Evan's graduate story: Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander pathway, generalist stream

Pronouns: He/him/his
Studied: Chemical Engineering and Chemistry
Stream: Generalist
Pathway: Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander pathway
Home department: Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA)

About me

I’ve always loved science and engineering. In high school my passion for chemistry grew and I decided to combine my interests when I was thinking about applying for uni. I did a double degree in chemical engineering and chemistry and was fortunate to have internships during my final 3 years at university. Two of which were with South East Water, which is where I discovered my real passion – water!

I plan to continue working in the water industry so I can further develop my understanding and knowledge. I hope to end up in a leadership role somewhere within water.

Outside of work I’m a pretty quiet person who enjoys playing video games with mates and spending weekends with my partner exploring Victoria or catching up with friends and family.

What ‘Working with purpose’ means to me

‘Work with purpose’ means that you’re enjoying the work you’re doing and you feel you’re making a positive difference to the world.

Why I applied

From my previous internships, I knew I wanted to work in the public sector, which is why I applied for the program.

Where I worked

My 3 rotations were:

• Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA)
• Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions (DJSIR)
• Department of Education (DE)

My home rotation was with the integrated water management team, which perfectly aligned with my passion. In this role I’ve had the chance to work on integrated water management research and development, as well as budget projects.

My second rotation was in a communications role. It was very different as I had no previous experience or knowledge in comms. Coming into the team I felt like quite a fish out of water. I got to work on a monthly newsletter distributed to thousands of people and write minutes for meetings with executive directors. It was a great experience, and I learnt a lot. It gave me a great idea of what communications is and how it relates to my ongoing role.

My third rotation was with the Victorian School Building Authority. It was another fish out water situation, but once again it was so useful. I worked in a policy role creating responses to enquiries from the public about schools or responding to information requests from the Minister’s Office.

Overall experience

It’s a great program that’s given me so much experience and knowledge. You see and learn so much. You can try positions you might never put yourself in. I feel like I’ve gained a wide range of skills and have grown so much professionally.

I’d say I’m most proud of the way I was able to throw myself into new roles and tackle them. I sought to learn as much as I could in roles that were so alien to me.

Advice for future applicants

You lose nothing by applying and have so much to gain. It will set you up for a great career in the public sector.