way (and how you can service them) is key to building a successful relationship. Other stakeholders Depending on your specialisation, you are also likely to work with a range of stakeholders, including suppliers, customers, agencies or consultants (particularly if you’re working in-house or for a corporate). Remember, each of these may provide opportunities for your future; you never know where you might end up. If you’re interested in expanding your network, it is also worth considering joining professional bodies or attending university alumni events. These provide great opportunities to build rapport with people who might be relevant to your current or future specialisation. www.gradaustralia.com.au

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The STEM Careers Handbook 2020

Managing your time

Graduates often joke that when they are university students, they have all the time in the world but no money. Then, as graduates, they discover they have more money but very little time. Starting a full-time job can be a tricky adjustment. Even just getting up at the same time every day (and often much earlier than when you were at university) can be a shock to the system. If you work in professional services, you are typically required to log your hours and meet billable targets. These targets represent the amount of time you charge to clients each week and can be especially daunting for graduates who are still learning the ropes. You may suddenly realise you have to log your hours, bill your hours, maybe work (really) long hours (depending on your specialisation), plus you have to get up earlier than you probably did at university. No wonder that time management can seem so overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be this way. The trick is knowing how to prioritise the most important work and setting boundaries so you get that work done. To achieve this, we suggest creating a time management system, which you can even apply to your life admin too! To stay on top of tasks with minimal stress, consider the following tips: ■ Keep an up-to-date to-do list. There are various productivity tools you can try, from the Pomodoro Technique to the Eisenhower Matrix, as well as various apps and websites (such as Trello and Todoist) dedicated to task management. Beyond to-do lists, there are also tools for managing your calendar and remaining productive throughout the day. ■ Prioritise urgent tasks. There are various ways to do this for maximum efficiency. One approach involves ranking each task by ‘importance’ and ‘urgency’ before focusing primarily on tasks that are both important and urgent. ■ Eat the frog. Mark Twain once said, ‘If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.’ The frog is essentially the task www.gradaustralia.com.au

Always have a plan of attack. Break a large or complex project up into discrete, achievable subtasks before you start working.

that causes you the most anxiety and stress but also the one you are most likely to procrastinate over. Eating the frog means to just do it and get it over and done with, which means the rest of your day will seem like a breeze in comparison. ■ Keep a diary of critical dates set up with reminders. You can use various tools (such as Microsoft Outlook) to share these appointments with other stakeholders, set up phone calls, distribute preparatory material and book meeting rooms. ■ Learn how to say ‘no’. Don’t take on further work if you know you won’t be able to complete it. Be upfront about what you can reasonably achieve. ■ Delegate tasks wherever possible and appropriate. Remember though, this means not delegating tasks for which you ought to be personally responsible. ■ Update your timesheet. Avoid postponing this until the end of the day or week – it can be difficult to enter time accurately when you must first reconstruct your week in retrospect. Get into the habit of updating your timesheet each time you complete a task. ■ Take regular breaks to stay energised and focused. Sometimes it’s easier to concentrate if you shift gears. If you feel like you’re hitting a wall, take time to clear your head and come back to your task refreshed! ■ Work on complex tasks when you are at your most productive. Consider if there are certain times of the day or days of the week where you are most effective, and plan your tasks accordingly. Always have a plan of attack. Break a large or complex project up into discrete, achievable subtasks before you start working.

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Learning how to resign

Resigning from your position can be daunting, especially if it’s one you’ve worked hard to acquire. However, circumstances do change and not every role works out. So, if you decide to resign, here’s how to do so in a way that will preserve your professional reputation. Wherever possible, you should strive to leave your position on good terms. Your character and conduct are key markers of your professionalism, and more practically, the manner of your resignation may influence whether or not you can ask for a reference in the future. Be prepared to supply a resignation letter when you inform your employer of your decision to leave the firm. In the letter, state the date from which your resignation is effective, your notice period, and your last day of work at the firm. If it is appropriate, you can

also include a brief positive statement about your time at the firm, referencing things you’ve learned, valuable experiences or meaningful professional relationships. It is useful to prepare a list of issues that you may need to discuss with your employer when you resign. This could include how to complete any outstanding projects, manage an efficient handover, and notify colleagues of your decision. You will more than likely be asked reasons for your resignation. Being prepared for these questions will help you respond with constructive and thoughtful comments. No matter how negative your experience with your organisation, do not insult your employer or spread rumours about them or the organisation. This behaviour will only reflect poorly on your own character. Remember, don’t burn bridges. Always try to leave on the most positive note possible!

Dealing with bullying and discrimination at work The Australian Human Rights Commission defines workplace bullying as verbal, physical, social or psychological abuse by your employer (or manager), another person, or a group of people at work. This may take the form of hurtful remarks, social or professional exclusion, the delegation of tasks that do not relate to your job, intimidation, pushing, shoving, unwelcome touching or sexual harassment. Discrimination happens for a variety of reasons, none of which render it acceptable and may stem from prejudiced attitudes towards a person’s race, age, religion, sex, disability, socioeconomic status, education or sexuality. You should not stay silent if you are being bullied or discriminated against at work. If you feel comfortable approaching the bully, let them know their behaviour

is unacceptable. Otherwise, speak to a colleague or supervisor about the situation, or report it to the human resources department. Many workplaces have strong and supportive cultures that can help you through these difficult times. If you feel you cannot confide in a colleague, you can contact the Australian Human Rights Commission or Fair Work Commission for information on your rights and options. It’s a good idea to keep a record of any incidences of bullying. Australian Human Rights Commission – 1300 656 419 or 02 9284 9888 Fair Work Commission – 1300 799 675

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Maintaining mental health

Coping with stress A healthy level of stress can keep you motivated, and may even be a proportionate and manageable response to your new responsibilities. However, in an intense working environment, it is not uncommon for stress levels to rise. Once this happens, stress can fast become a negative force that saps energy and if left unchecked, often leads to burnout and other mental health challenges. Coping with the stress of working life starts with building resilience. You can give yourself space to do this by implementing strategies to help you maintain focus and motivation, and achieve your goals. Some useful strategies include: ■ Time management – keep a list of tasks you aim to complete each day. This will help you break a sometimes overwhelming workload into manageable goals and gauge what you can realistically achieve. ■ Preparation – whether you are scheduled to attend a meeting with a client or present to your team, make sure you give yourself enough time to prepare adequately so you can perform at your best. ■ Focus on solutions – accept that as a graduate, you will make mistakes. Ask your manager or team for advice on how to avoid repeating them. ■ Maintain a balanced lifestyle – to perform at your best, it’s important to look after your physical and mental health. This means eating well, exercising regularly, taking time out, being social and keeping a healthy sleep schedule. Signs of anxiety and depression It is vital that you treat your mental health just as you would your physical wellbeing. This means familiarising yourself with the warning signs of anxiety, depression and other conditions, and intervening early if something is amiss. It also means learning the difference between a healthy (or proportionate) level of stress and its opposite, which can manifest itself as toxic anxiety.

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To help you identify any mental health red flags, below are some warning signs of nascent depression or anxiety: ■ Absenteeism or presenteeism (being in the office but being non-productive) ■ Falling productivity and the occurrence of simple errors ■ Bad or rash decisions ■ Poor morale and uncharacteristic lack of cooperation ■ Complaints of aches and pains or tiredness on a regular basis ■ Disruptive, interfering or domineering behaviour to other team members ■ Alcohol or drug use or abuse ■ A general reluctance to socialise or participate in company activities ■ An unusually sad mood that does not go away ■ Loss of enjoyment and interest in activities that were previously enjoyable ■ Lack of energy and tiredness ■ Loss of confidence in yourself or poor self-esteem ■ Feeling guilty when you are not really at fault ■ Thoughts of suicide or self-harm ■ Difficulty concentrating and making decisions ■ Moving more slowly or becoming agitated and unable to settle ■ Having sleeping difficulties or sometimes, sleeping too much ■ Loss of interest in food or eating too much. Support If you require support or know somebody who does, there are many resources available including several services that will provide immediate support. For example, BeyondBlue and Lifeline Australia provide rapid and anonymous support over the phone and online. The federal government also subsidises selected mental health services, allowing patients with an appropriate referral to access Medicare rebates for up to ten therapy sessions a year. Your university may also provide counselling and support services. Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636 Lifeline – 13 11 14

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