This Wasn’t the Plan, But I’m So Glad It Happened

How a HECS Debt, a Mid-Sem Dropout, and a IComm Sales Job Led Me Somewhere I Actually Belong.

I started at IComm in January working two days a week. I was also fresh out of Year 12, while just beginning my psychology degree at Latrobe University. I’d only just swapped practice exams for lecture slides, and I already had a feeling that something wasn’t quite right. Midway through the semester, I dropped out (HECS debt and all) and hit pause to figure things out.

That same year, in Semester 2, I transferred into a Bachelor of Professional Communication at RMIT, majoring in Advertising and Public Relations. To be honest, I wasn’t exactly eager yet, I just knew I needed to make a change. Psychology wasn’t the right fit, and even though I wasn’t 100% sure where this new path would take me, I knew staying still wasn’t an option. That decision ended up reshaping not just my studies, but my mindset too.

Truth is, I’ve always been creative. Since I was a kid, I’ve been designing fake websites, sketching packaging, painting, drawing, writing, reading, watching movies, tv shows, and deep diving into pop culture. Thus, stepping into the world of communications just made sense, it let me bring all those pieces together. And now, with a year of my degree behind me and a year and a half at IComm under my belt, I’ve realised how much my studies and my role feed into each other. The theory I learn in class makes more sense because I’ve seen it play out in real time making the work feel more meaningful because I understand the “why” behind it.

Working closely with Dan and Georgia from the Adopt + Innovate team. I’ve had a front-row seat to the rise of Microsoft Copilot and how it is shaping the way we work. It’s been so exciting seeing the behind-the-scenes work that makes adoption possible. Supporting that journey has opened my eyes to the kind of work I want to be doing long-term, strategy that’s people-led, purpose-driven, and never boring.

Another big moment was helping launch our new IComm website. It was stressful (an understatement), but also so rewarding. There were challenges, and a few painful lessons, but the biggest one was this: you can’t do everything on your own. I’ve always been a little allergic to asking for help, but this project certainly taught me that there is nothing to be afraid of, being in a team that’s collaborative, supportive, and genuinely invested in the outcome made all the difference. Being a perfectionist myself it was hard to launch a website that wasn’t quintessential, but I’m still trying to learn that there is no such thing as perfect.

At work, I try to be a sponge. I definitely don’t feel like the smartest person in the room 99.99% of the time, and honestly, that’s the point. I try to remind myself that if I ever do, I’m probably in the wrong room. I get to work alongside people who’ve been in business (and on this earth!!) much longer than me, whether it’s a one-on-one with Rob or a chat with Adrian or Stuart, I always walk away with some hard truths or a new perspective, sometimes on business, sometimes on life, and sometimes both. Being around people who are passionate, experienced, and generous with their knowledge is something I don’t take for granted.

Since joining, I’ve also helped grow our LinkedIn presence, introduced reoccurring posts such as Friday Finds and even generated new business leads through content and outreach. Watching those posts translate into real results has been such a rewarding experience. You don’t expect your Notes app ideas to work out, but sometimes they do (and sometimes they don’t).

Working in our new Customer Experience Centre has only added to that experience. Hybrid work is always on the table, but I genuinely love coming into the office. The structure, the buzz, the in-between chats, it keeps me energised and has been so beneficial for my mental health (yes, even with the early mornings).

Ok, full transparency, I am technically a nepo baby. But I’m also someone who showed up fresh out of Year 12 not knowing what the hell I was doing, trying to learn, figure it out, and (eventually) hold my own. I care. I listen. I ask questions. I get things wrong. I keep trying. And I’m slowly learning to back myself along the way.  

So, to conclude my long-winded story don’t be afraid to pivot. Ask the questions. Make the mistakes. Start again if you need to. Just stay curious, stay humble, and never be too embarrassed to pitch a Gen Z idea.