Careers Talk Podcast

Engineering - Luke van Rheenen (Part A)

SENIOR WATER ENGINEER - 

Moving to the other side of the world and starting again at any age is difficult. 
Fortunately, Luke van Rheenen was a young boy with resilience and was good at sport, so he naturally fit into the Australian way of life. 
At school, Luke got good grades in subjects like maths and science and it was obvious to his father the career path Luke would take. 
In this episode, Luke talks about relocating overseas and how it allowed him to have a better lifestyle with greater educational opportunities. 

Engineering - Luke van Rheenen (Part B)

SENIOR WATER ENGINEER - 

Luke van Rheenen took up an opportunity as a contamination engineer as his first job after university. 
While he enjoyed it, something triggered him to want to niche down into water treatment as he believed Australia was a long way behind other countries in the way we treat contaminated land. 
In this episode, Luke explains what’s required to function successfully as an engineer and emphasises the importance of time management and being organised to keep on top of projects. 

Hospitality - Angelica Iuliano (Part A)

PASTRY CHEF

Growing up with an Italian Nonna and mother in the kitchen meant Pastry Chef, Angelica Iuliano, was only going to follow one career path.
But that wasn’t evident for Angelica at high school because she never thought a career in food was possible.
In this episode, Angelica explains what life was like growing up surrounded by pa

Hospitality - Angelica Iuliano (Part B)

PASTRY CHEF

The transition from a study into cookery was straightforward for Party Chef, Angelica Iuliano.
Through a connection of her father’s she was able to land a pastry chefs apprenticeship and hasn’t looked back.
But you have to describe Angelica as a double threat because she’s also gone on to become a qualified commercial cook.
In this episode, Angelica explains her reasoning behind becoming both a pastry and commercial chef and gives great advice on how to design a dessert menu.

 

 

 

 

Engineering - Sam Aloi (Part A)

AUSTRALIAN REGIONAL DIRECTOR AT NORMAN DISNEY & YOUNG - 

It’s very rare that you find somebody these days that has worked for the same company for three decades. 

But that’s what Sam Aloi, Australian Regional Director at Norman Disney and Young has done. 

Sam started his career with Norman Disney and Young soon after his study and worked his way up the chain - from Senior Engineer, Director, Office Director to the position that he holds now. 

As Sam says, career success starts with a good education. In the 1980s - when Sam was at school - Melbourne went through a building boom and he became fascinated with how structures were developed and turned into buildings. 

That led Sam into maths and science and he hasn’t looked back. 

In this episode, Sam discusses how education was the driving force behind ultimately becoming the Australian Director of a global company. 

Engineering - Sam Aloi (Part B)

AUSTRALIAN REGIONAL DIRECTOR AT NORMAN DISNEY & YOUNG - 

It’s unrealistic (maybe even entitled) to believe you should start at the top as soon as you get a job - it’s a process of learning, improving and showing initiative that propels someone forward. 

Sam Aloi, Australian Regional Director at Norman Disney and Young, entered the workforce as a young man with confidence open to opportunities and willing to prove himself through hard work. 

In the process, Sam has achieved some amazing highs and fallen short on occasion too. 

In this episode, Sam reflects on his journey over the last 30+ years and explains how Norman Disney and Young actively support employees coming through, so they both get the best out of each other. 

Engineering - Sam Aloi (Part C)

AUSTRALIAN REGIONAL DIRECTOR AT NORMAN DISNEY & YOUNG - 

Have a look at the resume of Sam Aloi, Australian Regional Director of Norman Disney and Young. 

He’s been involved in the creation of:  

Eureka Tower - AAMI Park - Monash University - ANZ Center - Rod Laver Arena - Royal Children's Hospital - State Library of Victoria 

And that’s not all of them!  

In this episode, we discuss how Norman Disney and Young pitch for and win the job, and what is required to design, develop and implement projects on such scale.  

Creative Industries - Antoinette Halloran (Part A)

OPERATIC SOPRANO - 

Antoinette Halloran is one of Australia’s most accomplished and in demand sopranos. 

She has performed with major Australian and international opera companies and symphony orchestras featuring in performances like: 

Madama Butterfly - A Streetcar Named Desire - Sweeney Todd - Lady Macbeth - Summer of the Seventeenth Doll

To name a few and she’s a regular on TV and radio. 

While being a decent student, it wasn’t until collecting a double bass that Antoinette discovered her passion for opera singing. 

In this podcast episode, we start by asking Antoinette if she was always destined to be an entertainer and how her love of performance impacted her education. 

Creative Industries - Antoinette Halloran (Part B)

OPERATIC SOPRANO - 

When you finish your studies with a degree in Law or Medicine there is a career pathway forward. 

But it can be very different in a creative field. 

You might have the degree and are backed by experience, but your talents and skills are subjective and getting the role - whether acting or musical - often comes down to the personal preference of others. 

It’s difficult to get regular work in the entertainment industry, let alone become a respected name. 

That’s what soprano Antoinette Halloran has done but it’s taken a lot of hard work and rejection to get there. 

In this episode, we discuss how she got her opportunities, how she deals with being told she’s not good enough and her career highlights. 

Engineering - Felicity Furey (Part A)

AWARD-WINNING BUSINESS LEADER. ENGINEER. ENTREPRENEUR - 

Before Felicity Furey became an award-winning business leader and engineer, she was a young girl from Brisbane who loved to learn.  
Throughout her school years, Felicity recalled getting a sense of enjoyment from listening to her teachers discuss ancient history, biology, arts and maths. 
It was this variety of subjects that sparked her interest in studying.  
In this episode, Felicity shares the experiences that have shaped her and allowed her to realise that to become the best person you can be, you need to discover your strengths and really own them.

Engineering - Felicity Furey (Part B)

AWARD-WINNING BUSINESS LEADER. ENGINEER. ENTREPRENEUR - 

We all know that the first job you take right after university may not always be the right one. So, when things don’t work out there, it’s understandable to feel disheartened.  
The truth is you need to experience opportunities, both the good and bad, to be able to grow in your career.
Felicity Furey understood what this was like when she started her first job as a structural engineer. She learned that the position didn’t suit her skill set and preferences. 
This learning experience allowed her to explore other employment opportunities. 
Soon, she was able to get a position in the Brisbane City Council, where she was much more suited. 
In this episode, Felicity shares her career journey and how it led to her being recognised as one of Australia’s most prominent figures in engineering.  

Engineering - Nicole Brown (Part A)

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER. LEADER - 

As we all know, high school gives us the opportunities to find our interests. Whether that be getting into sports like football or basketball or studying advanced maths and science, many of us have discovered our passion and hobbies during these formative years. 
That same thing happened to Nicole Brown. 
During primary to high school, she discovered an immense love for studying. And it’s this drive to learn that allowed her to pursue engineering. 
In this episode, Nicole Brown shares her past experiences in school and how she honed her passion for studying to become an engineering major at the University of Melbourne.  

Engineering - Nicole Brown (Part B)

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER. LEADER - 

It’s difficult to become a leader in any business in your early twenties. 

But it’s not impossible to do, and Nicole Brown is proof of that. 

At just 20, she became the CEO of Robogals, an international not-for-profit organisation dedicated to inspire, engage and empower young women to pursue engineering. 

In this episode, Nicole Brown discusses how she landed that position at such a young age and how it helped further her career in robotics and engineering. 

Creative Industries - Paul Pirola (Part A)

SOUND DESIGNER. SUPERVISOR & MIXER - 

Paul Pirola was never a fan of school. Instead, he always favoured playing music and dreamed of becoming a rock star. 

In fact, he even considered leaving school in year 10 to take on an apprenticeship. But he found his way via a course called Tech12 which was a very hands-on approach to education. 

Through pure coincidence, Paul discovered a love of sound production after a tour of Crawford’s studios which produced many leading TV programs at the time. 

In this episode, Paul talks about his early education, why he wasn’t the best academic student but also how education opened up a career pathway for him. 

 

Award winning Sound FX editor

PAUL PIROLA CREDITS

Creative Industries - Paul Pirola (Part B)

SOUND DESIGNER. SUPERVISOR & MIXER - 

Still not wanting to give up his dreams of being a lead guitarist in a rock band, Paul Pirola tried to focus the early part of his career on music production. 

After sending out a bunch of introduction letters to studios across Melbourne, Paul was left with a choice - pursue music production or try film sound production. 

From this point on, as Paul says, he never looked back and was able to build a successful career within the film industry. 

In this episode, Paul takes us on his career journey which has led to Hollywood and to starting his own Melbourne-based sound production company. 

Engineering - Ruby Heard (Part A)

RENEWABLE ENERGY SPECIALIST - 

Before Ruby Heard became a vocal advocate for the environment, she was a young student who had a genuine love for engineering. 

She enjoyed all aspects of the field, from problem-solving and maths to the psychology of dealing with clients. And in high school, she knew she wanted to be an engineer. 

Although she initially lacked support from teachers, she worked hard and even took physics classes between year 11 and 12 to catch up with her studies. 

In this episode, Ruby Heard takes us back to her high school days when she first discovered engineering and how it led to her pursuing the degree at university. 

Engineering - Ruby Heard (Part B)

RENEWABLE ENERGY SPECIALIST - 

Ruby Heard has come a long way since graduating from university back in 2010. 

She first started her career as an electrical engineer where she designed electrical and lighting systems for the Tiger Terminal at Melbourne Airport and Mitcham train station. 

Her past work here and in San Francisco got the attention of the Designs Futures Council in Australia and she was recognised as an emerging leader in the field of engineering in 2017. 

Just two years later, she started Alinga Energy Consulting, an engineering consultancy that has a particular focus on environment and energy accessibility. 

In this episode, Ruby talks us through the early parts of her career after graduating from the university and explains what inspired her to create her own engineering company. 

Creative Industries - Dylan Boyd (Part A)

PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN - 

As a student, Dylan Body was always suited to something creative.
So, it makes sense he became a musician for many well-known and leading bands.
It’s not as if Dylan didn’t enjoy school though, and he was actually a very strong student.
In fact, he loved school so much the trip from Melbourne to school in Kilmore everyday - a 150 km round trip - didn’t curtail his enthusiasm.
He arrived home every night with as much energy as when we left.
In this episode, Dylan explains why he fell in love with the Assumption College music program and how he was able to find a mentor to challenge and support his musical interests from an early age.

Creative Industries - Dylan Boyd (Part B)

PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN - 

As a young musician, you’ve probably been told it’s not a safe career path, but that’s simply not true.
Dylan Body has spend his entire career employed within the music industry and has achieved some massive things like:
Entertaining pub-goers as a singer and guitarist in cover acts
Touring the world with ABBA tribute act Bjorn Again
Managing a recording studio
Even being part of an Elvis tribute act too
In this episode, Dylan explains how he turned his passion for music into a successful career.

Creative Industries - Greg O Shea (Part A)

RECORD PRODUCER. AUDIO ENGINEER. MIX ENGINEER - 

Passion and determination are so often the keys to having a successful career in the music industry. 

Whether you’re in the business of songwriting, singing or producing, it’s crucial to have a genuine love for music in order to develop as an artist or a music producer. 

It’s this passion and dedication for the craft that made Greg O’ Shea pursue a career in this industry.  

At a young age, Greg discovered his love of visual arts and music. And knew this would be his career path. 

In this episode, Greg explains what drew him into the world of art and music and what inspired him to pursue music production as a career.