Where did you grow up?
The majority of my life I grew up in Bayswater, Victoria.
What have been some important stages of your life?
Visiting Uluru when I was 15 and feeling a connection with the traditional owners of this land as I walked around, and the birth of my three beautiful children and watching them grow.
How did you get to your current job position?
My current role I gained by networking with people that I worked with in my previous role. They were able to get my details out to organisations and a past working associate contacted me about potential opportunities where they were working.
How long have you held this position?
I started at BAE Systems in July 2018 in a project coordinator capacity within HR. I have recently moved across to the Talent Acquisition Team where I’m coordinating the intake of interns within BAE Systems across the country as well as general recruitment.
Can you talk us through your previous work history?
My previous work history has been in the recruitment field both here in Adelaide and in Melbourne. This has been in general positions, traineeships, apprenticeships, graduate and cadetships and in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander engagement and employment.
Has your Aboriginal heritage ever been an advantage?
My Aboriginal heritage has been an advantage at times, but I prefer to let my work history speak for what I can undertake and achieve. In some organisations that have limited understanding about Aboriginal history/culture/engagement and employment, my Aboriginality has been an advantage as I can guide and drive companies moving forward.
What is the interview process like for graduates at BAE Systems?
The interview process for interns and graduates has three main phases:
Suppose a student was considering your career. What would you advise them to study?
With approximately 75% of BAE Systems workforce in roles of engineering (mechanical, electrical, software, hardware, structural and mechatronics) as well as project management, these disciplines are always in demand by the organisation. However potential students shouldn’t be put off by this as we also look for students studying in human resource, finance, procurement, information technology, security, property & facilities and many more.
Are there any soft skills it would be beneficial for students to develop? Should they pursue any sort of work experience?
In such a competitive workforce, your soft skills should never be underestimated when it comes to presenting yourself to a potential employer. With interviews becoming more behavioural based rather than technical, a person’s ability to sell themselves and the way they go about it both in and out of an interview, goes a long way.
Having sat on countless interview panels for all types of roles, my main piece of advice – which is nothing new – is that first impressions always last the longest. If you are presented well, are polite, introduce yourself to an interview panel and then thank them at the end, you are always going to get a tick in my book.
How important is it for Indigenous youths to stay connected with their communities?
believe that Aboriginal youths should always stay connected with their communities, but don’t let it stop you from achieving what you want to achieve. It’s sometimes hard to step out of the comfort of what’s familiar or what’s comfortable, but by educating yourself to the best of your ability, you will only make for a better community and family.
Which three pieces of advice would you give to Indigenous students nearing graduation?