What's your job about?

The Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) aims to build a better future for all Australians through enabling a productive, resilient and sustainable economy, enriched by science and technology. I’m lucky enough to play a small part in this big mission; I analyse economic data and conduct research to support the advice we provide to the government. 

Most recently, I’ve been working with other government agencies to link their data together. Connecting more data means we can ask (and then answer!) increasingly complex questions and provide better advice to the government. Although working through all the challenges of connecting data has had its ups and downs, I am incredibly excited to start analysing the data later in the year! I’ve also really enjoyed leading some of our data linkage projects and working closely with experts in different agencies.

I was also fortunate enough to rotate through two policy roles during my DISR grad program. Policy felt like a completely different ball game – tasks came thick and fast and could be completely different each day. I particularly enjoyed supporting our stakeholder engagement work; there is so much to learn from each of the individuals and businesses that we engage with. Trying to listen deeply and ask the right questions so that I could use their knowledge and views to inform our policy advice was equal parts challenging and rewarding.

What's your background?

I’m not quite sure my career path even makes sense to me! How on earth did a pun-loving, binge-reading maths grad from Adelaide end up writing a thesis on hailstorms in Sydney before landing a public sector economics job in Canberra?

From the start, I’ve utterly adored maths. I vividly remember the day I learned how to divide fractions in Year 4 - as soon as I got home from school, I had to find a piece of paper and set myself more division problems, just to experience the process again and again! 

I didn’t have a career path in mind when I started my undergraduate degrees 8 years later, but choosing to study the two school subjects I loved most just made sense. However, after finishing my degrees, I couldn’t seem to get the idea of studying climate change out of my head!

Several cold emails later (you don’t know if you don’t ask!), I landed in the UNSW Climate Change Research Centre. Writing a thesis and a publishing paper on severe hail was incredibly fun, but I left knowing I wanted to put climate science into action.

So, five days after submitting my thesis, I was in Canberra, ready to start the DISR grad program. I chose DISR because they have an incredible role in Australia’s net zero journey, and after working on economics, battery policy, and industrial energy policy, I know I couldn’t have chosen better. 

Could someone with a different background do your job?

As an analyst, I use my stats, coding and research skills (almost) every day. But all these skills can be learned and there is no one pathway bringingthat brings people into the team. What’s is most important is a willingness to learn, a passion for collaboration and the ability to juggle different projects.

Moreover, the technical area I’m in is only one part of DISR. The diversity within my graduate cohort absolutely blew me away! Whatever skills you have, there is a use for them in the public service and I’m sure you’ll be surprised about what unique value you can add.

What's the coolest thing about your job?

My favourite days are those where I get to sit with an interesting question and try to answer it using data! I love the challenge of turning a research question into code and then turning the graphs into stories and insights to discuss with my colleagues. I am grateful to be surrounded by my colleagues who are so willing to debate and learn with me. In policy areas, I loved the thrill of turning work around quickly and knowing that what I pulled together was going to help the Minister make a decision.

What are the limitations of your job?

After gaining most of my professional experience in smaller companies, arriving in the public service was a shock to the system! Like in any large organisation, it is sometimes challenging to navigate the bureaucracy and the hierarchy. However, I try to remember that the structures that are occasionally frustrating exist to help us do our job well. Moreover, grads are valuable because we can look at these systems with fresh eyes and ask questions that lead to positive changes. The occasional frustration has definitely been outweighed by the satisfaction of making positive changes!

3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...

1. Don’t worry about your whole career, just focus on the next step. If you pick a next step that feels joyful and right for you, you’ll open up doors you don’t even know exist. Step by step, you’ll create a pathway that is perfect for you.
2. Keep being curious! Listening actively and asking good questions is a superpower and it’s one you can develop. You’ll never know if you don’t ask! 
3. You are enough. Your enthusiasm, your joy, your knowledge – it’s all enough. Grow not because you’re not enough, but because you want to fully inhabit everything that you are.