We would like to thank everyone who attended the BusCom x Empower Network Women in Business Breakfast for 2019. The sold out event took place at a stunning venue, overlooking the Newcastle yacht marina and working harbour. Over 80 students and industry connected as the current and future leaders of the region.
Jane Moran, Newcastle lead at international engineering and infrastructure consultancy, Aurecon, delivered a keynote address. She shared her incredible journey – from training, competing and winning Bronze at the 2012 London Olympics, to championing her exciting career which includes leading in a male-dominated industry and various board positions. Jane spoke about hardships, determination, goal setting and achievement. She emphasised the importance of knowing your strengths, and how she discovered her network as one of her greatest strengths.
This was followed by an engaging panel discussion and interactive Q&A with the audience, via “Slido”. Julia Weber did a fantastic job facilitating the panel, and ensured the audience walked away with valuable insights. The panel shared their journeys, insights to work-life balance, experiences tackling adversity, promoting diversity and collaboration, and in general making the most of opportunities and how they’ve risen above or would advise a younger self to do so.
The panel included:
• Lisa Sweeney OAM (Director Social Impact and Frontline Engagement, Service NSW);
• Richard Anicich AM (Chair, Committee for the Hunter, Chair, Hunter Primary Care Ltd; Consultant & General Counsel, Sparke Helmore; Non Executive Director, RaRMS & Conjoint Professor of Practice, University of Newcastle)
• Dianne Hamer (CEO, Castle Personnel)
The event was a great success, and connected future leaders in students, University staff and leaders across industry. We were inspired to “back ourselves”, say yes to opportunities and rise above. If we were to share one key thing we learned at the event, it would be this: “the path to your dream career may not be the way you envisioned, so to all the students still figuring out what they want to do once they graduate; and to all the young professionals still not sure what the next step is; rise above the rest, find your strengths and flaunt them!”
