Meet our Awardees

Every Employability Award journey is unique.

Our Awardees have explored new opportunities, challenged themselves, built meaningful connections and developed valuable capabilities along the way. Hear directly from our recent Awardees as they reflect on their experiences, share what they've learned and offer advice to help you make the most of your own Employability Award journey. Hear how our students used the Award program to seize new opportunities for development and shifted their mindset along the way.

Doreen Chiang | Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours)
Doreen Chiang | LinkedIn

The true value of the Employability Award is not the extrinsic accomplishments that you can compile into your CV or LinkedIn; rather, it is the doors that the Award can open, enabling you to experiment with and explore opportunities that you intrinsically value, which are foundational for an enriching and purpose-filled career. The reflection skills introduced throughout the Award can be added to your toolkit and guide you to that endpoint, but ultimately, it is up to you to take a deep dive introspectively to clarify what you value and how that translates into a meaningful career.

Updated 2026

Joshua Pooranakaran | UQ BEL Valedictorian | Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics (Honours)
Joshua H Pooranakaran | LinkedIn

The Award gave me a framework to pursue experiences intentionally and to articulate what I was actually gaining from them. My suggestions-starting the STAR capability statements early:  I left mine a little later than I should have and felt the pressure. The earlier you start turning your experiences into specific examples, the easier the final submission and interview become. Vague responses are hard to recover from late in the process, as your memory of them becomes hazy! UQ Union volunteering:  I almost underestimated this one. Events like O-Week and Spring Festival feel low-key, but reflecting on them properly showed me how much I actually developed in terms of coordination and working with others. Worth taking seriously from the start. Seeking out policy-adjacent opportunities like the AIIA National Conference: I was lucky enough to be sponsored by UQ to attend, and it was one of the most valuable experiences of my degree. I would not have known to look for it without encouragement, so I think making students in policy or public sector pathways aware of these opportunities early could make a real difference.

Updated 2026

Saipriya Dipika Vaidyanathan | Master of Data Science

Saipriya Dipika Vaidyanathan | LinkedIn

Changing your mindset and being willing to try can open up so much potential and give you a clearer view of what you want from life. Don’t wait for the perfect timing, the right people, or the ideal circumstances. If there’s something you want to do, give it a go. The regret of not trying can be harder to carry than the feeling of failing. Seek experiences, and don’t judge them only as successes or failures. Every time you try, you learn something, and that’s a kind of success in itself. Keep your intentions clear and stay open to what each experience can teach you.

Updated 2026

An Chiem | Bachelors of Journalism / Arts

An Chiem | LinkedIn

The Employability Award (EA) helped me strengthen my personal identity before prioritising work and CV experience. Instead of chasing roles that I knew wouldn't fulfil me, I identified what I truly wanted, then applied for opportunities that strengthened my CV and introduced me to so many valuable people along the way. The most important thing to remember is that whenever you feel lost or rejected, it is the universe preparing something better for you. Taking a chance on yourself with the EA is that next big step to growth. Trust the process and let it surprise you.

Updated 2026

Arnav Negi | Master of Computer Science (Management)

Arnav Negi | LinkedIn

Choose the room, not the seat: Partway through my masters, I was offered the presidency of one student society and an entry-level officer role at another. With a full-time study load, I could only take one. I chose the smaller title. I'll share how I made that call, what it cost me, and why I've come to think "who do I want to be useful to?" is a better question than "what will look best on my CV." If you're currently weighing up more opportunities than you have hours for, this one's for you.

Updated 2026

Achira Devang Shah | Master of Urban and Regional Planning

Achira Shah | LinkedIn

When I started my journey at UQ, I didn’t have everything figured out (and honestly, I still don’t!). I’ve said yes to opportunities, taken on things that felt a little scary, and occasionally wondered how I was going to fit everything into one week. But somewhere between university, work, volunteering, and meeting so many wonderful people, I realised that you learn a lot about yourself just by putting yourself out there. My advice? Don’t wait until you feel ready. Give things a go, ask for help when you need it, and remember to enjoy the journey along the way.

Updated 2026

Sana Hermain | Master of Biotechnology

Sana Hermain | LinkedIn

I joined the UQ Employability Award wanting more than a degree. Turns out my failed experiments were my best material. The STAR-E framework taught me that doing great work is only half the job; the other half is explaining it to someone who wasn't in the room. My advice: start early, take the reflective tasks seriously (they're not box-ticking, I promise), and network before you feel ready, because you never will. Push past your first answer until it's honest and specific. The Award gave me the confidence to walk into any room and hold my own.

Updated 2026

Omar Hassanien | Master of Pharmaceutical Industry Practice

Omar Hassanien | LinkedIn

My advice is to make the most of the EA journey and enjoy the process! Don’t just focus on ticking off activities or adding things to your CV. Take the opportunity to try something new, meet people outside your usual circle, and reflect on what you’re learning along the way. Sometimes, you don’t realise how much you’ve grown until you look back. The best part of the EA is that it encourages you to explore your strengths, discover new interests, and build confidence beyond your degree. Be open to new experiences, you never know where they might lead!

Updated 2026

Lily Kanthida Ongarjsiri | Bachelor of Arts and Psychology

Kanthida Ongarjsiri | LinkedIn

Sometimes giving up on opportunities can be just as hard as finding them. With the Employability Award program, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by a plethora of available resources and opportunities. While one might assume that making the best out of the program implies doing as much as you can, the underrated way to make the best use of it is to choose opportunities that craft a unique narrative of yourself. So how do we balance being strategic and adventurous when choosing which opportunity to take?

Updated 2026

Hiral Chandel | Master of Public Health

Hiral Chandel | LinkedIn

The Employability Award was where I began discovering just how much UQ had to offer beyond the classroom. What started with exploring volunteering opportunities grew into experiences I never imagined, from taking part in summer research to becoming President of Public Health Association University of Queensland (UQPHA). Each step encouraged me to try something new, take on greater responsibilities and challenge my own potential. The award taught me that growth often begins when you step outside what feels familiar. My advice to future EA students? Don't just focus on completing the award; embrace it as an opportunity to explore, experiment and discover what you're capable of. You might surprise yourself with where it takes you!

Updated 2026

Alifina Izza | Master of Public Health

Alifina Izza | LinkedIn

Give your best to every opportunity that comes your way, but most importantly, choose what genuinely makes you happy. When you enjoy what you do, you naturally give it your all, and sometimes, that one opportunity opens doors you never imagined. Don't be afraid to explore, try something new, and unlock different sides of yourself. The more you try, the more you discover what you love and what you don't. Not every experience has to be your passion, but every experience teaches you something. So, keep exploring, embrace every opportunity, and enjoy the journey of discovering yourself!