Looking back on the achievements, experiences and milestones that have shaped who I am today.
Over the years, I have had the opportunity to take on challenges, step outside my comfort zone, develop new skills and become involved in a wide range of experiences. What started with getting involved in my school community has developed into a journey across leadership, employment, education, volunteering, professional development and community involvement.
This is a look back at some of the achievements and milestones that have helped shape my journey so far.
Where It All Started
My journey began with becoming increasingly involved in my school community at Carrum Downs Secondary College.
During my secondary school years, I took on a number of leadership responsibilities and opportunities to contribute to the wider school community. I served as a Community Captain, House Captain and eventually School Captain in 2024.
Being a School Captain was one of the most significant leadership experiences of my school years. Alongside the other College Captains, I represented a school community of more than 1,000 students and helped organise and support events and initiatives throughout the year.
Some of the events and activities I helped organise or contribute to included:
- Swimming Carnival
- Athletics Day
- House Cup activities
- School community events
- Fundraising initiatives
- Student leadership activities
- The World’s Greatest Shave
These experiences taught me that leadership is not simply about having a title. It is about being willing to take responsibility, listen to people, communicate effectively and contribute to something bigger than yourself.
Throughout my school years, I was also fortunate to receive a number of leadership and contribution awards, including the Dunkley Shield Award, which recognised the leadership values I demonstrated.
The World’s Greatest Shave
One of the fundraising achievements I am particularly proud of was taking part in the World’s Greatest Shave in 2024.
Through the fundraiser, I helped raise $466 for the Leukaemia Foundation.
The experience was about more than simply raising money. It showed me how a personal challenge can be turned into an opportunity to support people facing serious challenges themselves.
It also reinforced something that has continued throughout my journey: I enjoy finding ways to use my time and experiences to contribute to the community.
Starting My Working Life
In December 2021, at the age of 15, I began working at KFC.
What started as my first job became one of the most formative experiences of my early working life. I remained with KFC until January 2025, gaining more than three years of experience in a fast-paced customer service environment.
During my time there, I worked across a range of responsibilities, including customer service, food preparation, drive-thru operations and order packing.
I also progressed into additional responsibilities, becoming a Skills Champion and later undertaking Shift Supervisor Trainee responsibilities.
Working in a busy environment taught me how to:
- Work effectively under pressure
- Communicate with customers and colleagues
- Work as part of a team
- Take responsibility for tasks
- Adapt quickly when circumstances changed
- Train and support other team members
- Maintain standards in a fast-paced environment
I was also able to assist at other KFC locations, giving me exposure to different teams and working environments.
My time at KFC gave me a strong foundation for the workplace and helped me understand the importance of reliability, teamwork and customer experience.
Moving Into Business and Higher Education
After completing secondary school, I began the next stage of my journey at Victoria University.
In 2025, I completed a Diploma of Business (Enterprise).
Throughout the Diploma, I studied areas including:
- Ethics and sustainability
- People and organisations
- Business data analytics and visualisation
- Financial literacy and decision making
- Business law
- Marketing theory and practice
I was proud to complete the Diploma
I was also fortunate to receive a Victoria University scholarship and become involved in opportunities such as the VU LEAD Program and the VU Consultative Program.
Completing the Diploma was an important milestone because it gave me a practical foundation in business while helping me understand the areas of business that I was most interested in.
Starting at ALDI
In January 2025, I began working as a Store Assistant at ALDI.
Since joining ALDI, I have worked across multiple stores and have gained experience in a wide variety of operational and customer-facing responsibilities.
My role has included:
- Customer service
- Stock replenishment
- Operating pallet jacks
- Working in refrigerated and freezer environments
- Using store equipment
- Operating the compactor
- Working with a safety knife
- Selling packaged alcohol in accordance with requirements
- Working efficiently in a high-volume retail environment
One achievement I am particularly proud of is my scanning performance. I have achieved average scan rates of approximately 800–900 items per hour, with a personal maximum of 1,194 items per hour.
For me, this represents more than simply a number. It reflects the importance I place on efficiency, accuracy, consistency and maintaining a strong work ethic.
Working in retail has also strengthened my interest in customer experience and consumer behaviour, areas that continue to influence my professional interests.
Expanding My Professional Experience
In July 2025, I also began working with CGL Retail Services as a Mystery Shopper.
This role provided me with a different perspective on retail. Rather than simply being part of the operation, I was assessing customer experiences and compliance within retail environments.
The work involved visiting participating stores and assessing areas such as identification checking and responsible service practices.
This experience has complemented my retail background by allowing me to see the customer journey from another perspective.
Volunteering and Community Involvement
Community involvement has remained an important part of my journey.
I have contributed to initiatives through organisations including Blue Light Victoria and HeartKids.
Through Blue Light Victoria, I assisted facilitators with educational and developmental programs delivered in schools, working alongside police and following appropriate safety and supervision requirements.
I have also volunteered with HeartKids, including assisting with the Two Feet & A Heartbeat event.
These experiences have allowed me to work with different groups of people and contribute to causes that have a meaningful impact on the community.
Volunteering has also helped reinforce my interest in people, wellbeing, communication and community engagement.
Continuing My Education
After completing my Diploma, I decided that I wanted to combine my interest in business with my growing interest in psychology.
In January 2026, I commenced a Bachelor of Psychological Studies / Bachelor of Business at Victoria University.
This next stage of my education brings together two areas that I have become increasingly passionate about: understanding people and understanding organisations.
At the same time, my psychology studies are helping me develop a deeper understanding of human behaviour, mental processes and wellbeing.
My long-term goal is to use this combination of knowledge and experience to work in a career where I can make a meaningful difference to people’s lives, including my aspiration to work in child protection.
Building My Professional Credentials
As my career and education have progressed, I have continued building my professional credentials.
Some of the qualifications, licences, checks and training I have completed include:
- Diploma of Business (Enterprise) – Victoria University
- Heavy Rigid Truck Licence
- Working With Children Check
- NDIS Worker Screening Check
- NDIS Worker Orientation and Induction Modules
- HLTAID009 Provide CPR
- Victorian Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA)
- Academic Integrity Certificate of Achievement
- Work Integrated Learning Module
- Various workplace safety and first-aid training
In 2026, I also became a Student Member of the Australian Marketing Institute (AMI).
Becoming involved with a professional association is another step towards developing my understanding of the business and marketing environment outside the classroom.
Giving Back Through Fundraising
Community involvement has continued into 2026.
I am currently undertaking my “A Little Colour, A Bigger Impact” Cancer Council fundraiser, which combines a personal challenge with fundraising for an important cause.
The event is scheduled for 31 October 2026, when I will have lavender and purple highlights added to my hair.
I have committed $200 of my own money towards the fundraiser, matching the estimated cost of the hair appointment, and have already contributed an additional $75 towards the first donations.
At the time of writing, the fundraiser has reached $250, with a goal of raising $1,000.
This is another example of something I have tried to carry throughout my journey: using personal milestones as opportunities to make a positive contribution to others.
Looking Back at the Journey
When I look back at where I started, there is a noticeable progression.
I began by getting involved in my school community.
That developed into formal leadership positions.
Those leadership experiences were followed by my first job at 15, where I began developing practical workplace skills.
From there, I progressed through different responsibilities, completed a Diploma of Business, entered the retail industry, expanded my professional experience, became involved in volunteering and community programs, and eventually began a combined degree in psychology and business.
Along the way, I have also continued developing my professional credentials and looking for opportunities to challenge myself.
None of these achievements happened overnight. Each one has contributed something different to the person I am becoming.
What’s Next?
I don’t see my achievements as a finished list.
I see them as milestones along a much longer journey.
My current focus is completing my Bachelor of Psychological Studies / Bachelor of Business, continuing to build professional experience and developing a career that combines my interests in business, psychology, people and wellbeing.
Ultimately, I want my career to be centred around helping people.
Whether that is through counselling, psychology, business, customer experience, organisational environments or community work, I want the experiences I have gained to contribute towards something meaningful.
There is still a lot ahead of me.
But when I look back at everything I have already achieved—from becoming a young school leader, to starting my first job at 15, completing my Diploma, building professional experience, volunteering, earning new qualifications and beginning my Bachelor’s degree—I am proud of how far I have come.
And this is only the beginning.
Leave a Reply