When it comes to choosing elective subjects in high school or uni, remember: what you decide could literally change the course of your career… just like it did for these 5 people!
1. Discovering tech through enviro science
Sara Schaare always loved computers and video games, but it took an elective during her environmental science degree to convince her to pursue a career in tech.
“While I was studying environmental science at university, I took some elective units in computer science. I loved the classes so much I decided to switch my major to computing and mathematical science,” Sara says.
And now? Sara is a software engineer at Google!
Choosing electives for high school or uni? Head to our Choosing Electives hub for more tips and insights to help you find the right path to your dream career.
2. From dental science to evolutionary biology
When Michael Kasumovic, Associate Professor of Evolutionary Biology at UNSW, enrolled in a science degree back home in Canada it was because he wanted to become a dentist. Then, by chance, he decided to take an elective course in animal behaviour. “It completely changed my perspective,” he says.
Michael went on to complete a PhD in evolutionary biology, and has since has a fascinating and diverse career that’s involved everything from studying redback spiders in the outback, to being a tech entrepreneur!
“My career has taken me on a winding path which involved a lot of serendipity,” says Michael. “By exposing myself to different opportunities, I was able to find what really drove and interested me.”
Read Michael’s full profile here
3. Choosing engineering – just in time!
Engineering only became available as an elective at Levina Wong‘s high school when she got to year 12 – she knew almost nothing about it before then. As it turned out, she loved it! “I love fixing things,” she says. “There’s something so satisfying about solving problems.”
In fact, she loved it enough that after school Levina enrolled in a Bachelor of Engineering (ICT) and Diploma in Engineering Practice at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS).
Fastforward and Levina is now kicking career goals as a software engineer at the Commonwealth Bank.
Read Levina’s full profile here
Check out these 5 quizzes that will help you choose electives
4. Tech via journalism
Mark Varney is another software engineer at the Commonwealth Bank – but it was a uni, not high school elective that set him on his tech career path.
Mark was enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, majoring in Journalism, at UTS when he took a “very basic web design subject” and really enjoyed using HTML/CSS to code a web page. This intro to coding inspired Mark to keep tinkering with tech in his spare time. Then, after finishing his journalism degree, he enrolled in a Masters of IT.
Mark landed a graduate software engineering gig at the Commonwealth Bank and is still working there, now as a DevOps Engineer.
Read Mark’s full profile here.
5. An animated career
Jess D’Ali says she’s been obsessed with animated films for as long as she can remember. Growing up, she would always watch the ‘behind the scenes’ section of her favourite movie. So, when she got to Year 9 in high school and found an IT elective that included a small section on animation she “jumped at the chance”.
Fastforward, and after completing a Bachelor of IT Co-operative Scholarship at UTS, followed by internships at Westpac and WiseTech Global and a Masters degree in Animation and Visualisation, she found her dream job: as lead technical director at Animal Logic, where she’s worked on animation films including Peter Rabbit 2 and DC League.
Read Jess’s full profile here.
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