CAREERS
TERM 4, 2020
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LE B U O D SSUE I VER
FLIRP COYBEYR FOECURIT S
technology Software engineer
10
of the coolest places to work in tech p6
Software engineer
Meet 4 Google roomies working together at home p8 Uni not for you? Check out our A to Z guide to VET careers in tech p14
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Create Design Code Build for everyone Googlers build products that create opportunities for all. Whether it’s down the street or across the globe, we want to help people learn, be heard, and succeed. Come help us build for everyone. google.com/students
FOREWORD marie efstathiou Computer Science Outreach, Google AU/NZ
Join the tech revolution pathway, Whatever your passion or your yone there’s space in tech for ever
Jobs and careers in techn ology are more diverse, needed and prevalent tha n ever. Combined with key skills such as proble m-solving, collaboration and creativity, STEM add s value to all industries. Technology enables you to navigate your career fro m a place of knowledge and curiosity, at the same tim e. Whether you’re self-taugh t, went to TAFE or university, there is a pla ce for everyone in techn ology. In these pages I hope you find role models and a wid e range of careers – maybe even some you didn’t kno w existed. I hope they inspir e you to follow your own passions and form your own unique pathway tow ards creating a future that is closer than we think!
T
we often associate with echnology is something endless possibilities the future: innovation and k like, the problems loo for what our world could ple we could help. we could solve and the peo iting realm of potential. exc the in Technology exists year, we see more than Looking back at the past ect a crucial role in every asp ever technology playing p kee d us to keep learning, of our lives. It has allowe are! ted – from wherever we nec con working and stay we gy olo hn tec the ht on This year has put a spotlig is Th . now us to le ilab ava rely on and that we have with se combining technology tho s ate ebr cel ine gaz ma ke ma to y, nit their commu their passion or a need in world around them. We the t pac im and a difference one of them! want to invite you to be
Marie Efstathiou Computer Science Outre ach and University Relati ons Lead for Google AU/NZ
Jobs and careers in technology are more diverse, needed and prevalent than ever”
ers tech careers by numb stats: ch jobs 33,000 new te stralia in
created in au 19 the three years to 20
114,450 Number of employ ees in new zealand’s tech se ct or Source: Statistics
em jobs 1.9 the rate stmp ed to are growing co ar s on ti non-stem occupa cation,
$2.7 billion additional gd p
SHUTTERSTOCK
Source: Australian Bureau of
Statistics
ent of Edu Source: Australian Departm Skills and Employment
NZ
created for every growth in New Zealand’s te4% ch sector Source: NZTech Annual Report, 2016
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TECHNOLOGY
CONTENTS
What’s inside?
P6
r Flip the magazine over fo ! careers in cyber security P6 10 tech offices with
serious perks ies P8 Meet the Google rogeom ther living and working to ills P10 Take your tech sklit erally straight to the bank… t P12 Get the job cheat shee
P8
I used to sit un the covers of my bedder night with a flashlig at read my dad’s prograht to textbooks.” Mitch McDermmming ott,
Google software engin eer
P26
P24 How tech is
reinventing our regional areas P48 Next steps on ch your pathway to a te career
P12
P14 The A to Z of VET pathways in tech
P18 How tech has changed our everyday lives
P20 Team diversity at Atlassian
P22 Soft? Hardly. Get ahead with these 21st century skills CAREERSwithSTEM.com
P34
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P32
What is Careers with STEM?
e The healthcare of htha wit future needs peoplel literacy.” digita high level ofiol ogist
The Careers with STEM hub includes a quarterly magazine, posters, videos, events, webinars, quizzes and website to help young people discover the careers of the future. Each year we deliver four magazines across each of the STEM disciplines, plus special editions, like Data Science and Cyber Security.
Clara Chow, card
STEM + X =
We believe everyone should have equal access to build a better future. Many of tomorrow’s careers will combine STEM skills with other areas. We call it ‘STEM + X’ – like Technology + Fashion = 3D-printed clothes or Maths + Sport = footy statisticians.
Combine technology (STEM) with your passion (X) to discover your dream career
For more Careers with STEM role models, quizzes and STEM + X ideas and inspiration, head to CareerswithSTEM.com
Tech + …
P26 Beauty & Fashion P30 Health P34 Humanities P36 Space P40 Education P44 Conservation
P38
P42
sure My dream is to maket Firs that the 400 million world have Peoples around the fu ture.” access to a digital O, Indigital
Follow Careers with STEM online!
and CE Mikaela Jade, Founder
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TECHNOLOGY
UPFRONT
H T I W S E C I F F O 10 TECH S K R E P S U O I SER W
never-ending snack ith ping-pong tables and tech offices are decked stations, fut ure-focused 10 wants to leave. Suss out out like a party no-one el Ste e ssi Ca – t come 5pm. that’d have to kick us ou
#OfficeGoals!
#1 Google Scooters for staff to get aro und in? Free breakfast goodies? Just thin king about Google’s Sydney HQ has us feeling less stressed already, which is probably the aim of their games room, devoted entirely to having fun bet ween meetings. Oh, and get this – they’ve got two real-life carriages from the orig Sydney monorail as meeting rooms. Where do we apply?
#3 Uber
LAUREN TROMPP / SHUTTERSTOCK
country – and world They’ve got homes all over the arguably their most – but Uber’s Sydney base is and filled with loads stylish. Two-story, open-plan ls like a Pinterest of natural light, the place fee get over the calm board come to life. We can’t been designed to colours and floor feels that’ve Damn. Cool. So. . give off a beach-side vibe
#2 Atlassian have a 90 per cent Aussie tech giants Atlassian , Sydney CBD office approval rating for their hip itional par titioned space. They’ve ditched trad friendly hot desks, work zones for collaborationcommunal booths, breakout meeting pods and ilable too when with soundproof options ava s. intense concentration call
#4 TripAdvisor The travel review/booking site has set up shop in inner-city Sydney in a shared office space with tou r booking company Viator and restaurant booking site The Fork (used to be Dimmi), and yes – we rate their stylish space five stars. Features inc lude: standing meeting rooms, breakout areas themed by iconic places (the “Bondi room” is par ticu larly cool), a pool table, ping-pong set-up and free massages on tap.
ng ma rooms and never- endi ne ci s, om ro st re fo in ra ves, eme park contained th i in m a e “From moving bookshel lik s el fe es ey office sometim themed snacks, the Google Sydn our. A ty pical day is spent switching between table right beside Sydney Harb op Bear room – standing at our desks, playing tos r Dr re Eng ineer Google Pho meeting rooms – like ou – Dion Loetscher, Sof twa s.” fe ca r ou of e on at tennis and eating lunch
CAREERSwithSTEM.com
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“We have people from Germany, Macedonia – an all over the world working in our office – Brazil, d ev Russia, with free drinks, food an er yone is super friendly. We’ve got a fu lly stoc ked kitchen d snacks. If we’re not at a ping-pong game. At th ou r de sk s, we ’re pr ob ably having e end of the day, we som etimes make use of the board games we have an m ountains of d relax with a games pa rty.” – Adrian Letchf ord, Tech Lead, Air tasker
#5 Slack
#6 Seek
Valley, digital collaboration When head office is Silicon always going to be full of hub Slack’s Aussie version was features. The amount of cool, non-traditional office urne space rivals that of plants covering their Melbo ce not covered in green a rainforest, with the only pla t’s full of lollies, baked being their snack station tha s. fee goods and never-ending cof
#7 Careers with STEM ID, our mag and Yep, that’s us! Even before COV otely, although for digital teams were based rem important convos brainstorming sessions and er-city we’d all meet up at a fun, inn thing lest co-working space. The coo can You ce? about our makeshift offi and top lap r grab a cof fee and you snoozy sit, lounge, lie wherever! No . bos com desk/cubicle
#9 Canva Canva’s warehouse-style wor kspace is cool and stylish but there are even more hidden perks about wor king for the tech giants than there are Canva office plants. Along with the whole actually-being-product ive par t, brekkie and lunch cooked by an in-h ouse chef, free gym and yog a memberships and access to a life-size roc k-climbing wall are all par t of the gig.
The online job-hunting site matches millions of jobseekers with compatible companies every year, but by the sound of their imp ressive HQ, we reckon working for them would be up there too. Their sleek Melbourne digs boast a ping-p ong table and in-office slide. Plus, a buf fetstyle breakfast takes over their kitchen every sing le day.
#8 Airtasker The Aussie startup turned glo bal marketplace for local skills, has boasted a pin g-pong table in the centre of the office from day dot. We’ve got a feeling that an idea – or 500 – has been brewed over a round. Beats a swivel chair and a whiteboard, right?
#10 Dropbox dining room, A fully stocked bar, private a… yep, the yog free and le tab a ping-pong set-up. The space is tech giants have one sweet ration and has an open plan for optimal collabo . amped-up, home-style vibe
Bonus! #11 Work from wherever you are! g remotely, or working Thanks to technolog y, workin becoming increasingly from home (WFH) was already then it became the norm common before COVID-19 – panies in Australia and almost overnight. Loads of com ouraging employees to around the world are still enc ts Twitter and Square gian work remotely – global tech be a permanent it’ll t tha have already announced
option, and Facebook and Google are sticking to the arrangements until at least the end of 2020. Remote work has its pros and cons, and in an ideal world (bye, COVID-19) we’d have the option to do both! Plus, not having to relocate to a big city for work would be particularly game-changing for those in regional Australia.
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TECHNOLOGY
TECH+GOOGLE
Jordan Griffiths Site Reliability
s e i m o o r e l g o Go
Engineer
o now live – and work – wh ds gra ip sh ern int le og Go Meet a team of oals us home office and career #g together, achieving some serio
Bachelor of Science (Computing and Software Systems), University of Melbourne
STEP Intern, Google
Master of Computer Science, University of Melbourne SWE Intern, Google
Software Engineer, Google
A
o, Mitch McDermott lice Johnson, Gabie Pa lad met as interns at Google and Jordan Griffiths all d now they all work Australia in Sydney, an the global tech giant. full-time in cool roles at d r the planets aligned an Then in February this yea red sha a o es moving int the four found themselv D-19 ut a month before COVI abo – er eth apartment tog led ub do ly den sud pad d their restrictions kicked in an as their new workplace! t r desks in our rooms, bu “We cou ld have set up ou ni mi r ou balance to set up we decided for work/ life a,” says Mitch. are ing office in the main liv ain has rea lly helped maint “Having the office vibe e tak y all usu We ing times. productivit y in these try y, con bal the on t ou er and sit our lunch breaks togeth n ilto Ch a mm Ge rn.” – sharing a meal and a ya
Jordan always loved maths but didn’t have a career in min d when he signed up for a Bachelor of Science majoring in maths and physics at the University of Canterbury . Then he took computer scie nce as a first-year elective and loved it, so he added the course as a major. Then Google visited his uni to advertise their Sof tware Engineering (SWE) internships during his second year he thought it sou nded cool – and he was right, he loved the experience. Google gig: Jordan now wor ks as a Site Reliability Engine er (SRE), responsible “for ensuring all of Google’s ser vices are sup er reliable and fast,” he explains. “We’re also on call to handle emerg ency outages, fixing things when they break”. SREs like Jordan have been described as “the world’s mo st intense pit crew. We change the tires of a race car as it’s going 100km/h”. But Jordan says he thrives under pressure. Obsessed with: Skydiving, skiing, climbing, canyoning , adventure racing. “Anything that gets the adrenaline pumping.”
nson Alice Johgin eer software en
Alice studied a Bachelor of Science (Computing and Software Systems) at the University of Melbourne and early on in her degree found she particularly enjoyed programming. She completed a 12-week STEP (Student Training in Engineering Program) internship at Google at the end of her second year. After graduating, Alice did a Master’s degree focused on a cool application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) – using eye-tracking technology to predict when a user is surprised. Google gig: Alice is a software engineer, developing an ecosystem for ‘AI-first computing’. While Alice says she can’t go into specifics about her project she says it’s super exciting. “It has the potential to make quite an impact in the tech field.” Obsessed with: Sewing and knitting. “My goal is to transform my closet into things I’ve made from scratch or upcycled.”
CAREERSwithSTEM.com
Bachelor of Science (Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science), University of Canterbury SWE Intern, Optiver
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SWE Intern, Google
Site Reliability Engineer, Google
STEP Intern, Google
Bachelor of Software Engineering (Hons), University of Queensland
SWE Intern, Google
Software Engineer, Google
Mitch McDermott software engineer
Gabie Palado software engineer
Google gig: Gabie works in the Chrome OS team developing the core apps pre-loaded onto Chrome OS devices. She says the best part of her job is working alongside such awesome people. “I feel safe, respected, and encouraged to start conversations, ask questions, and learn from my peers,” she says. Obsessed with: Dance and music. “I started with ballet when I was four years old and have held onto that passion throughout my life.” Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Software Engineering), Victoria University of Wellington
STEP Intern, Google
SWE Intern, Google
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Software Engineer, Google
LAUREN TROMPP
Gabie was first introduced to programming in high school. “I was lucky enough to have a digital technologies class where I learned about web development, databases, robotics and mobile development,” she says. She loved it so much she signed up for a software engineering degree at Victoria University of Wellington and completed her Honours. In her second year Gabie met a recruiter at a Google outreach event who helped her apply for a 12-week Google STEP Internship in Sydney, during which she worked with the Google Maps team.
Mitch says he was first intr oduced to coding when his dad went back to uni to study eng ineering. “I used to sit under the covers at night with a flashlig ht to read his programming tex tbooks and would have a collection of questions to thro w at him at breakfast.” Originally signing up for an ele ctrical engineering degree, Mitch says it took him two yea rs and a Google internship to realise he really wanted to be a sof tware engineer. After interning at Google over suc cessive summers and finishin ga Bachelor of Sof tware Engine ering (Honours) at the Univer sity of Queensland, Mitch moved to Sydney to start work at Google full-time in Januar y 2019. Google gig: Sof tware engine er in Google’s Chrome Operati ng System (Chrome OS) team. “My day-to-day work is helpin g to build the applications that are pre-installed on all Chrome OS devices. Some of the apps my team develops are the image editor, video and audio view ers, and even the calculator! ” Obsessed with: Rock climbin g. “I can be found at my loc al bouldering gym six days a wee k!”
TECHNOLOGY
TECH+CBA
TO THE BANK
Meet two software engineers applying their tech skills in cool roles at Australia’s biggest bank
Step change Clinton Hadinata wasn he wanted to do afte ’t sure what – and that’s led to ar high school fascinating career rewarding and
C
linton says that if he had one piece of advice for his younge r sister, who is in Year 11, it wou ld be that it’s the journey tha t counts. “I think high school students worry that the dec isio ns they make are the be-all and end-all, and that’s not true.” Case in point: out of high sch ool, Clinton signed up for an economics degree at the Uni versity of Sydney. He comple ted two years, including a lot of arts and humanities subjects, before he switched to sof twa re engineering because he love d programming and problem solv ing. “There are a lot of things I learnt in those two years tha t I wouldn’t have if I’d just don e a straight sof tware engineerin g degree,” he says.
clinton hadinata
software engineer
Making the team
Clinton studied a Bachelor of Sof tware Engineering (Honours) at UNSW Sydney , during which he completed three internships – at a medic al equipment company called ResMed, at electronic s giant Toshiba, and finally at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA). His CBA internship turned into a par t-time job, which turned into a graduate positio n and is where Clinton works today as a sof tware eng ineer. The CBA offers grads the opp ortunity to rotate into different teams and project s, which Clinton says was a big selling point of the grad pro gram for him. But he ended up enjoying his first rotation so much he stuck with it. Clinton was – and still is – wor king in CBA’s Open Banking Engineering team, on a new government-mandated progra m that requires banks to enable customers to safely share the ir financial data with third-party apps. “I was learning a lot and I wan ted to see the project through ,” says Clinton, who liked the fac t that as a new grad, he felt he was contributing a lot as a valu ed team member. “The CBA grads are treated the same as anyone else and our opinions and our skills are valued. That’s one of the thin gs I really appreciated,” he say s. – Gemma Chilton
LAUREN TROMPP
The CBA grads areyone an treated the same as and else and our opinions ” our skills are valued Student Engineer, ResMed
Bachelor of Engineering (Software Engineering) (Honours), UNSW Sydney Graduate Software Engineer, CBA
CAREERSwithSTEM.com
Software Engineer, CBA
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Test Engineer, Toshiba
Believe in yous ovrerscoemelimfposter
vina Wong ha Software engineer Lert a career she’s super proud of syndrome to kicksta
W
ndrome Battling imposter sy vous about after school Levina was ner
hips, Despite enjoying her interns skills as a . “I wasn’t yet confident in my rce kfo starting out in the wor s. sof tware engineer,” she say monwealth to the grad program at the Com her w dre t wha That’s par tly nin lear g culture. ch she’d heard had a strong Bank of Australia (CBA) – whi
Bachelor of Engineering (ICT) and diploma in Engineering practice, UTS
as a Year 12 , engineering was available hen Levina was in high school nothing ost alm w her school – she kne elective for the first time at things,” ng fixi love “I ed out, she loved it. about it before then. As it turn ms.” ble pro ing solv so satisfying about she says. “There’s something Diploma and ) (ICT g erin ine Bachelor of Eng After school, she studied a ney. Levina University of Technolog y, Syd in Engineering Practice at the rnships as to apply her skills at two inte says it was only when she got ir internal the ABC, helping develop the an undergrad – including at and sof tware how much she enjoyed coding apps – that she understood says. she ” self, this is super useful! engineering. “I thought to my
Junior Software Developer Intern, Ernox
levina wong software engineer
Technology Intern, ABC Software Engineer, CBA
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Software Engineering Graduate, CBA
I had no idea I could ever do this kind of stuff. But anyone can do this, you just have to be given the right opportunity”
“That kind of helped with tha t feeling that I wasn’t quite ready to jump into a job,” she says. Having completed the grad program and now working as a full-time sof tware engineer at CBA, Lev ina has learned that impost er syndrome – that feeling of not really bel onging – is not only commo n (especially for women in male-dominated industries) but also just an illus ion that she is learning to overcome. “When ever I speak to anyone about it, they say, ‘oh we all have that’,” she says. “You just have to be confide nt in yourself – just looking back at the last year and a half [at CBA], I’ve actually contributed so much. I had no idea I could ever do this kind of stu ff. But anyone can do this, you just have to be given the right opportunity ,” Levina says. At CBA, Levina works on the Bank’s online banking platfor m, NetBank, making sure everything looks good, works well and effectiv ely. That means her average nine-to-fiv e is a lot of coding, reviewing other people’s code, and staying connected with her team through meetin gs and catch-ups to ensure projects are on track. “How exciting is it that so many people will actually physica lly see and use what I’ve wor ked on?” “I don’t think many people rea lise that at least in banks now and in Australia there are really coo l things for sof tware engine ers to do,” she says. – Gemma Chilton
TECHNOLOGY
UPFRONT
Cheat sheet: get the job!
in top 15 emerging jobs e th t ou ab rt po list, re ia In a Linked In , includ ing A I spec er. ed at in m do s le ro 2020, technology ecialist and site reliability engine cyber security sp
nd’s biggest tech employers ala Ze w Ne d an a ali str Au of We asked some land a job in tech for their inside tips on how to
needs an This global tech giant hardly n 100,000 tha re mo h wit and n, introductio around the world employees (called Googlers) it’d be an including in Australia and NZ, tech career. any awesome place to launch
Tips from Jackson Godley, Talent & Outreach Programs Specialist results and impact. • Keep it simple – focus on rt – we’re looking • Focus on what sets you apa continuously get out for people who are excited to big questions and of their comfort zone, to ask tackle new challenges. ious about? • Show us what you are cur look for general • Practice and prepare – we think; your leadership cognitive ability, or how you dge. skills; and role-related knowle we call culture fit. It’s • Be Googley – this is what mould, but rather not about fitting into a cer tain llectual humility, having a healthy dose of inte fort with ambiguity. conscientiousness and com
Canva
Founded in Sydney in 2012, Canva is an Aussie tech sta rtup success story and employs more tha n 900 people. Canva is a gra phic design platform that allows users to create professional-quality visual content.
Tips from Scott Crowe, Lead Recruiter • Programmed your own gam e? Into 3D printing? Share relevant hobbies in you r resume to give the recruiter a look into your pas sion for tech. • Sof t skills are just as importa nt as technical skills. Use your extracurriculars to help set you apart. • Get your foot through the door by broadening your net work. Join meetup.com events and affiliated groups .
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ment statistics, from According to governnew technology jobs 2016-2019, 33,000 in Australia. were created
Atlassian B, ny Lipscom ategist n e K m o r f Tips nt Str ition Conte is u q c A t n e Tal company’s language ume and applying, mirror the
• When drafting a res ts, or your own experiences, projec and voice when speaking to porary hts you understand contem accomplishments. This highlig . ary ess new situations when nec vernacular and can adapt to ponding to ines for reaching out and res • Create templates or guidel ssages for ers. Creating ready-made me recruiters and hiring manag save time. interviews or follow-ups can phone calls, introductions and rview to Use both your resume and inte • Interview the interviewer! ortant to imp t’s wha s ns but also addres answer the company’s questio about ask to ce spa a it r y street, conside you. An interview is a two-wa challenges. tnering teams and on-going the roles’ daily cadence, par t of you. ut more than just what’s in fron It shows you’re thinking abo
Commonwealth Bank of Australia lies cutting-edge Australia’s biggest bank app h as online banking suc as technolog y across are y – which means platforms and cyber securit h tech skills. employing a lot of people wit
Tips from Sharat Bh Talent Acquisition Paatia, rtner (Cyber Security)
k other interests outside of wor • Don’t be afraid to mention ion ect refl a be can se the raphy) as (e.g. sports, cooking, photog ork. of your creativity and teamw can on securit y/technology; you ts • Consider writing blog pos r you e trat it helps to demons add these to your resume as ce. spa the in t passion and interes don’t know the answer to • During the interview, if you the interviewer know. Instead a question, be honest and let ut r and how you would go abo show you are a problem-solve finding the right answer. ak up ple who aren’t afraid to spe • We love hearing from peo e from com as ide t bes our of . Many and challenge the status quo es, so bring yours! people with fresh perspectiv
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GEMMA CHILTON / THE HEATHER AND DOUG RECORDS
sof tware Aussie-founded multinational ms and tools tfor pla lds company Atlassian bui panies like com ing lud inc s, for other businesse ssian employs Spotify, NASA and Visa. Atla oss the globe. more than 3000 people acr
TECHNOLOGY
UPFRONT
The A-Z of VET
chelor’s degree isn’t the only ba ar -ye ree th a ing gg Ba u? Uni not for yo loads of alternative pathways are ere Th h! tec in r ree ca a t way to kickstar skills needed to land a job. te dia me im e th th wi ds gra that equip of options Here, we look at an alphabet
A is for Apprenticeships
ctical experience Getting loads of hands-on pra VET course! a g doin to age is a huge advant the-job training Apprenticeships combine ona proven with classroom study and are l, and high-paying pathway to some pretty coo – they’re free. careers. Plus, if you’re in NSW
C
B is for Building block
degree? Whatever your Not ready to commit to a uni ns can be a valuable atio career plans, VET qualific re you want to go. whe you building block in getting six months to three Entry-level courses range from ring unique pathways years, with some TAFEs offe s. programs with local universitie
D
is for Diploma
F
– are the Diplomas – or certificate IV a great are highest level of VET, and lving, -so blem way to hone your pro al skills. hnic tec and g decision-makin
E
is for Certificate
Forget BAs and Hons! VET is all about certificate courses designed to equip school leavers with job-ready skills. From I to IV, each qualificatio n varies depending on the level of kno wledge needed for specific employme nt ops.
is for Future-focused
er the basics to From short courses that cov hways prep students advanced diplomas, VET pat M careers – some for the next-generation of STE . yet t of which might not even exis
is for Engineering
G
Software! Machine learning! Telecommunications! Engineering is the most popular of all VET courses, with more than two thirds of the VET qua lified STEM workforce having studied either a diploma or cer tificate in engineering.
is for Growth eer opportunities More demand means more car COVID-19 the e available. For example, sinc n a 25% rise see has SA E pandemic started, TAF rses! cou ted rela lthhea in applications for
What is VET?
SHUTTERSTOCK
Vocational Education an d Training (VET) focuses on equipp ing grads with the practical skills needed to: • Join the workforce for the first time • Rejoin the workforce aft er a break • Upgrade skills in their chosen field • Move into a different car eer • Enter higher education VET may be done throu gh apprenticeships and tra ineeships, where qualifications are completed while working in a paid workplace environment, or via off-th e-job institutions such as TA FE .
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H
is for Hired
I
choice to uni? Who said VET was the second duates gra dy stu A massive 77% of VET y graduate. the n whe ted sor k already have wor
J
is for Jobs
is for Information and communications technology Computer science your thing? If you’re tech savvy with stro ng analytical skills and a love of problem-solving, studying IT is a no-brainer. TAFE course opt ions include IT management , IT security, database design and general IT support.
you land with a VET Question: which tech jobs can much all of them! Among background? Answer: pretty yment growth are ICT project those with the largest emplo , software engineers, ers managers, program develop web developers. and s cer ICT customer support offi
K
is for Kicking goals Psst! CareerswithSTEM.com is packed with VET grads. Hit up our Car eer Paths tab for examples of rea l-life tech pros who never went to uni.
M
L
is for Local
Charles Dar win tralia all states have TAFEs! Looking for your local? In Aus ACT the Canberra courses in the NT, and in the University provides most VET Polytechnics. r go-to. Based in NZ? Look into Institute of Technology is you
N
is for Mentor
eone who’s done the In need of inspo? Talking to som you rt r own confidence to VET thing could help kicksta tact your local TAFE for Con pursue a similar pathway. info sessions. networking opportunities and
. T I N LEAR . T I K R WO
is for Network security Most TAFE courses are designe d to skill you up for jobs that are in demand. With the number of additional cyber security specialists needed in Austral ia expected to exceed 11,000 by 2030, network security is one of them. A Diploma of Networ k Security will give you the skil ls to land a job without going to uni.
Caleb Iocane IT Solutions
Information Technology
If you want to work it like Caleb, you’re in luck. Applications to study IT are now open for 2021. Whether your goal is to step into an Info Tech career or transition to university, TAFE SA will help you get there. Take the first step towards you dream career and check out the range of courses on offer.
Apply now for 2021 tafesa.edu.au/IT
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TECHNOLOGY
RTO Code: 41026 | CRICOS Provider Code: 00092B | HEP Code: PRV14002
UPFRONT
O
is for Open days
P
Just like universities, most TAF Es host open days, where you can check out different courses and campuses. Jum p on their mailing lists and socials so you don’t miss key dates!
is for Pathways program
didn’t get the marks? Know where you’re headed but kaged pathway Some unis (like RMIT) offer pac sfer into a bachelor’s programs that allow you to tran the required VET units. degree, when you complete
R Q
With 2020 being the year it has , VET institutions have been able to employ seamless remote-learning capabilities – probably becaus e most of them offer distance educat ion courses already! TAFE NSW boasts a cool 200 plus available to stu dy.
is for Questions
Got some? Hit up CareerswithSTEM.com and hopefully you’ll find some answers.
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is for Transfer credits
transfer credits Similar to pathway programs, uni and make the to E TAF allow you to jump from pleted count. coursework you’ve already com
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is for Remote study
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is for Stats Do you know that only 32% of the STEM qualified workforce went to university? Yep, the rest are VET trained.
is for Upskill
your knowledge up-to-date Keeping your skills fresh and is a great way to ensure your – particularly in tech fields – rt TAFE courses are a good long-term employability! Sho elop a specialised skill – option if you’re looking to dev ign or digital marketing – think User Experience (UX) des full-time, too. and can be done while working
is for Work placement king in it – is a huge part Getting a job – and legit wor on what suits you, of VET coursework. Depending porary employer, tem r your study situation and you to one day a week k, wee a placements can var y from paid, but there’s huge for a few months. You don’t get future job opportunities. potential for them to lead to
SHUTTERSTOCK
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is for You
Deciding where to study is such a personal thing, so make sure you look into loads of options and never assume that uni is the only path.
CAREERSwithSTEM.com
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X
V
With VET being super-practica l, you’ll get skilled up in all the relevant stuff that’s actuall y going to land you a job. Immersive technologies bac kbone most of the creative IT and tech certificates – where specialising in Virtual Reality (VR) or Augmented Reality (AR ) could lead to a career as a game developer, UX or use r interface (UI) designer.
is for X
If you’re stumped on what to study, the ‘STEM + X’ formula will help narrow down your options. Take the STEM area you’re most into, combine it with your passion and search your local TAFE for compatible cou rses. Like: tech + beauty = beauty app develop ment.
is for Zero fees The best thing to come out of COVID-19? TAFE NSW are removing fees from 21 of their online short courses! The selection covers areas including accounting, digital marketing and medical administration. – Cas sie Steel
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is for VR training
One step ahead
If you’re thinking about going down the VET route, you can kickstart your pat hway before yo u finish high school. Senior pat hway programs allow Year 11 and 12 studen ts to take a TA FE course that cou nts toward their ter tiary admission s ran k. Check in with your school and local VET provider to see what’s ava ilable. Tech subjects include: • Information and digita l technology • Screen and media (anim ation) • Fashion design and tec hnology • Electrotechnolog y
TECH+GOOGLE
peter finnelran ux desig
Experience counts
Peter Finlan is passionate about technology and is a lead UX Designer at Google – but his career path might surprise you
MARIE EFSTATHIOU
UX Lead, Google
Alternative pathways
author,Codrops
s cer tain about his career But if you think Peter wa ht ter science degree straig or signed up for a compu again. out of high school, think k a three-year gap to try too “A fter high school I ent d something I was confid different things and fin s. say he ,” my life doing I cou ld spend the rest of but I wanted to be sure.” re, the ays “Tech was alw a of Web Development Peter completed a Diplom the “I’m a huge advocate for at TA FE NSW in 2009.
Senior Product Designer, Canva
Diploma of Web Design, TAFE NSW
founder, Pixel Alumni
Freelance Designer, australia & abroad
Senior Product Designer, Domain.com.au
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s and his passion is sk Peter about computer ns to poetr y. “The clear – his language tur ell of new tech, the crisp look, the distinct sm ing tua gargan n monitor sitt two-tone keyboard, the the bes cri des he w ho g,” is on top. It was everyt hin en he was 10 years old. wh got he ter pu first com and I don’t think my “I was instantly hooked t of the year!” he says. parents saw me for the res ly thing that would quiet “My computer was the on .” an otherwise busy mind e time, in the late 1990s, sam the d un That was aro he code – he was 13 when that Peter first started to a. ali str Au in g fin sur ut built his own website, abo puters became more com rs yea ing low fol the In was d centra l to our lives. “I impressive, powerfu l an oss acr rs ato sterpieces cre inspired by the digita l ma ,” he says. the globe were publishing
for the I’m a huge advocate ou ing th sands TAFE system, providat ive pathways of students altern ey love” into the careers th
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TAFE system, providing thousands of students alternative pathways into the careers they love,” he says. However, like many new grads, Peter found it challenging to land his first job with no work experience – so he decided to create his own. “The entrepreneurial side of me kicked in,” he says. Peter launched a startup creative agency called Pixel Alumni, specialising in website and mobile app design and development, which he ran for three years. The experience enabled Peter to break into the workforce and eventually land his “dream job” at Google Australia. Now, he is a User Experience (UX) Design Lead in Google’s Chrome Operating System (Chrome OS) team in Sydney. “I work with product, engineering and operations teams to design Google products that are useful and usable, globally,” he explains. After more than a decade in the industry, Peter – who’s also a dad and a keen surfer – remains as passionate about tech as ever, even when he’s not at work. “I’m an open source software advocate and love spending my spare time designing and building freebies for the creative community,” he says. – Gemma Chilton
TECHNOLOGY
UPFRONT
n w o T h c e T m o Greetings fr
From cashless shopping, to remote learning and traffic-dodging apps, technology is fast revolutionising the way we do the everyday things in our neighbourhoods like shop, study and drive
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in Silicon Va lley to ou don’t have to be living ing tech developments experience game-chang d cities. Chances are sha king up our towns an enjoying cutting-edge even your local shops are r se efficiency and custome innovations that increa op sno es cen e-s -th e a behind experience. Here, we tak ent qu fre u yo ces pla wn in the at what’s rea lly going do ter g and in-demand compu itin exc the d an , every day ing up thanks to the science (CS) careers popp – Cassie Steel e. ever-changing tech-scap
School
Virtual Reality With the COVID-19 pandemic encouraging schools all over the world to tap into their remote-learning resources, tech + learning is having a major moment. Improved student-teacher interactions via outlets like email, Dropbox and Google Classroom; swapping out physical resources for digital-everything; and extending the classroom community with platforms like Zoom and Edmodo have all been pretty standard adoptions over the last year. But the maddest EduTech to come out of 2020-something? The Virtual Reality (VR) resources being developed by Oculus, Samsung and Google capable of literally immersing us in our favourite subjects! Tech + education careers: educational technologist, education software programmer, information and communication technology engineering (e-learning) specialist, teacher, VR developer
The supermarket
Smart trolleys
The gym
Cloud-connected equipment
SHUTTERSTOCK
with g up on essentials is packed These days the act of stockin ng ppi sho ine s – think: onl a trolley full of tech offering and tching, predictive analytics ma e pric pp in-a capabilities, s in ent pm elo dev new lest coo of the self-service tech – but one n’s azo card-less purchasing. Am the retail pipeline is cash- and eras cam and t has in-built sensors soon-to-be-released Dash Car e cod QR a h ced inside, along wit that track items as they’re pla out g ckin che ount. All this makes that signs you into your acc ugh a designated lane. thro it g as simple as pushin data analysts, mobile app Tech + shopping careers: ineers (UX) specialists, sof tware eng developers, user experience
Ever used an app to book into a gym or yoga class? Log ged your fitness progress digital ly or worn a smart watch dur ing a workout? Chances are mo st of us have used tech create d by CS grads to make our health, wellbeing and fitness lives a little easier. Smart, cloud-connect ed equipment is set to becom e the new norm too, with new adv anced analysis capabilities able to grade a user’s technique and ‘spot’ when they struggle to complete an exercise. Yep, we feel fitter already! Tech + fitness careers: fitn ess tech engineer, platform engineer, ergonomic engine er, IT suppor t
Find out what it’s like to work at WooliesX – the young, tech-savvy fac oldest retail businesses bit.e of one of Australia’s ly/wooliesX
CAREERSwithSTEM.com
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The park
Live-streamed nature experiences Looking for a wide-open spa ce to chill/kick a ball/have a picnic in? Searching for nea parks online and then followi rby ng a mapped-out route on an app are tech-enabled conveniences we’d literally be lost without. And if you’re dreaming of nature but una to get there, thanks to VR cap ble abilities and 360-degree cam eras, sites like ear thcam.co allow you to live stream par m ks around the world from the couch. Tech + park jobs: systems suppor t engineer, AV techni cian, VR developer, app dev eloper
The petrol station
Self-driving servicing changer back in the d pumps were a major game Pre-programmed automate not even have to ard a world where you may day, but now we’re looking tow g smart gas atin cre Engineers are working on get out of the car to refuel. allowing s, icle veh s connect to and refuel stations, where robotic arm app. Plus, with bile mo a via automatically pay customers to stay seated and ents and ser vicing elopment, sof tware compon autonomous vehicles in dev models, too. need to suppor t self-driving applications would eventually er, petrophysicist s engineer, production engine Tech + gas careers: system
2020 has proven the significant role technology plays in keeping us connected.
Studying STEM at school and university can open so many doors to the tech industry.
Whether it’s to loved ones living far away, or through experiencing digital concerts, quiz nights or games from our own homes - the possibilities are endless.
Visit The Girls in STEM Toolkit (The GiST) and take the quiz to see what subjects might suit your interests.
Visit thegist.edu.au or check us out on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. This project is funded by the Australian Government Department of Industry, Innovation and Science. © Education Services Australia Ltd, unless otherwise indicated.
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TECHNOLOGY
TECH+ATLASSIAN
e r u t l u c e p o c s o Kaleid am diversity” means to them “te at wh on ds gra n sia las At Three also pay of a buzzword RN but can orkplace diversity is a bit that wn it right. Studies have sho off for companies that get re mo ial or gender diversity are businesses with more rac ed global nd ou e-f Aussi products. It’s something ssion to mi ir innovative and sell more the th , wi sian takes ver y seriously three to ked software company At las tal We . ging’ to all of their teams bring ‘ba lance and belon . nk n to see what they thi new recruits at At lassia
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#1 Jodie Clothier Product Designer
Atlassian is software an Aussie co-founded company grads in 2 by two U NSW 0 platforms 02. It builds a other busi nd tools for n has more esses, and than 3 employees 000 .
we all have bias – that’s human nature, but if you only have one type of person designing, that bias is going to be in those objects”
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odie thought she was destine d to be a graphic designer. She taught herself Photoshop and Illustrator through YouTube tutorials, and at the end of Year 12 received offers to enrol in visual communication degrees. But one last flick through the UAC guide uncovered someth ing else – the Bachelor of Computer Design at the Uni versity of Sydney. “It had slipped past me bec ause it’s such a niche degree,” she says. The degree combined Jodie’s love of technolog y with her passion for creativity, and after completing her studies she found a graduate position as a product designer at Atla ssian. As a new grad, Jodie says the re was “a steep learning cur ve, but I was allo wed to learn and absorb everything without pressure to per form.”
SHUTTERSTOCK
s team, responsible Jodie is par t of the Native App ssian’s flagship product, for the mobile versions of Atla small projects like lists JIRA. At first, she worked on g before she moved up to and menus, but it wasn’t lon big ger challenges. ut Atlassian is you have “One of the great things abo “Even though you’re a a lot of autonomy,” she says. erently.” diff new grad, no one treats you lysing customer ana e tim Jodie spends a lot of earch interviews, res r use ting feedback and conduc ical to good design. and she says diversit y is crit – that’s human “We all have inherent biases y have one type of nature,” she says. “If you onl t bias is going to be in person designing things, tha those objects.”
Bachelor of Design Computing, University of Sydney
CAREERSwithSTEM.com
Experience Design Intern, Proto Partners
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Teaching Assistant, University of Sydney
Product Designer, Atlassian
Tina Yu 2 #
junior Software Developer
into coding. For Tina, it was here are loads of ways to get scripts that would do things to troll her friends. “I’d send g t keeps appearing – annoyin like open a message box tha .” fun lly rea . “It was things like that,” she laughs sity science degree at the Univer er put com a d die stu a Tin ics. tist loma in maths and sta of Melbourne, alongside a dip still read maths tex tbooks “I s. “I’m a huge nerd,” she say to do a PhD in pure maths.” and papers. It would be nice king as a junior developer at Right now, though, Tina is wor maintains the sof tware that Atlassian. Her team builds and to create the company’s other development teams use ping adapt some open source products. She is currently hel h by Net flix so that it works wit sof tware created and shared Atlassian’s internal systems. ple on her team, Tina says it While there are only seven peo erent all types of people from diff is quite diverse. “We’ve got t.” tha like ups and things countries, different age gro get input from a range of to nt orta imp Tina says it’s from all backgrounds and perspectives because people tomer base. walks of life make up their cus n nt backgrounds is great whe “Having people from differe problem,” she says. you’re trying to approach a
T
r Science / Diploma Bachelor of Compute ity of Melbourne rs ive Un s, tic Statis
having people om di fferent backgrounds is greafr t w trying to approach a hen you’re problem” Intern Developer, Atlassian
Junior Developer, Atlassian
ouR customer base is really diverse, so we should be too”
#3
Cara Maritz
Junior Researcher
a big tech computing degree to work at ou don’t necessarily need a studied fine she , ool sch h er finishing hig company – just ask Cara. Aft then went She y. log cho Psy of duate Diploma arts before completing a Gra and philosophy. sters combining psycholog y to the US where she did a Ma research ssian? It turns out all those So how did she end up at Atla lding them the erstanding customers and bui skills are ver y useful to und best possible products. how earcher, Cara gets to look at As a User Experience (UX) res tions on how nda me om sof tware and make rec customers interact with the essibility acc at g kin loo t working on a projec to improve it. “I’m currently
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Bachelor of Arts / Fine Arts, UNSW
Bachelor of Arts (Honours), University of Melbourne
Master of Arts / Philosophy, John Hopkins University (Baltimore)
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across our core programs,” she says. “I’m measuring and seeing how people using assistive technologies are currently wor kin g with the products. It’s been really rewarding, and it’s allo wed me to develop an understandin g of how folks with different access needs use the assistive tech.” Cara works with researchers from a wide range of profes sional backgrounds including form er academic and industry res earchers in psycholog y, anthropology and design. She says that tea m diversit y is really important to quality research. “It’s vital. It’s like the lifeblo od of our department,” she says. “Our customer base is really diverse, so we should be as well. I think we all complement eac h other and as such I think our outcomes are a higher quality as a result.” – Chloe Walker
Graduate Diploma of Psychology, University of Melbourne Junior Researcher, Atlassian
TECHNOLOGY
UPFRONT
7
(not so) soft skills you need in tech
tar these skills to your CV to kicks d Ad g. din co an th s job h tec There’s more to
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9 Global ccording to Lin kedIn’s 201 hiring of 92% , Ta lent Trends report lls ski ft’ ‘so t tha managers agree d an hy pat em y, – things like creativit or as ch mu as r tte ma communication – hnica l) more than ‘hard’ (or tec . ing skills, like cod by global Similarly, in a 2018 study Kinsey & Mc cy, management consultan t the need tha ted Company, it was predic will grow lls ski al for social and emotion ed for ne the to e rat at a similarly rapid 10 years. xt ne the er ov lls technological ski
t your career
ption of “Accompanying the ado o the int s gie olo advanced techn se rea inc an be ll workplace wi rs rke wo for in the need with finely tuned social and emotional skills – skills that machines are a long way from mastering,” it said. Here are seven skills that’ll give you an edge in tech... – Gemma Chilton
#1 Creativity Creativit y doesn’t on ly me an being good at art or music or poetr y (alt hough those people are usually pretty creati ve!). The Cambridge Dictionary defines creati vit y as “the ability to produce original and unusual ideas, or to ma ke something new or imaginative”. Ot her words for creativit y cou ld include innovation, inventiveness, or origin ality. Creativit y is a va luable skill in any job, including STEM jobs – it will help you solve problems and think outsid e the box.
#2 Communication erlaps many of the other This is a big one, and ov ally collaboration, skills in this list – especi n. All the technological empat hy and persuasio less without the skills in the world are use them effectively and ability to communicate – think managers, clearly with other people all of whom will es, customers and colleagu els of technica l likely have different lev ember, being a good rem d understanding. An s being a good listener. communicator also mean
#3 Teamwork & Collaboration
Sure, you might be consid ering a technology career because you’re ha ppy spending hours alone churning out code – but that’s rarely what your act ua l job will look like. Instead, you’ll be working with and for other people with a diverse range of skills and backgrounds. If teamwork isn’t your str ong suit, practice ma kes perfect – consider seeking out teams or clubs to join. Hackathons are a great example.
CAREERSwithSTEM.com
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Soft? Hardly. Here are 7 b to describe these must etter ways -have traits: #1 Core skills
#2 Essential skills
#5 People skills
#3 21st century skills
#6 Social and emotional skills
#4 Nontechnical skills
#7 Emotional intelligence (EQ)
#5 Time Management
#4 Adaptability Adaptability is a va luable skill any time, but especially in the ever-c hanging world of tech. The programming langu age you mastered at uni might not be what yo u use when you land a job: more important tha n any particular technica l skill is your abi lity to learn and relearn, adjust, adapt an d be flexible.
will on ly Your technica l expertise gle to meet ug str u yo if get you so far prioritise a deadline. The ability to deadlines tasks, juggle competing ively is and use your time effect much every a va luable skill in pretty g it now. Ma ke nin part of life, so start ho lists (and stick to do tod use of schedu les an d avoid distractions them!), learn to say no, an nate. and excuses to procrasti
#6 Empathy
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#7 Persuasion Persuasion is basica lly a subset of other importa nt skills listed here, like com munication and empat hy. Think inf luence, not ma nipulation or coercion. It means bringing someon e around to your way of thinking, and according to Lin kedIn it is one of employers’ most in-dem and skills.
SHUTTERSTOCK
lity to understand and Empat hy means the abi ers, by imagining share the feelings of oth It’s a good life skill what it’s like to be them. rly important in in genera l, but particula solving problems tech roles where you’ll be ght think empat hy for other people. You mi have or you don’t, is something you eit her with practice and but it can be developed ing more, actively trying intention: work on listen be ’s perspectives and don’t to consider other people at wh ow n assuming you kn afraid to ask, it’s better tha or feeling! someone else is thinking
TECHNOLOGY
UPFRONT
s t o p s t o h h c Te – here are two regional areas Not all tech jobs are in big cities ing areas of innovation that are shaping up to be excit
Cut ting edge energy research takes place at the CSIRO Ene rgy Centre in Newcastle.
Hunter, NSW region on hile the picturesque Hunter haps best per the NSW central coast is ustry, it’s ind l coa known for its wineries and . tion ova inn h tec also a new hotspot for 9 event 201 a at ised ogn rec This potential was based start-ups were in Sydney where six Hunters. investors and industry leader invited to pitch their ideas to ed call ion sat ani org fit -pro -for not The event was organised by t cien effi ovations ranging from super Hunter iF and showcased inn like anhum h vehicle technolog y wit wind turbines to autonomous icated s farmers to conduct sophist ble instincts, agri-tech that ena ps hel t tha real-time, and an app soil tests on the paddock in ractions promoting positive social inte by ths prevent dementia dea with family and friends.
CSIRO / SHUTTERSTOCK
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CAREERSwithSTEM.com
From gourmet getaways to tech startups
Richard Christian, Project Coordinator at Hunter iF, says most people associate the Hunter region with gourmet getaways. “What isn’t common knowledge is that the region has been leveraging its position as Australia’s largest regional economy with an unmatched lifestyle to develop an entrepreneurial knowledge-based economy producing a range of world-class innovations and businesses. “This group of six breakthrough entrepreneurs were selected to showcase the types of world-class businesses that are being produced within our newly emerging innovation hotspot,” he says. According to Hunter iF, the Hunter region, about 120km north of Sydney, is home to more than 50 startups and 10 co-working spaces. It’s also boasts several established big players in industry and research, including CSIRO’s Energy Centre, the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI), the University of Newcastle, aerospace giant Boeing Defence Australia, and BAE Systems which is supporting Australia’s first F-35 Joint Strike Fighters’ entry into service with the Royal Australian Air Force. Dr Sean Wise, a Canadian entrepreneur expert and business speaker who attended the startup festival in Sydney, said “I was impressed by the region. Newcastle has more great startups than I would have expected”.
gion, 120km The NSW Hunter reis home to north of Sydney, ups and more than 50 start aces 10 co-working sp 24
Tairāwhiti , NZ
Creative tech
ective of creative tech experts AMO Group is a NZ-wide coll d vision, virtual and augmente encompassing film and tele its loc re. AMO Group plans to ate reality, gaming, music and mo O TOR the a new facility called physical hub in Tairāwhiti at . hnolog y Centre for Excellence Tec and Production, Animation
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ocated on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island, the Tairāwhiti region holds a special place in New Zealand’s culture and history – and, thanks partly to growing tech innovation and investment, the country’s future too. Over the past few decades, the main industries in the picturesque coastal region have been forestry, agriculture and tourism – but opportunities are opening up for people with STEM skills at startups and large tech organisations alike. In 2018, an AI-powered translation services company, Straker Translations, made headlines when it opened up a second office in Gisborne, the main town in the Tairāwhiti region – offering its employees an affordable sea change opportunity. But according to Malcolm Mershem – Business Advisor at Trust Tairāwhiti which invests in the development of the region – Straker’s move to Gisborne is just one example of Tairāwhiti ’s journey to reinventing its economy.
Manufacturing tech
d high-tech, fully automated woo Tairāwhiti is also home to a stry fore nal itio trad ’s gs the region processing facility that brin od . The facility is owned by Wo tury cen t 21s the industry into has t tha y pan com NZ T), a Engineering Technolog y (WE s duct that uses low-value log pro ber tim new a d ere engine ng, ips – to produce a stro – usually destined for woodch ance building material. form sustainable, and high per
Social wellbeing tech
g ed out of Gisborne co-workin One of many tech startups bas ps hel t tha app lytics is an space, Launch!, Riposte Ana ir wellbeing by inviting users the of k trac p kee communities ously ts and experiences anonym to report on their daily though and safely. ier for communities and “Our mission is to make it eas can wellbeing of people so they organisations to measure the lyst ana a dat s say ely suppor t,” provide more relevant and tim 6. 201 d Riposte in Deb Hancock, who co-founde
tairĀwhiti holds a special place in nz ’s culture and history – the country’s future and too” Medical tech
ce Launch! is a co-working spa . for tech star tups in Gisborne
Tairāwhiti is also home to a $6 million medical research lab based at Gisbor ne hospital. Mātai – which translates to ‘the investigating revealing eye’ – is a not-for-profit research centre focused on advancing the capabilities of medical imaging using advanced tec hnolog y such as Artificial Intelligence. The Director of Mātai, Dr Sam antha Holdsworth, hails from Tairāwh iti herself. “Through our work in Tairāwh iti, combined with expert suppor t from our global net works, and by bringing the latest tec hnolog y to the east coast, we will deliver health and social benefits to the community and to the countr y,” she says.
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LAUNCHCOWORKING.CO.NZ / SHUTTERSTOCK
Space tech
NZ-founded aerospace manuf acturer and small satellite lau nch ser vice Rocket Lab has a lau nch site in the Tairāwhiti reg ion (see Tech + Space from pag e 36 for more). – Gemma Chi lton
TECHNOLOGY
TECH+BEAUTY & FASHION
+ HEALTH + HUMANITIES + SPACE + EDUCATION + CONSERVATION
In fashion: h c e t f o y t u a e b e th It ain’t all tweezing, cutting, colouring and styling! The beauty and fashion industries are crying out for computer science grads who are fluent in code, innovation and IT
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and beauty? Being assionate about fashion ’t necessarily sentence esn do awesome at STEM solving snoozy IT you to life behind a laptop using and fashion brands are probs. These days beauty nce ige ell Int l cia rce to Ar tifi everyt hing from eComme to s tic aly an a dat (AR) and (AI), Augmented Reality ed – p their customers engag kee d an y nc icie increase eff ter pu ent opportunities for com increasing the employm es. out-of-the box tech rol science grads looking for e of the biggest trends Here, we check out som uty and fashion, and the changing the face of bea d grad gigs, internships an companies to hit up for . nts staff discou – fingers crossed – sweet
eCommerce
of accounting for one third With fashion and beauty t tha g sin pri sur t no ases, it’s the world ’s on line purch l tai Re e. ris the on is sector the industry’s eCommerce nsitioning from physical businesses are rapidly tra ers s, with increasing numb stores to digita l platform er Us needed to work on of STEM-qualified grads such as on line store, app ts jec Experience (UX) pro and PayPal capabilities.
You beauty What’s it like to dir campaigns? Creative ect AR-based beauty and fashion lead at UK-based AR comp Priyanka Parmar, help s build virtual experieany Poplar, nces for big beauty and fashion clients
“
I work closely with our commu nity of 1800-plus creators, think of ways to improve the ir experience, help them wit h any issues they may have dur ing production and assist clients on their AR projects. At the moment I’m working on a try-on campaign for a hug e make-up brand – which I’m not sure I can talk about just yet – but some of the coolest projects I’ve been involved with are eBay’s virtual sunglasses pro ject and Charlot te Tilbury’s virtual try-on. “Virtual try-ons allow users to try on make-up and accessories via Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, TikTok, mobile browsers, mobiles app s or in-store devices!” Bachelor of fashion (Honours), Leeds Arts University
CAREERSwithSTEM.com
Creative intern, Poplar
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Creative lead, Poplar
times more likely 11 e ar ey th y sa s er um Cons available* to buy when AR tr y-on is Augm
ented Reality
Ever went to buy someth ing on line but wondered how it would act ua lly look on you? Than ks to AI and AR capabilities, trying before you (digitall y) buy doesn’t have to mean ordering tw o sizes and sending one back. Comp uter visionbased reconstr uction tec hnology allows customers to pick an ite m – say, a shade of foundation – and log into a website – which matches up the ir skin shade and desired product. Sa me thing goes in-store too – with som e brands ma king use of vir tua l mirrors, wh ere an outfit is projected onto a custo mer when they simply scan its barcode.
AI and machine learning
From design to manufac turing, supply chain and marketing, AI and machine learning technologies ha ve revolutionised the fashion and beauty-sp here. AI-enabled robots are now stitching fabrics and detecting fau lts, while aut omated logistics and supply chain proces ses are ensuring faster – and more direct – delivery. But the coolest thing about fashion and beauty retail 2.0? Machine learni ng algorithms allowing shop-t he-look capabilities! Simply scan a pic of an outfit – and get hit with lin ks of similar pro ducts and prices.
REER HERE START YOUR CA
fashion study + y t u a e B + h c e T ce, RMIT of Computer Scien
Tech+BeauOtByS +fashion J , NZ$40K–$140K
ger: AU$50K–$116K eCommerce mana , NZ$48K–$82K er: AU$54K–$103K Application develop $51K–$97K* AU$56K–$111K, NZ Software engineer: ale.com ysc pa cording to *Source: salaries ac
“Try-ons have been proven to increase sales and reduce returns by empowering customers to make better purchasing choices. “It’s so interesting learning about what goes into building AR campaigns! I even code in my spare time. I just created a beauty-themed Instagram effect which has already had over one million impressions.” – Cassie Steel
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32% of retai planning to lers are de or VR for th velop AR eir brand*
SHUTTERSTOCK . *SOURCES: FORBES.COM; POPLAR; RETAIL BIZ; INSTAGRAM
Bachelor in University irtual Reality, Deak ation Technolog y/V orm Inf of r elo ch Ba , TAFE NSW Media Technologies Diploma of Digital Technologies, AUT Master of Creative
TECHNOLOGY
TECH+BEAUTY & FASHION
Pretty tech
Data science
nds are now Fashion and beauty bra s to literally scroll ist employing data scient up all day. kema d through clothes an professiona ls ech s-t eet Yep, the maths-m behavior. Think: mine data on consumer wsing and what the products they’re bro ect trends, before they’re searching will det they’re even a thing.
6 beauty and fashion brands developing particularly cutting-edge products With the global retail apparel market already worth $1.4 trillion, and the beauty industry set to hit $800 billion in the next five years, investing in fresh tech is keeping big brands relevant. These companies are worth an online stalk...
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L’Oréal
L’Oréal Professional’s Style My Hair app is a virtual makeover tool that allows clients to browse – and try – countless cuts, styles and colours.
La Roche-Posay The skincare brand has developed the first battery-free wearable electronic sensor – ‘My Skin Track UV’ – to measure a customer’s exposure to UV, pollution, humidity and pollen.
Lancôme
These guys have nailed skin diagnostic tech with their Nex a mask – which is headed to marke t this year. It reads skin concerns and ma kes recommendations for treatme nts.
The global retail giant is working on advanced machine learning systems to design and produce clothing based on what’s trending with their customers.
Rebecca Minkoff
The boutique’s flagship NYC store features a large interactive mirror that allows shoppers to browse var ious looks and add them to their fitting -room stash.
The cut ting-edge sof tware business is the digital brains behind what the beauty industry will be offering in the future – con ductive make-up, tech nails, FX e-make-up and hairware.
eer has taken her atia Vega’s unique STEM car raised in South around the world. Born and er kickstarted her America, the passionate cod a Bachelor of future-driven pathway with M (Peru), followed by Computer Science at UNMS PUC-Rio (Brazil). at a Masters and PhD degree with the world,” ting rac “I have a novel way of inte computing, e sibl invi by she says. “I’m inspired s and magic.” augmenting human capabilitie as a research After scoring a graduate gig at Hong Kong assistant in the Wearables Lab lised that her two Baptist University, Katia rea mputers and beauty) polar-opposite passions (co a computing platform ate could be combined to cre t generation of nex the dedicated to creating s based on “It’ ts. duc pro tech-led cosmetic t integrates tha d fiel sub ing put a wearable com Katia says of her technolog y into cosmetics,” y. “It transforms the invention Beauty Technolog tive platform.” body’s sur face into an interac
K
CAREERSwithSTEM.com
Amazon
4
katia vega computer scientist
Katia Vega is a US-based computer scientist who creates fashion-forward computers you wear
Not just a pretty (inter)face
In an average week Katia em beds electromagnetic magnets into false nails to ope n doors, designs temporary tattoos equipped with LEDs for high-fashion cat walks and pro grams intuitive false lashes to turn on lights. Alongside her own work on Beauty Technolog y she’s contributed to research at MIT media lab – with interactive tattoos , skin prosthetics and colour-changing makeup – and is now an Assistant Professor in the University of California’s Department of Des ign. If it’s beauty-related and doe sn’t exist yet, chances are she’s working on it. – Cassie Steel
Masters of Computer Science, PUC-Rio
Founder, Beauty Technology
SkinCeuticals
With the guidance of a patent ed algorithm, the brand’s Custom D.O.S.E machine prescribes a bespok e at-home serum that addresses a cus tomer’s anti-ageing and discolouration concerns.
6
Beauty school knockout
Bachelor of Computer Science, UNMSM
2
PhD in Computer Science, PUC-Rio
Postdoctoral Associate, MIT Media Lab
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Research Assistant, Hong Kong Baptist University Assistant Professor, University of California
TECH+AUT
The right fit
the chance to play around with all these new technologies,” she says. Calli says she first became inte rested in tech when she developed an app for a high-school project and dec ided to turn it into a career. She didn’t expect to also end up in the fashion industry, but she says she loves having that extra dimension to her job. “Online retail is booming, esp ecially in COVID-19, which has opened up a lot of opportunities for people to exp lore how fashion retail can be don e differently, using technology,” she says. – Gemma Chilton
grad AUT computer science at the ing rk wo Calli Bates is tech fashion cutting edge of highit a lot of nline shopping has brought with ney and mo e, tim ing sav positives – namely shopper hes clot ne onli ular effort. But as any reg out walking into knows, getting the right fit with on can be a challenge. a real store to try something y came up with a cool That is until one tech compan -tech body solution: the Zozosuit – a high to an app in your measurement suit connected the perfect fit. nds smartphone, that recomme suit, is Japan’s the ind beh Zozo, the company the tech was but – iler reta ion largest online fash experts like Calli developed in New Zealand by Computer and Bates, who has a Bachelor of kland University Information Sciences from Auc of Technology (AUT). tware Calli, who joined Zozo as a sof ly worked ent rec engineer in 2019, has also concept, ilar sim a is on the Zozomat which g bein love “I ng. sizi e but for virtual sho ting get and ion vat inno on the cusp of
O
Bachelor of Computer and Information Sciences, AUT
Scrum Lead, KiwiRail
Software Engineer, Zozo
FIND
I love being on the cusp of innovation and getting to play with all these new technologies”
Study engineering, computer & mathematical sciences at AUT
GREATNESS Our undergraduate degree programmes: • • • •
Bachelor of Computer & Information Sciences Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) Bachelor of Engineering Technology Bachelor of Science
Find out more:
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aut.ac.nz/ecms TECHNOLOGY
TECH+HEALTH
+ HUMANITIES + SPACE + EDUCATION + CONSERVATION + BEAUTY & FASHION
e r a c r o f g n i Cod
gy transformed by digital technolo ing be are are hc alt he d an ine es? Medic Love tech and want to save liv
H
s, istance – think hospital ealthcare and social ass is – e e and childcar medical centres, aged car test growing industry*. fas d an t Australia’s bigges ly on the rise due to our And hea lthcare is not on ng lation, but it is also evolvi growing and ageing popu gy. olo in techn fast thanks to advances of blood ma kes you ht sig the if s This mean ies ll loads of job opportunit squeamish, there are sti lls ski for anyone with tech in hea lthcare, especially and qualifications. e hea lth information we For example, as we digitis s to and cyber security expert will need data analysts ping kee ile wh a dat that vital help us ma ke the most of ign des to s per elo s and dev it safe. We need engineer d lth software and apps; an hea g vin -sa life and build ) tificia l Intelligence (AI machine learning and Ar reasing use of these experts will drive our inc hing from accurately ryt technologies to do eve c ducting precision roboti diagnosing disease to con g vin dri o als hnology are surger y. Advances in tec g DNA and genomes, cin uen seq of down the cost of medicine. opening up new rea lms
‘Tectonic shift’ to digitals only driven home the
ic ha The COVID-19 pandem gy in medicine. In just the olo important role of techn rise of telehealt h – using past year we’ve seen the lth ser vices remotely, technology to deliver hea public hea lth role in while tech has played a of people with positive tracking down contacts has also been used COVID-19 test results. AI and accurately to automatically interpret ion in scans. ect diagnose COVID-19 inf
Stefan Hajkowicz Future Expert
“With COVID-19 we’ve seen about 10 years’ worth of digita l transform ation in the space of a few months,” says Stefan Ha jkowicz, a scientist at CS IRO’s Data61 specia lising in fut ure trends. “Digital skills just got a lot more important,” he says. “There will be career pat hways for data scientists , cyber security experts and peo ple with skills in all asp ects of digita l technology. Mathe matics, computational log ic and coding are foundati on skills for all things dig ita l.” Building up soft skills wi ll be equally important, adds Stefan. “Human-ce ntred digita l design puts the person at the centre. Th is requires skills in psycho log y, economics, management science and social scien ce. It also requires emotional and social intelligence. There will be a big ‘how to’ quest ion around adaptation to digita l and that calls up on a broader skill set,” he says. “Now might be the time to take advantage of a tectonic shift and build up your digita l skills.” – Gemma Chilton
START YOUR CAREER HER E
SHUTTERSTOCK. * SOURCE: AUSTRALIAN JOBS REPORT, 2019
Tech+Healt h Study
Bachelor of He alth Informatio n Managemen Bachelor of En t, QUT gineering (Mec hanical) major Medical Techno ing in logies, The Unive rsity of Adelaid Bachelor of Ad e vanced Co (Medical Scienc mputing/Bachelor of Scienc e e), The Univers ity of Sydney
Tech+Healt h Jobs
Data analyst: AU $51K–$99K / NZ $48K–$86K Machine learni ng en gi ne er: AU$60K–$136K / NZ$54 (avera ge) Software engi neer: AU$56K–$ 111K / NZ$51K –$97K* *Source: salaries according to pa yscale.com
CAREERSwithSTEM.com
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tions Read about 6 tech innova developed in response to h COVID-19: bit.ly/cv19-tec
4
cool ways VR is changing healthcare
Virtual Reality (VR) technology is literally changing the world – it makes you feel like you’ve been transported to a whole new (virtual) space – but it’s also making big changes in other ways, especially in healthcare
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2
3
Easing anxiety
iety in hospital, especially A lot of people experience anx gine instead of looking up at before a big procedure. Ima chines, you could feel bright lights and beeping ma ure scene. This exact transported to a peaceful nat ients before and during approach was trialled on pat rge’s Hospital in London wide-awake surger y at St Geo ts said the technolog y – and 100 per cent of patien l experience! improved their overall hospita
4 With COVID-19 we’ve seen about 10 years’ worth of digital transformation in the space of a few months”
Education and training
Both VR and AR (Augmented Reality) can be used to add an extra step in medical training, allowing hea lthcare professionals to pra ctice on something that looks and fee ls close to the real thing – wit hout yet having to practice on an actual pat ient. Check out page 40 for one example of VR being used to help midwifery students practice delivering babies!
Teaching empathy
Empathy – the ability to ‘put yourself in someone else’s shoes’ – is a super-important skill for doctors and medical professionals. Understanding how someone else might be feeling means you can do a better job of caring for them. Enter VR. In one study, VR was used for training people working in aged-care to help them get a better idea of what it feels like to experience age-related conditions such as hearing loss. The study concluded the VR training was an effective way to help medical and healthcare professionals develop empathy.
Speeding up recovery
Physical therapy department s are using VR to speed up rec overy in patients, for example following a stro ke or traumatic brain injury. One company, Neuro Rehab VR, founded in the US in 2017, is using VR and ma chine learning technolog y to offer personalis ed therapy exercises using a games approach. The technolog y has potential to be used not just in hospita ls but at home too, where patients can con tinue with their recovery exe rcises, without needing a physiotherapist on hand. – Gemma Chilton
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TECHNOLOGY
TECH+HEALTH
Follow your heart Cardiologist and digital health expert Dr Clara Chow is using smart technology to keep patients heart-healthy
W
her educational hen Clara Chow was on ding lea a journey to becoming lising in the cia spe tor cardiologist (a doc the idea s say she e), treatment of heart diseas not have uld wo e enc sci of studying computer t that must have been occurred to her. “I though ever,” she says. the most boring subject ademic Director of the And yet today, as the Ac rch Centre (WARC), Westmead Applied Resea tral to her work, but digital tech is not only cen lectures computer Clara even occasionally ticipates in tutorials science students and par ng health data. usi d about digital health an ital health Clara’s first foray into dig essaging t-m tex ple started with a sim gues at lea col her d an ra program. Cla the WARC – established by h the wit ney Syd of y Universit alth He cal Lo ney Syd rn Weste who ts District – noticed patien rt hea had been treated for disease were returning to nd hospital too soon. “We fou er aft m the t por sup the need to m fro d rge cha dis they were hospital,” she explains. t They started sending tex to ts messages to the patien rt health remind them of simple hea ssure. pre od blo ng steps, like checki gram pro the got t tha ts “The patien ol, they were achieved lower cholester ng, more likely to be more likely to quit smoki though it was such active,” says Clara. “Even s really effective.” wa a simple intervention it
Clara Chow Card iologist
At-home health assistant
Now Clara and her collea gues at WARC have taken it up a notch – developing software tha t can receive data from patients at hom e, via wearable sensors such as activity, blood pressure and heart-rate monitors. The software, which is still in development, the n uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to tailor healthcare tips, advice and directives to the pat ient, communicated through an app in their sm artphone. The software is called MI CA (My Intelligent Cardiac Assistant) and in 2019 WARC received a one-million-dollar gra nt from Google to help develop the project, includ ing Google-led tech training. Google AI expert s will also be involved in developing the technolo gy. “The healthcare of the fut ure needs to have people with a high level of digital literacy,” Clara says. – Gemma Ch ilton
SHUTTERSTOCK
The healthcare of the future needs people with a high level of digital literacy” Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, University of Sydney
PhD in Public Health, University of Sydney
Program Director, Community Based Cardiac Services, Westmead Hospital
CAREERSwithSTEM.com
Director, Cardiovascular Division, The George Institute for Global Health
Academic Director, Westmead Applied Research Centre
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Lend a hand en ing people, Mahonri Ow Passionate about helpskills and Māori knowledge EM is drawing on both ST controlled prosthetic hand nai br a to develop
Mahonri Owen Robotic s engineer
Recognising your own va
lue Mahonri says his Māori heritag e has played an important role in his career. Māori and Pac ific Islander people make up just two per cent of New Zealan d’s STEM workforce, which me ans Mahonri hasn’t always felt like he belonged. “I was confused about how my value could be seen,” he says. “It wasn’t until even a few years ago I realised tha t it’s alright for me to be a Māori doctor in engineering and tha t I should feel comfortable her e.” Mahonri explains that a lot of his work is based on the Māori health concept of Te whare tapa whā – balancing the four dimensions of wellbe ing: physical, spiritual, family and mental. “When someon e loses their hand or limb, initially it’s absolutely a phy sical disabilit y – they are shocked and traumatised from the loss of something they have had their whole life . But the impact is also social, mental, spiritual – it’s not a problem you can solve just by giving them an artificial han d and saying ‘here, take this ’,” Mahonri points out. As a doctoral researcher at Waikato University, Mahonri has now also directed his pas sion to do good towards suppor ting other young Māori people to pursue a career in STEM, through the Pūhoro STEM Academy, which has a mission to ‘advance Mā ori leadership and capability ’ in STEM. “We’ve got 800 Mā ori kids in our program that were just like me, who we can now give opportunities to,” he say s. “I believe they’re our nex t lea ders.” – Gemma Chilton
get the greatest grades in ahonri Owen says he didn’t w he wanted a career that high school, but he always kne ite subjects were maths and would help people. His favour ), at them, but I did enjoy them!” physics (“I wasn’t ver y good helor’s degree (honours) in so he signed up to do a Bac University of Waikato. the mechanical engineering at rs, Mahonri spent two years During his undergraduate yea her rch in South Africa, which furt as a missionary with his chu to e hom ing urn Ret . a difference cemented his desire to make e cam ri hon Ma , year of uni New Zealand to finish his last rolled prosthetic hand, which ont in-c bra a for t jec across a pro ortunity, so he jumped in. seemed like the per fect opp I wrestled with how hard the “Over the nex t few months Mahonri. But he finished his project actually was,” says tinuing with the project at undergraduate degree, con he then a PhD. The technolog y, Waikato for his Master’s and ff”. stu pe r-ty ato rs and Termin explains, “is literally Star Wa als from the brain and once sign cal ctri ele ing “We’re tak we then use them to control we figure out what they mean, prosthetic hand,” he says. mechanical devices – like a
M
ng (Br ain Controlled Master of Engineeri ), University of Waikato l) ica an urs ering (Mech Prosthetics) (Hono Bachelor of Enginers of Waikato (Honours), Unive ity Doctor al Researcher, and cs oti Rob , ics on atr University of Waikato Waikato PhD Engineering (Mech of ity rs ive Un ), ng Automation Engineeri
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TECHNOLOGY
TECH+HUMANITIES
+ SPACE + EDUCATION + CONSERVATION + BEAUTY & FASHION + HEALTH
Humanities majors needed!
career manities major to score a hot hu ur yo to ce ien sc r ute mp co Add
N
Chances are eed to solve a problem? But it’s social and u. yo p technology can hel essential to ma king communit y skills that are develop are useful sure the technologies we ople with a passion for problem-solving tools. Pe gly finding employment humanities are increasin s – from linguistics within technology career tificia l Intelligence postgraduates training Ar cessing, to law and pro (AI) in natural-language ng data science to policy specia lists utilisi eds. ne understand societ y’s ve potentia l for tech and ssi ma Then there’s the ative performance and arts combinations in cre me . These aren’t just aweso engaging with audiences ral ltu cu d an ve ati ess: cre ideas, they are big busin ts, exhibitions and live cer con as h suc s activitie billion to the Australian shows, contributed $111 ding to the Cu lture and economy in 2016-17. Accor 2019 Skills Forecast, Related Industries IRC ’s lication is one of the top technology use and app tor. skills required in the sec
tform Living First Language Plalan guage and cu lture
ALNF / SHUTTERSTOCK
gy, One of the ways technolo . First Lang uage Platform ing meet is through the Liv ple peo us 0 million Indigeno There are more than 40 nd ’s Māori popu lation is ala Ze in the world; New
h t a p s ie it n a m u h + h c e t Chobjoecst toecoymboineuwithrtech to find your dream career
Choose a su
Tech+ Politics =
= Tech+ s Linguistic Computational linguist at Thematic Alyona Medelyan is the cofounder and CEO of Thematic, a tech solution which uses AI and natural lan guage processing to share custom er insights.
CAREERSwithSTEM.com
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Living Find out more about the at First Language Platform bit.ly/ALNFProgram
START YOUR CARE ER HERE
Tech+Humanities Study Bachelor of Commun
estimated at 744 ,800 an d growing. In Australia, 81,100 people identify as the speaker of an Indigeno us language and 276,300 peo ple identify language as part of heritage. Accordin g to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, over 150 different Indigenous languages are spoken at home in Australia. Before embarking on a tec hnology solution, the Australian Literacy & Numeracy Foundation (ALNF) spent over 10 yea rs in Tennant Creek, Northern Territory learni ng about language from local elders and listening to the communit y’s desire to teach their children ho w to read, write, speak and listen in their langu ages.
ication (Digital Media ), QUT Bachelor of Media/Ba chelor of Computer Sc ience, The University of Adela ide Bachelor of Media Art s/Bachelor of Scien Science), UNSW Sydney ce (Computer
Tech+Humanities Jobs
Digital media specia list: AU$47K–$88K / NZ$39K–$86K Natural language pro cessor: AU$93K / NZ$70 K (average) User Experience (UX ) designer: AU$51K– $10 8K / NZ$46K–$111K* *Source: salaries accord ing to payscale.com
Collaborating with community
“It taught us that cycle of co-develop, collate feedb ack, iterate and review, which resonates with the digita l design and innovation cyc le,” says ALNF programs director, Eric Brace. Look ing for a technology that cou ld sca le their work, they beg an building an initia l app pla tform in 2011, and did just this – collaborating and adapting their tech as they got better insights into how people would want to use the technology with their fam ilies, within classrooms and within communities . The project team were fin alists in the 2016 Google Impact Challenge, which allowed them to fur ther sca le their produ ct as a lightweight (small down load size) web app . The digita l platform no w hosts language content from eight Australian Indigenous Lang uages.
a young “A typica l use would be s and person sitting with uncle and rds aunties to talk about wo e com y stories and where the add from,” says Eric. Users can er oth d an s photos, illustration ed ord rec the to d audio connecte s. rie words and sto we also “Outside of the tech field, facilitating needed people skilled at derstanding the design thinking and un than coders just creating user,” says Eric. “Rather in the hands of the a platform it puts design how technology cou ld be communit y. We cou ld see le blem.” – Heather Catchpo used to help solve a pro
Tech+ languages =
Tech+ Education = Member of Parliament for Australia Karen Andrew is currently serving as the Minister for Industry, Science and Technolog y. Her background in engineering was a career-starter.
CEO at Cicada Innovations Sally-Ann Williams studied International Relations and Japanese at Griffith Uni, had a stellar gig at Google and is now CEO of deep tech startup, Cicada Innovations.
Learning innovation specialist at Te Papa Jessie Robieson works at Te Papa Museum in Welling ton to empower edu cators delivering the digi tech curriculum. “We wan t to show kids STEAM is about being an ide as person,” she says.
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TECHNOLOGY
TECH+SPACE
+ EDUCATION + CONSERVATION + BEAUTY & FASHION + HEALTH + HUMANITIES
Watch this space industry could take you A STEM career in the space
places you have never drea
med
I
iting code for satellites, f you can see yourself wr rockets or interrogating helping to safely launch stralia and New images of the Earth – Au be. Zealand are the places to y supports 10,000 ead alr ry ust ind ce The spa aland jobs, with Ze w Australian and 12,000 Ne ssively growing ma to d bot h countries committe stralian and New these numbers. How? Au ent ly created dedicated Zealand governments rec e NA SA, they aren’t space agencies. But un lik ce and spaceships into spa trying to send satellites re. the get to ers oth g portin themselves, they’re sup the d fun g pin hel is y enc The Australian Space Ag ‘SpIRIT’ mission, to University of Melbourne’s 2 hosting an 202 in launch a small satellite ment. They are also tru ins ng advanced X-ray imagi e, a startup that is assisting Human Aerospac igned to ease the side building a spacesuit des ring long space missions. effects of low gravity du
world ’s first private orbita l launch range located on the Ma hia Peninsula. Now, over 1700 New Zealand companies assist Rocket Lab in ma king its frequent commercial satellite launches happen . “It’s an exciting time for the space sector,” says Australian Space Agency Deputy Head, Anthony Murfett, “The technology is smaller, cheaper and the cost to get to space ha s come down.” What thi s means for you is that the re is a huge range of different space industry opportunities to explore. For example, you cou ld become a software engineer and custom des ign the code needed to launch rockets into space or ma ke satellites function. Or, build softw are to analyse rea l-time data from launch vehicle s and gat her info to help develop the next genera tion of rockets.
Exploring opportunitiesnd Space Agency has ala Meanwhile, the New Ze t Lab to establish the cke worked closely with Ro
it’s an extremely exciting time for the space sector”
AREER HERE START YOUR C
alyst role in Earth Alternatively, a data an ting information about observation means collec Earth ’s surface from places or objects on the you. space, which cou ld be for
tudy Tech+spactmeosphSeric Science),
ce (A Bachelor of Scien ngong University of Wollo Science, ing ut mp Co Bachelor of Sydney y log no ch University of Te Data Science, in ce ien Sc ed Bachelor of Appli ty of Otago Universi nologies, r of Creative Tech elo ch Ba Technology of ty rsi ive Un d lan Auck
rld Jobs that are out of this wo a analy tics explode,”
dat “We’re seeing the field of ite data insights cou ld be ell sat ur Yo says Anthony. ironment, agricu lture, used to improve the env , ing, water management archaeology, urban plann other areas. meteorology and so many k at the countless tech And this is before we loo spacecraft and roles required to build the get to space. “With n eve equipment needed to space technologies, new the increasing impact of d to space are going to business and jobs relate ny says. – Ben Sk use continue to grow,” Antho
obs Tech+spac–$e99J K / NZ$49K–$92K
SHUTTERSTOCK
er: AU$50K Software develop $67K–$92K $63K–$106K / NZ Meteorologist: AU –$86K* 1K–$99K / NZ$48K Data analyst: AU$5 .com ale cording to paysc *Source: salaries ac
CAREERSwithSTEM.com
36
Galactic careers lift off! Started in 2016 and 2018, the New Zealand Space Agency and Australian Space Agency see a world of new career opportunities if you set your sights sky-high
Anthony Murfett Deputy Head of the Australian Space Agency the Australian What’s something exciting king on? wor n Space Agency has bee A on their ambition NAS with In 2019, we partnered on to Mars. The to go forward to the Moon and help Australian ‘Moon to Mars’ program will to support NASA, businesses put ideas forward where Australia is drawing on a range of areas tion technologies, a world-leader, like communica ce medicine. spa robotics and automation and king for? What tech skills are you loo cover a huge number Skills in science and research meteorologists, to ts of roles, from astrophysicis dical researchers. me and astronomers, geologists can design ians hnic tec While engineers and of components iety var a and es spacecraft, satellit to support space missions.
Do you only need STEM ski lls? No – space entrepreneurs are starting up a whole range of businesses in Austral ia. From textile designers creating spacesuits to support human bone health; to law yers who work with space businesses on how to manag e their activities in space and ensure they comply with the relevant laws and international treaties . Then there are science commu nicators who can share stories to engage and inspire the public. And historians, writers and teache rs are helping to educate the next generation into space. What are your hopes for the future? One day we hope that it will be Australian technology you hear or see tha t supports the exploration of Mars.
The space sector in New Zealand is growin pace, so there will be g at many job opportunities”
Crabtree Dr Petere ne w zealand head of th space agency
the New Zealand What’s something exciting king on? Space Agency has been wor Environmental the with red tne par We recently a cutting-edge Defense Fund on MethaneSat, ected launch 2022]. climate science mission [exp is to reduce the The overall goal of the mission – a potent ne tha me amount of atmospheric ificant sources, sign ing tify iden greenhouse gas – by sector. New Zealand is such as from the oil and gas ons control centre, developing the mission operati atmospheric science and also running a methane for the satellite to programme on the potential . detect agricultural emissions ce industry? Is it a good time be in the spa Zealand is growing at Yes! The space sector in New opportunities – from pace, so there will be many job d, such as business nee jobs that most organisations M-related roles, STE to , ting development and marke ring, tradespeople, including all types of enginee a analysts. computer scientists and dat
How important will the space sector be to New Zealand’s future generations? Even though the agency is quite new, the space sector holds a huge amount of promise for New Zealand because it’s a high-skill, high-productivity and high-technology area in which the country is well-positioned to remain at the technological frontier. For every hour worked in the sector it returns more than NZ$100. This gives a sense of its value to New Zealand going forward.
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TECHNOLOGY
TECH+SPACE
Wanna work on the world’s largest telescope ? The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will probe back to when stars and galaxies were born. Around 130,0 00 radio antennas are being built for SKA in Western Australia from 2021, with lots of jobs to fill. Think: scien ce, computing, engineering and public outreach.
#2
Rocket Lab
the nded Rocket Lab to remove New Zealander Peter Beck fou hip rns inte offers various barriers to space. Rocket Lab Zealand, and the company is New and US the opportunities in hnicians and always on the lookout for tec t of other roles. hos a as l engineers, as wel
Psyched about space Space-obsessed Lara studying a combined Collier is engineering and psyc degree in holo interning at a world- gy while first rocket company maths in high school, so ara Collier loved physics and a “no brainer” – but her was studying engineering at uni sity of ineering degree at the Univer decision to combine her eng to ses Psychology “never cea Auckland with a Bachelor of s. say surprise people,” she ses ple and their thought proces Lara says learning about peo lly rea has ree deg y psycholog and behaviours through her work. “Psychology is ring inee eng her ed complement the software development a much-needed break from all to improve my writing and and maths I do. It allows me are also extremely important ch communication skills, whi for engineers,” she says. mer of Tech paid internship Through New Zealand’s Sum e she passionate about space sinc program, Lara – who’s been lds bui ch whi , Lab ket hip at Roc was a kid – secured an interns and nt me ern gov for es ellit s and sat and launches its own rocket d che rators. Rocket Lab has laun commercial small satellite ope rs yea to space in the past few more than 50 small satellites ld’s Mahia, New Zealand – the wor in 1 from its Launch Complex lly rea t wha k launch site. “I thin first and only private orbital r involvement in extracurricula my was helped me get my role ce spa to ted rela e directly activities at university that wer is t of a team at university that par “I’m s. say she technology,” y log hno tec the ing elop dev been building a satellite and have over two years now.” for ts den stu er oth e alongsid a regular, part-time gig as an Lara’s internship turned into rn. “I talk to engineers and operational data software inte company and try to key stakeholders across the using and reporting on their understand how they could be re solutions and tools to data better. I then build softwa explains. help them achieve that,” she king in her dream field, When Lara isn’t studying or wor equity in STEM. “I think I’ve she’s helping promote gender ation of software engineering found my niche – the combin er!” – Gemma Chilton in the space game and girl pow
L
#3 Gilmour Space Using its innovative rocket and mobile launc h tech, Gilmour Space wants to send commercial satellites from Queensland into low-Earth orbit by 2022 . Careers at Gilmour Space include software developer s, propulsion engineers and mechanical techn ician.
ol Centre tr on C n io s is M 4 # arters, the new tralian Space Agency’s headqu Based in Adelaide at the Aus centre in the the first professional control Mission Control Centre will be day-to-day and 3D gaming technology in world to use machine learning will range from project spaceflight operations. Roles flight director. manager to mission control and
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n #5 ADaerwos pace Located in Christchurch, Daw n Aerospace is developing more environmenta lly friendly space transportation techno logy. Various tech skills are required to bring the company’s vision of mass space transportation to reality, and the company offers internship opportuniti es in The Netherlands and NZ.
CAREERSwithSTEM.com
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operational data software intern, rocket lab
Square Kilometre Array
Software intern, rocket lab
team lead, satellite systems, kessler
#1
lara collier
Bachelor of ENGINEERING Science / BACHELOR of psychology, the university of aucklanD
5
Places to launch a lit space career in Australia and NZ
TECH+UNI OF ADELAIDE
Hacking into a space career aide has provided The University of Adele cyber security tools Drashti Patel with th eed in the space industry she will need to succ on a career in the space rashti Patel has her mind set ted to space, that would industry. “Cyber security rela she says. Studying computer probably be my dream job,” versity of Adelaide – which she science (advanced) at the Uni g sity, where you meet amazin describes as “a great univer has – t” por sup the all get people, great lecturers and you to making that dream a reality. brought her a big step closer provided Drashti with the Her well-structured course has . At any area of computer science foundations to branch off into y urit sec er cyb c more specifi the same time, it has given her ed erent attacks and participat diff ut abo ned lear knowledge. “I s. say she ns,” itio pet com king in a few ‘capture the flag’ hac S (Engineering, Computer & ECM the ugh thro was it But really rnship program that Drashti Mathematical Sciences) Inte e enc def a semester at Simbiant, got her feet wet. Spending a
D
Bachelor of Computer Science (Advanced), University of Adelaide
Create the world’s technology future
Consistently ranked in the top 1% of universities worldwide, the University of Adelaide is the only South Australian university in the world’s top 40 for Computer Science and Engineering.* With industry-backed courses, you can specialise in career-focused majors including: Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security, Data Science, Distributed Systems and Networking. *Academic Ranking of World Universities 2020
Cyber security related to space, would be my dream job”
drashti patel pen tester
and space company, she bec ame a ‘penetration tester’ and was given one task: hack into the company’s systems and networ k. “I was basically acting as an ethical hacker, to make sure their system doesn’t have any loopholes or backdoors whe re anyone can enter,” she says. “It was quite tough at times but it matched well with my skill sets and I really enjoyed it.” So, did she find any weaknesse s? Well, that’s highly classified. – Ben Skuse
Penetration Tester intern, Simbiant
PROGRAM YOUR CAREER Make the most of networking opportunities that can lead to internships and careers at top technology companies. • Bachelor of Computer Science • Bachelor of Computer Science (Advanced) • Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Software) • Bachelor of Mathematical and Computer Sciences • Bachelor of Information Technology
adelaide.edu.au/degree-finder 39
TECHNOLOGY
TECH+EDUCATION
+ CONSERVATION + BEAUTY & FASHION + HEALTH + HUMANITIES + SPACE
Teaching with tech Goodbye blackboards – digital technology is changing the way we teach and learn
START YOUR CAREER HER E
T
Tech+EDUCA TION Study Bachelor of Co mputer Sc
hnology in education he important role of tec when remote rea lly hit home, literally, e the norm during learning sudden ly becam re – but it’s a whole lot mo the COVID-19 pandemic le. tab n the kitche than just learning from are helping to increase eo vid d an s app Games, is topics, while technology student engagement in th wi lusive for people also ma king education inc ech-to-text software spe le disabilities, for examp vision impairments. can assist students with
ience, Deakin Un Bachelor of Ga iversity mes and Intera ctive Environm Bachelor of Te en ts, QUT aching (S and Computer econdary) / Bachelor of Mat hematical Sciences, The University of Ad elaide
Tech+EDUCA TION Jobs
App developer: AU$54K–$106K / NZ$48K–$82 Software engi K neer: AU$56K–$ 111K / NZ$51K –$97K User Experienc e AU$51K–$108K (UX) designer: / NZ$46K–$11 1K* *Source: salaries according to pa yscale.com
Labour of learning
r, hnology is playing teache Vir tua l Reality (VR) tec VR e, urn lbo ty in Me too. At Deakin Universi School of Nursing and the th wi d rke wo experts rity’ (origina lly named Midwifery to develop ‘Ve n del of a pregnant woma ‘Trinity’) – a life-sized mo ng with expert nursi that combines VR tech hnology (feedback, like tec c pti knowledge and ha sense of touch) to buzzing, that imitates the having to practice on replicate a bir th without a rea l woman in labour. ulator enables us to train “The VR midwifery sim dwives and medical the next generation of mi nary way,” says Ben tio professiona ls in a revolu the School of Engineering Horan, a VR expert from om medicine to at Deakin University. “Fr safety, and education, occupational hea lth and virtual worlds,” says Ben. people will be learning in
SHUTTERSTOCK
Professor AI
is, sonalise teaching – that Technology can also per al ter suits our individu tailor education so it bet rse, teachers already cou needs and abilities. Of dents, but modern tech aim to do this for their stu the next level! can help them take it to
CAREERSwithSTEM.com
People will be orlds” learning in virtual w For example, ‘Amy’ is a virtual maths tutor developed in New Zealand in 2016. Amy is an app that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to deliver personalised maths lessons to students, with the technology already being trialled by teachers and students across New Zealand. According to Amy’s co-creator, Raphael Nolan, technology like this is unlikely to take the jobs of teachers any time soon. Instead, the teachers of the future better get used to working alongside AI. “Humans have a lot of qualities that are important for a teacher. I see a shift in the role of teachers to what they want to do and give away their other tasks to AI to help them. And I see a nice symbiotic relationship between the two,” Raphael says. – Gemma Chilton
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Inspiring girl geeksin IT, she has also
eer While Tammy has built her car as co-founder of the use to ree deg ion put her educat Academy. “The Girl Geek Australian-based Girl Geek online courses and Academy does hackathons, e development. We workshops on coding and gam ools,” Tammy says. sch also work with teachers and
tammy butow engineer
“We want to see an increase in women in tech and games, women who make, female designers and founders,” she says. Tammy – who loves snowboarding, skateboarding, surfing, mosh pits, metal and hardcore punk – says growing up in foster care until she was adopted at eight years old means she had a very different start to life from most. “But that helped me have the courage to get out there,” she says. “My message for girls is you can be a pioneer in a really exciting space!”
Chaos Engineer, Gremlin Site Reliability Engineering Manager, DropBox
T
Senior Software Engineer, NAB
at breaking things. ammy Butow is really good a global IT career. into So good, she’s turned it Technolog y (QUT) of sity The Queensland Univer of the world’s best chaos double degree graduate is one breaks IT systems to test engineers, which means she to make them stronger. them – then she works out how d infrastructure for Tammy now specialises in clou mlin, where she brings US-based tech company Gre systems to prevent three organised chaos to clients’ sof tware downtime, bad – killers of modern business e. publicit y and lost revenu
Masters of Computer Science, RMIT
r and Gir Tammy Butow has used l Geek Academy co-founder and education to build her double degree in tech an inspiring career
Bachelor of IT / Bachelor of Education (Secondary), QUT
Building strength out of chaos Chaos enginee
Co-founder and CTO, Girl Geek Academy
TECH+QUT
Want an exciting career in tech? Tammy Butow loves working as a Chaos Engineer at Gremlin in San Francisco. Her job involves rigorously testing major IT systems to ensure critical data stays safe. It’s a big responsibility, but she thrives on the many challenges that surface each day. As a QUT graduate, Tammy hit the ground running with skills, confidence, and global connections to launch her career. To discover more of Tammy’s story and learn about opportunities to study IT at QUT, search Girl Geek at QUT.
Think STEM. Think QUT.
41 CRICOS No: 00213J
TECHNOLOGY
TECH+EDUCATION
h g u o r h t h c e t g n Teachi a cultural lens
Entrepreneur, environmental scientist and Cabrogal woman Mikaela Jade is empowering people to tell their stories using technology
M
strong connection ikaela Jade always felt a bush growing up the d with the landscape an was a teenager that – but it wasn’t until she cestra l connection to the she learned about her an where she lived. Dharug Nation of Sydney countr y and passion for Drawing on her love of ned up for a Bachelor’s the environment, she sig biolog y at the University degree in environmental ng This led to a career worki of Technology, Sydney. g rin du rs, yea 21 ed nn as a park ranger that spa the Great Barrier Reef, at d rke wo she e tim which the ACT. Ka kadu, Ningaloo and in d passion – and seeing an ce en It was this experi t ) technology for the firs Augmented Reality (AR t tha – 2 201 in Canberra time at the University of ld cou we if t ha w app. “W sparked an idea for a ne to view holograms of s gie olo hn tec e use mobil g stories of cu lture?” Traditional Owners tellin
Something out of nothing easy. At that time,
be The next steps wouldn’t u when her partner got kad Ka to Mikaela moved re, and from the remote a job as park manager the of Jabiru – 250km from Northern Territory town al. build her business, Indigit Darwin – she started to
MITCH FONG
With a background in env ironmental and not computer science, becom ing a tech entrepreneur meant a steep learning curve. “We had to learn how to use drones to do photogrammetr y [photo mapping] of cu ltural pla ces so we cou ld use image recognition technology for the AR to ‘see’ the site s. Then we had to learn ho w to work with developer s internationally to help us build the app,” she says. With YouTube to refer to and a mentor in the UK, Mikaela taught her self how to use the tech. “I would work as a ranger during the day and at 11pm hop on sky pe for a few hours talking about AR and image recognitio n,” she recalls. That wasn’t the on ly ch allenge – as an Indigenous woman worki ng in a remote area, it Bachelor of Environmental Biology (Coastal and Marine Systems), UTS
CAREERSwithSTEM.com
Founder and CEO, Indigital
Park Ranger
42
Master of Applied Cybernetics, ANU
sure My dream is to maket Peoples Firs that the 400 million access to around the world have a digital future”
mikaela jade
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST
seriously and secure was difficult to be taken she built was quickly funding. While the app ernational recognition successfu l and gained int d talk about it at the Unite – Mikaela was invited to e. siv en exp y ver o als s it wa Nations in New York –
ation Empowering through educ m an AR content app to
fro And so Indigital pivoted lised that I should be rea “I . rm an EduTech platfo s. to do this,” Mikaela say empowering other people th wi d ere rtn igital pa Then, two years ago Ind e to look at ways to rpl Pu a str Tel d an Microsoft save money and enable reshape the workf low to n munities to tell their ow Traditional Owner com that e sur dream is to ma ke stories through AR. “My rld wo oples around the the 400 million First Pe ure,” says Mikaela. fut l ita have access to a dig EduTech approach, Expanding on the new igital Schools, which Mikaela also launched Ind AR and Mixed Reality teachers can use to teach s to ltural lens. “We want kid production through a cu
ter) Jawoyn senior Mikaela with her yarbork (sis and (above, right) man traditional owner, Bessie Cole tell in Kakadu, NT. with her partner Pete Cos
43
be able to work together to use the platform to cre ate content that helps them gain a greater understand ing of our histor y, language and lore,” she says. Mikaela has come a lon g way from midnight Skype calls in Ka kadu – in recent years, Indigital has been recognised wi th mu ltiple international awards. “It’s a massive pri vilege to be able to win some of the awards we’ve won,” says Mikaela, wh o stresses she hasn’t worke d alone in building Indigital into what it is today. Her dreams for the future of Indigital? Big! Namely taking the platform and using it to empower Fir st Nations people all over the world to tell their stories through technolo gy. “When people are abl e to see their work in AR for the first time, the wa y they express their excite ment, it never gets old for me,” she says. – Gemma Chilton
TECHNOLOGY
TECH+CONSERVATION
+ BEAUTY & FASHION + HEALTH + HUMANITIES + SPACE + EDUCATION
n o i t a v r e s n o c r o f Coding How to save the planet with drones, satellites and Artificial Intelligence (AI)
F
ics to track tur tles to rom using tiny electron s ers with drones, scientist catching wildlife poach the of e som ve sol tech to are using game-changing ion. vat ser con in ges biggest challen ge advances in computer And it’s all thanks to hu hgan, co-founder of science (CS), says Alex De rtup US-based non-profit sta Conservation X Labs, a ion technology. that develops conser vat new engineering can create an “Computer science d of le sca d et the speed an tools that allow us to me w ,” says Alex. “We can no ing fac ’re the problems we that y wa the in s an and oce connect our forests, rivers are connected.” smart homes and cities
Past technology 1960 • Camera traps first used to record wildlife presence and behaviour
with AI Saving the natural world ha ve the potentia l to ma ke
also Tech-focused solutions ent d environmental managem an wildlife conser vation ral Co en All e Th . far-reaching faster, cheaper and more f ree al cor e gil fra ’s the world At las is a tool for mapping systems from space. s, ational cohort of scientist Developed by an intern ssie Au hnologists, including an conservationists and tec cool y ver s ty of Queensland, thi team from The Universi ed ail det ry to create a supertool uses satellite image see on line – for free! can coral reef atlas you
We can now co ect ou r forests, rivers andnn oc ea ns in the way that smar t ho mes and cities are connec ted”
1950 • Sonar first used to locate and record schools of fish
HERE R CAREER START YOU
tioniencse/tEcuoldogy a v y), r e s n o C Tech+IT/Science (ComputationallaScnd Bachelor of
y of Queens The Universit Science, e/Bachelor of mputer Scienc longong Co of or el ch ol Ba University of W , (Technolog y) e nc ie Sc of Bachelor to ka ai University of W rs), ience (Honou Sc ed nc va Ad of or el ch Ba ckland University of Au
jobs rvasttemios n e s n o alyst: C an + h c sy Te ographic information –$84K SHUTTERSTOCK
Ge
K / NZ$48K AU$52K-$95 verage) K / NZ$91K (A 01 $1 K–$164 AU : ct ite ch : Data ar ning engineer Machine lear –$93K* 6K $4 NZ / 5K AU$60K–$13 om to payscale.c ries according *Source: sala
CAREERSwithSTEM.com
Another piece of tech usi ng machine-learning techniques is Wildlife Ins ights, a cloud-based collaborative program tha t allows users to upload camera trap images from anywhere in the world. It can recognise 614 differ ent species, ma king wildl ife monitoring as easy as a click of a mouse. Whether it’s designing ha nd held DNA screening devices to uncover illegal fishing activities or traini ng drones to spot wildlife in far-flung locations, Alex says technology is set to transform how we protec t the environment. It’s als o shifting conser vation away from simply tracking spe cies loss to creating smart solutions that ma ke a rea l impact. So what does this mean for a career in tech? Skills like programming, mach ine learning and data mi ning
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Conservation tech time lin e A look at how techno logy has revolutionis SOURCE: ALLAN, M.A. ET AL.
2018, ‘FORECASTING ECOL
ed ecology over the decades OF TECHNOLOGY’, ECOS
OGICAL RESE ARCH: THE RISE
PHERE 9(5)
1970
1990
• Mainframe computers able to undertake ecological statistical analysis of large datasets
1980
• VHF (Very High Frequency) tracking allows ecologists to remotely monitor wild animals
• LiDAR – Remote sensors that measure distance using a laser comes along
• Thermal Biologgers – Surgically implanted devices to measure animal body temperature • GPS tracking – Satellite tracking of wildlife takes over VHF tracking
2000
• 3D LiDAR – Accurate measurement of 3D-ecosystem structure
2020 - beyond • Internet of Things – Network of devices that can communicate with one another • Swarm theory – Autonomous but coordinated use of multiple unmanned sensor platforms to complete ecological surveys without human intervention
2010
• Autonomous vehicles used to collect ecological data automatically and remotely, in difficult or dangerous terrain
• ICARUS – Initiative to observe global migratory movements of small animals through a satellite system
• Bio-batteries – Devices that run on compounds such as starch, allowing things like sensors to be powered for extended periods in remote locations
2015 • Next-gen sequencing – Millions of fragments of DNA from a single sample can be sequenced at the same time
future technology
Present technology are going to be highly sou ght by conser vationists and environmental manager s. “Powerfu l new emerg ing technologies offer hope for the fut ure of conser vat ion,” says Alex. “If we can sen d rovers and humans to Mars, then ending the sixth ma ss extinction is entirely within our reach.” – Gemma Co nroy
45
TECHNOLOGY
TECH+CONSERVATION
Wildlife tracker JosÉ Lahoz-Monfort was trained as an engineer, but his heart was always in conservation. Now, he uses his tech skills to make it easier to spot wildlife
was crazy about s a kid, José Lahoz-Monfort h curiosity landed wildlife and nature, but his tec g world. him a career in tech engineerin ations engineering at nic mu com tele g dyin After stu his home countr y, the University of Zaragoza in design engineer at tem Spain, José worked as a sys vation never faded. ser con Nokia but his passion for ion Science at vat ser Con in During his Masters , José found himself in Imperial College London, UK otran gentle lemurs. He Madagascar monitoring Ala ical Statistics at the then pursued a PhD in Ecolog so much potential in University of Kent. “There’s motivated me to get back technology,” he says. “That research in wildlife and to my origins and combine my d in engineering.” oun kgr conser vation with my bac
JosÉ Lahoz-Monfort en gineer
A
wildlife watcher
GURUTZETA GUILLERA-ARROITA
earcher in ecological Now a senior lecturer and res of Melbourne, José is modelling at the University
Conservation is a crisis discipline, so we need technology now more than ever” Telecommunications engineering, University of Zaragoza PhD in ecological statistics, University of Kent
CAREERSwithSTEM.com
using several high-tech tools to keep an eye on threatened wildlife, including drones, thermal cameras and acoustic sensors. One of José’s projects is trac king down Coxen’s fig parrot, a small elusive bird found in south-eastern Queensland. Instead of spe nding weeks in the field trying to see or hear them, Jos é and his team are training the ir acoustic monitoring device to detect the parrot’ s call automatically. When a call is pinpointed, the device remotely aler ts the res earchers so they can plan an expedition to that area. José says the most rewarding thing about his work is that he gets to put both of his passions to use. “There’s the technolog y challenge as an engineer, but also that aspect of caring for nature and trying to save species and hab itats,” says José. “Conservation is a crisis disc ipline, so we need technolog y now more than ever.” For students looking to save the planet with tech, José say s that it’s important to be collaborative and lear n to communicate with peo ple in other disciplines. “There’s going to be a growin g market for conser vation tec hnologies,” adds José. “It’s a career that didn’t rea lly exist five years ago.” – Gem ma Conroy
System Design Engineer, Nokia Mobile Phones
Master of Science, Conservation Science, Imperial College London
Senior Lecturer and Researcher in ecological modelling, the University of Melbourne
46
bing xue researcher
Growth detector hins, Bing Xue From mussels to dolps to conserve uses her coding skill ies at a time the planet one spec (CS) is so much more than or Bing Xue, computer science on a screen. “The thing e working with numbers and cod u rld problems,” says Bing. “Yo I enjoy most is solving real-wo g.” itin difference and that’s exc can see that we’re making a ’s Victoria University of Zea With her team at New land al machine learning and Artifici Wellington, Bing is designing in w gro ls sse mu track how Intelligence (AI) algorithms to technique to images of the her g lyin app By national parks. ls can track how fast the musse mussels, Bing and her team s. tern pat g din fee ir the are growing and understand n having to actually go into the tha t cien effi re mo far s “It’ s Bing. water and look at them,” say
TE HERANGA WAKA - VICTORIA UNIVERSITY OF WELLINGTON / SHUTTERSTOCK
F
colleagues are designing will be able to detect dolphin clic ks in noisy audio files recorded ben eath the waves, making it eas ier for researchers to study their beh aviour.
positive tech
While Bing’s interest in CS was sparked when she took a dat a mining class during her Maste r’s in Management Science and Engineering at Shenzhen Uni versity, it wasn’t until she cam e to New Zealand to do a PhD in evo lutionary computing – a field in AI that uses algorithms inspired by biological evolution – tha t Bing realised she could use her skil ls to make a positive impact. “Conservation is beneficial for humans and every living thin g,” she says. “Everything is con nected.” Bing’s advice to students inte rested in CS and conser vation is to keep their study options broad. For example, it’s a goo d idea for CS majors to take eco logy and conser vation subject s to build their knowledge. It also doesn’t hurt to reach out to lecturers and professor s, she says. “Talk to your teache rs, as they are also looking for students with the right experti se,” says Bing. “They will be able to guide you to opportunities.” – Gemma Conroy
Listening to dolphins using sensors to study s and Bing is also developing system ms that Bing and her rith algo The dolphin behaviour.
Bachelor of Science, and ent or Inf mation Managem ms, Henan Information Systemic s and Law University of Econo
Master of Science, Management Scien,ce and Engineering Shenzhen University
47
PhD in Evolutionaryia Computation, Victor University of Wellington
r of Associate Professoan d Computer Science ia Researcher, Victor ton University of Welling
TECHNOLOGY
NEXT STEPS
r e e r a c h c e t r u o Kickstart y Start here ? ch te in er re ca m ea dr ur yo Want to build
At school?
Take tech courses that are offered early (think electives when you’re on ly in Year 7 and 8). Maths skills are critical too, so once you get to senior high school make sure you stick with it it’s great brain training. You might find your sch ool has an after school coding club – you could even start your own!). Check our codeclubau.or g for how tos. Don’t forget working in tech is much more than coding skills! Follo w your passion whether that’s humanities, art an d design, sports, gaming , science or drama. The job s of the future will be in areas where technolo gy intersects other areas.
like, scroll, listen: Fill your social feeds with tech YouTube Join Marques Brownlee’s 12 million subscribers tuning into his YouTube channel. The YouTube celeb and podcaster makes videos about anything and everything tech and gadget-related, ranging from unboxing tech gear to software tutorials and interviews with big names like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. Oh and he happens to be a pro ultimate frisbee player too!
Snapchat Follow the award-winning snapchat account @WomenInTech – “a snapchat channel for women to discover other badass women in tech”. Sign us up!
Podcast Reply All is a podcast full of fascinating human-centred stories and insights into how tech pervades all of our lives. Kick off with episode #130 The Snapchat Thief.
sources DIY with free onlineertres ou t there are
Some of the best tech exp loads of free resources self-taught, and there are in your own time. online for you to skill up ng Academy (AC A) The Australian Computi a bunch of free Digital has created and curated Security challenges Technologies and Cyber rces over at aca.edu.au/resou out scratch.mit.edu ck che , ics bas the To get ing program. for a simple, free block cod ing app for cod a Grasshopper.codes is hours of code ess acc beginners, and you can rg/learn. activities over at code.o rt your own. Check out sta or b Join a code clu codeclubau.org way to get a taste of Hackathons are a great e. Learn teamwork and what tech careers involv help out real businesses problem solving as you designing an app or and charities, whether it’s Hackathons are open to setting up their website. has something unique all skill levels – everyone rch for something to offer, including you! Sea om. near you at hackathon.c
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Instagram Follow Google’s @MadeWithCode insta account for inspiring pics and quotes for girls in tech.
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48
compare universitieses d n a es rs u co d n fi ti To t the Good Universi ou k ec ch a, li ra st u in A sitiesguide.com.au er iv n u od go at e id u G d to Universities ea h s ee gr de Z N or F ersitiesnz.ac.nz iv n u at d n la ea Z ew N Find the perfect uni degr
ee To get uni-qualified in tec h, there are several different degrees availa ble that will equip you with the necessary skills, depending on your career goals. Speak to your uni of cho ice to make sure you’re choosing the right course for you – the content of a computer sci ence degree will be slightly different to inform ation technology (IT), and not the same as software engineering. And the tech education landscape is always changing – for example, several universities are now offering undergra duate degrees in cyber security, and La Tro be University in Victoria recently launch ed a brand-new Bachelor of Humanities , Innovation and Technology that offers a cool combination of tech and humanities. You may also want to com bine your tech degree with something els e as you build your niche, future-focussed car eer – think a doubledegree in computer scienc e and medical science if digital health is your thi ng, or you could combine design and IT for a cool, creative tech career – the sky’s the lim it! Our advice? Go along to open days, send emails and ask all your burning questions!
Careers with STEM: Technology 2020 is a publication and trademark of Refraction Media. Copyright © 2020 Refraction Media, all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner or form without written permission. If you would like to reproduce anything from this magazine, email: info@refractionmedia.com.au. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. This issue went to press on 30 September 2020. Printed in Australia by IVE.
Cover image: Lauren Trompp Produced and published by: Refraction Media Co-founder, CEO & Publisher: Karen Taylor-Brown Co-founder, CEO & Head of Content: Heather Catchpole Managing Editor: Gemma Chilton Digital Editor: Cassie Steel Deputy Editor: Pippa Duffy Art Director: Katherine Power
Get immediate skills
Issue editorial advisors: Marie Efstathiou, Google Au/NZ, Naomi Manu, Massey University, Owen Mahonri, University of Waikato, Hope Perkins, University of Melbourne
There are loads of non-uni qualifications in tech – certificates, diplomas and advanced diplomas from TAFE and polytech – that can land you a job with specific, industry-ready skills, or provide an alternative pathway into an undergraduate degree. Courses range from software development and programming to general IT support, interactive media and games, web development and more. You could even get your first qualification before you finish high school, with VET courses available as year 11 and 12 electives.
Writers: Ben Skuse, Cassie Steel, Gemma Chilton, Gemma Conroy, Heather Catchpole, Nadine Cranenburgh
SUBSCRIBE AND ORDER COPIES: CareerswithSTEM.com/subscribe EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES: Email: info@refractionmedia.com.au or +612 9188 5459 POSTAL ADDRESS: PO Box 38, Strawberry Hills NSW 2012 Sydney, Australia CareerswithSTEM.com ISSN 2209-1076
Want more?
Visit CareerswithSTEM .com to scroll through ou r database of real-life STEM career profiles to get inspired, and take our car eer quizzes. Start with ou r tech study quiz at bit.ly/ tech-study-quiz
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Flip over for cyber security
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TECHNOLOGY
