Careers Talk Podcast

Creative Industries - Greg O Shea (Part B)

RECORD PRODUCER. AUDIO ENGINEER. MIX ENGINEER - 

Before Greg O’ Shea became an in-demand music producer and sound engineer, he started work at Metropolis Audio in the dubbing room. 

Although it wasn’t the most glamorous position, Greg saw it as an opportunity and grabbed it with both hands. 

After his first job, he continued to develop his skills and ended up focused on studio recording. 

Because of his experiences, he got to work with major acts like John Farnham, INXS, Crowded House and Neil Diamond. 

In this episode, Greg O’ Shea gives us an inside look into the early part of his career and how it led him to starting his own music production company. 

Automotive - Chris Whyte (Part A)

AUTO APPRENTICESHIPS FIELD MANAGER AT THE VACC - 

It’s a predicament many students find themselves in - ending high school with no idea what to study or do next!
That was the case for Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce’s Chris Whyte.
While being good at all things automotive, Chris never really looked at his interest as a possible career path.
And while he was accepted into a university course, he was also offered an apprenticeship.
After much thought and the realisation another four years of school didn’t appeal to him, Chris took on the apprenticeship and he’s never looked back.
In this episode, Chris talks about what life is like for a young apprentice and the various career options for future automotive students.

Automotive - Chris Whyte (Part B)

AUTO APPRENTICESHIPS FIELD MANAGER AT THE VACC -

Note this one down - The Australian Overseas Foundation!
If you’re vocationally trained, they might offer you the chance to live, work or study overseas.
Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce's Chris Whyte was fortunate enough to be selected to move overseas for two years to boost his skills and learn from others.
In this episode, Chris explains what led to this opportunity, how he lived overseas successfully and how he was able to apply himself and move up through the ranks before returning home.

Construction - Peter Rahilly (Part A)

DIRECTOR OF 2CONSTRUCT - CIVIC AND CIVIL CONSTRUCTION - 

Any successful businessperson knows that to thrive in your industry, you need to be practical and realistic. 

It’s this principle that drove Peter Rahilly to pursue a career in construction. 

During his high school days, Peter wasn’t too interested in becoming a doctor or a lawyer. 

Instead, he chose a more practical career in construction management. 

Through his studies at university, he was able to acquire the people skills needed to manage clients and made him a successful businessman in the process. 

In this episode, Peter Rahilly takes us back to his high school days and explains why he chose to pursue a degree in construction.

Construction - Peter Rahilly (Part B)

DIRECTOR OF 2CONSTRUCT - CIVIC AND CIVIL CONSTRUCTION - 

Before Peter Rahilly built his construction company, he held several jobs previously.  

Through his experiences, he learned that construction is not for the faint hearted. 

And to thrive in this industry, you need to be willing to put in the time and effort into understanding and handling the tasks involved on a construction site.  

After more than 30 years in the field, Peter is now an established leader within the industry. 

In this episode, Peter talks about his past positions and discusses how they led him to co-creating a construction company. 

Hospitality - Ellie Dickinson (Part A)

DIRECTOR OF BCC MANAGEMENT - CONFERENCES, EVENTS, AND TRADE EXHIBITIONS - 

It’s not an uncommon situation in an Australian school. Ellie Dickinson an Events manager found her feet and made friends when playing sport.
What is also common is that Ellie was good at the subjects she liked, but not so great at the ones she didn’t.
In this episode, Ellie explains how she initially followed her sporting interest into university study, but an significant accident while on holiday in Southeast Asia forced Ellie to reassess what she wanted out of a career.

Hospitality - Ellie Dickinson (Part B)

DIRECTOR OF BCC MANAGEMENT - CONFERENCES, EVENTS, AND TRADE EXHIBITIONS - 

Sometimes a business opportunity is too good to pass up and after a few years working in sport events, Ellie took over an events management business herself.
And what a learning curve it was!
Fortunately, like any successful business owner, she was supported by people who could mentor her in business.
In this episode, Ellie talks about the highs and lows of her career and what conceived her that taking over an events business needed to be her next move.

HR - Cathy Neasmith (Part A)

CAREER MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT AND COACH - 

For Cathy Neasmith, the importance of education was understood from a young age and she looks back with appreciation that her mother and grandmother taught the value of life-long learning. 
Not only was Cathy supported by her mother and grandmother growing up, she also had sisters who moved with her into boarding school when the time came to move away from home. 
In this episode, Cathy talks about her education and gives advice to students about how to decide on a learning path that suits your interests.

HR - Cathy Neasmith (Part B)

CAREER MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT AND COACH - 

Imagine sitting down next to a hardened criminal and trying to teach them to read, write and count. 
That’s a tough gig, particularly for somebody fresh out of university but that’s where Cathy Neasmith started her teaching career. 
This role early in her career led to other opportunities - like moving overseas - working for Not-for-profits, corporates and eventually starting her own business in careers guidance and resetting.  
In this episode, Cathy steps us through her career and gives great advice to students on what to do to identify career options for yourself.

Construction - Lee Henderson (Part A)

DIRECTOR SILVERCON CONSTRUCTION - 

Lee Henderson loved his early high school days and did pretty well, although he does admit it wasn’t an academically-focussed place. 
When his parents decided to move to Geelong, Lee was sad to say goodbye to Ocean Grove and it meant he was going to attend a more academic school. 
For the first time, Lee felt he was falling behind in his studies and used a tutor to help him catch up to other students. 
In this episode, Lee explains how a young kid with dreams of being a professional surf photographer was able to navigate the waves of education to find a career path which led to more opportunities.

Construction - Lee Henderson (Part B)

DIRECTOR SILVERCON CONSTRUCTION - 

Everyone wants to travel when they are young and Lee Henderson was no different. 
In fact, he was smart about it and moved to the UK with the intention of setting up a building company to earn enough money to travel where (and when) he liked. 
But, you have to have a certain level of experience to do that successfully. 
In this episode, Lee explains where he worked before his UK adventure, how he started a building company in a foreign country, what brought him home and how he started all over again once he arrived.

Public Health - Ornella Clavisi (Part A)

GENERAL MANAGER CONSUMER SERVICES MUSCULOSKELETAL AUSTRALIA - 

Arriving in Australia with no English is a daunting prospect.
As a five year old, Ornella Clavisi’s family moved from Chile to a bed-sit in St Kilda because her father wanted the opportunities for his daughters that we so often take for granted - safety and security, more freedoms and the big one, education.
Despite a total overhaul to her life, Ornella was able to settle into schooling and excel at subjects like maths, biology and chemistry.
It was the basis for a successful scientific career culminating in a role with Musculoskeletal Australia.
In this episode, Ornella reflects on her education and how it encouraged her to pursue a career that she loves.

Public Health - Ornella Clavisi (Part B)

GENERAL MANAGER CONSUMER SERVICES MUSCULOSKELETAL AUSTRALIA - 

A career in the sciences is rewarding and opens up opportunities to work with experts in their field and in research roles within academia.
But the skills learnt in the sciences can be used across many industries.
In this episode, Ornella explains how her career progression has gone from working in universities to now applying her skill set for the benefit of a Not-for-Profit.
Ornella also gives great advice on the process of looking for and applying for scientifical roles. And how to prepare for interviews and what to expect when they arrive.

Construction - Dan McArdle (Part A)

PROJECT MANAGER. DIRECTOR OF BASIS BUILDERS - 

Dan McArdle loved high school because it was a holistic environment to be in. While his grades weren’t the best, it wasn’t the primary focus of his education. 

Dan’s schooling was more about doing his best, making his opportunities count and never giving up. 

But by far the biggest thing Dan learnt during his education was that there’s always more to someone than what they know academically. 

In this episode, Dan talks about how not being the most gifted student didn’t stop him from enjoying school or prevent him from identifying career pathways that interested him. 

Construction - Dan McArdle (Part B)

PROJECT MANAGER. DIRECTOR OF BASIS BUILDERS - 

Early in his career, Dan McArdle had to respond to the most difficult of interview questions…what footy team do you barrack for?
At least it’s more unpredictable than the “where do you see yourself in five years” question.
Turns out, Dan got his answer correct and was given a job after some work experience elsewhere.
The early part of his career was a great experience for Dan to learn new skills while on the job, refine his talent and understand how to deal with other people in a professional setting.
In this episode, Dan explains how his career led him to co-starting a boutique construction company and how the industry is implementing sustainable practices.

Student Stories - Callen Neasmith (Part A)

GRAPHIC DESIGNER - 

School in the modern age is very collaborative and is not just about teaching students the basics to get a job. 

With so much choice, students will follow many paths to find what it is they love and, as we know, it’s rare to find somebody these days that’s held a job within the same company for their entire career. 

That journey begins at school and it’s now why schools invest time into students to help them discover what drives them and what they want to pursue. 

If parents are part of the conversation too, students will no doubt be able to make informed choices about what subjects are best suited to their interests. 

As a recent school-leaver, that was Callen Naesmith’s experience. 

Now at 22, the discussions he had back then with his school mates, teachers and mother enabled him to decide on a career, and gave him the tools needed to follow his passion. 

Student Stories - Callen Neasmith (Part B)

GRAPHIC DESIGNER - 

Leaving tertiary education and heading into the big bad world trying to find a job can be difficult to adjust to. 

It might be a lack of employment opportunities, not enough experience or that 100s of people are applying for the same job. 

In the gig economy, short term and freelance jobs are on the rise and can be used as a stepping stone to build the career that you want. 

And that’s where Callen Naesmith finds himself. 

Callen is currently working as an intern at a Melbourne based digital agency and describes what he does as being an “extra chef” to help and support other designers where possible. 

This opportunity is great, but the real question is where does Callen want to take his career? 

In this episode, Callen discusses how education helped him transition into graphic design with confidence and what he hopes to achieve in his career.