My career journey hasn’t followed a traditional path, but looking back now, every step led me to where I am today.
I began my career in the Australian Army in 2007 as an Infantryman. The Army had taught me discipline, resilience, teamwork, and the importance of putting others before yourself. Those values shaped who I am, and they continue to guide me today. As a proud Wiradjuri man, service was something I took great pride in, and I dedicated several years of my life to serving my country.
In 2014, I was medically discharged from the Army. Like many veterans transitioning to civilian life, I faced the challenge of finding a new purpose and meaning and a new career path. It was a significant change, but I was determined to build a future for myself and my family.
After leaving the military, I moved into the office technology industry, repairing and installing multifunction devices (photocopiers). It was a completely different world from the Army, but it gave me valuable experience working with customers, solving problems, and developing technical skills.
It was during one of those installations that my life changed.
While installing a photocopier at Willyama, I found myself talking with Conan about my background, my military service, and my heritage as a Wiradjuri man. During that conversation, Conan told me that Willyama’s founder and CEO, Kieran, would love to meet me. Before long, I had the opportunity to sit down and have a conversation with him.
That conversation opened a door I never expected.
Rather than seeing me for the job I was doing at the time, Kieran had seen my potential. He believed that the skills I had developed in the Army and throughout my career could be applied in an entirely new field. It was suggested that I try my hand in the IT industry, and after a back and forth hesitation within myself, I had decided to take the leap into the unknown.
In January 2022, I officially joined Willyama.
From the first day, I wasn’t just welcomed into a company I was welcomed into the Willyama family.
One of the things that makes Willyama special is the way people are encouraged to explore different opportunities and grow into careers they may never have imagined for themselves. I was given the chance to learn, develop, and discover where my passions lay within the IT world.
For me, that path became Cyber Security.
With the support of my colleagues and mentors, I was placed on a cyber security contract where I began conducting cyber security assessments and working within a field that was completely new to me. Coming from an infantry and photocopier background, I never thought I’d find myself working in cyber security, but Willyama has given me the opportunity and confidence to succeed.
The support I received from everyone around me made all the difference.
Every challenge became a learning opportunity. Every question was met with guidance. Every achievement was celebrated by the team that genuinely wanted to see me succeed.
Just a year later, I was honoured to be named a finalist for a Rising Star Award. It was a moment that made me reflect on how far I had come from an Infantryman to a photocopier technician, to being recognised for my work in cyber security.
If you had told me years earlier that this would be my journey, I wouldn’t have believed you.
What I have learned is that success is never achieved alone.
The opportunities I have been given, the knowledge I have gained, and the achievements I have reached have all been made possible through the support, mentoring, and belief shown by the people at Willyama. They saw potential in me before I saw it in myself.
Today, I am proud to be part of the Willyama family. I am proud to represent both my military background and my Wiradjuri heritage, and I am grateful for the opportunities that have allowed me to build a fulfilling career in technology.
My journey is proof that sometimes the most rewarding paths are the ones you never planned to take. With the right support and people who believe in you, opportunities can appear when you least expect them and they can change your life.
I am proud of how far I have come, and I am excited to see where the journey with Willyama takes me next.
