Tech Careers Hotline

She Leads Google ANZ, 10 Years After Not Getting the Job | Mel Silva, VP & MD Google ANZ

In this episode Mel talks about making the leap from financial services into tech, backing yourself before you feel ready, and why the best no of her career turned out to be a breakthrough. She gets honest about self-doubt at the highest levels of leadership, what it actually looks like to put your hand up, and why she believes AI is about to change every industry on the planet. If you have ever wondered whether you need a technical background to build a career in tech, or whether the moment has already passed, this episode is for you. Tech Career Pathway Resources: https://techcouncil.com.au/your-career-in-tech/ [https://techcouncil.com.au/your-career-in-tech/] Mel Silva LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melspiteri/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/melspiteri/] Adair Robins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/] Music Credit: License code: KR2VLJP5QV5P7LDE License code: 5LA5IAVKYG26HASD

She Lived the Problem Then Built A Global Solution | Jenny Rudd, Founder of Dispute Buddy

What if the worst moment of your life became the reason you built something that helped thousands of others? Jenny Rudd built a tech startup in her late 40s, with no engineering degree, from a small town in New Zealand. After spending 40 hours screenshotting texts for her own family court case, she looked around, realised nobody had built the solution, and decided she would. The result is Dispute Buddy, an app that turns your messages into court-ready evidence without ever having to relive a single painful text. In this episode Jenny talks about pitching investors, going through Techstars, and building a lean startup from scratch. She gets honest about surviving the early years, what default dead actually means, and why she thinks being wrong is her greatest asset. If you have ever wondered whether it is too late, or whether you need the right background to build something meaningful in tech, this episode is for you. Tech Career Pathway Resources: https://techcouncil.com.au/your-career-in-tech/ [https://techcouncil.com.au/your-career-in-tech/] Jenny Rudd LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennyjanerudd/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennyjanerudd/] Adair Robins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/] Music Credit: https://uppbeat.io/t/ottomp3/on-the-move [https://uppbeat.io/t/ottomp3/on-the-move] License code: KR2VLJP5QV5P7LDE https://uppbeat.io/t/qube/play [https://uppbeat.io/t/qube/play] License code: 5LA5IAVKYG26HASD

From Junior Analyst to Fintech CEO | Soraya Alali, Zip ANZ CEO

Soraya Alali didn't have a career plan. She had curiosity and an obsession for the customer and it took her from junior analyst to ANZ CEO of one of Australia's biggest fintechs without a tech degree. In this episode, the Zip ANZ CEO shares the unfiltered truth about building a career without a roadmap, what she did when she hit a glass ceiling, and why mindset matters more than credentials when you're trying to break into tech. She also gets into AI - how she's using it daily, why it's the great equaliser for anyone starting out, and why you should be ready to talk about how your using it in any interview no matter the role. Real questions. Real answers. This one's for anyone who's ever wondered if tech is really for them. Soraya Alali LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soraya-alali-8a236687/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/soraya-alali-8a236687/] Adair Robins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/] Music Credit: https://uppbeat.io/t/ottomp3/on-the-move [https://uppbeat.io/t/ottomp3/on-the-move] License code: KR2VLJP5QV5P7LDE https://uppbeat.io/t/qube/play [https://uppbeat.io/t/qube/play] License code: 5LA5IAVKYG26HASD

Former Australian of the Year Racing to Win the Global Quantum Computing Race | Michelle Simmons

Episode: Michelle Simmons, Founder & CEO, Silicon Quantum Computing Michelle Simmons fell in love with physics at 12. Twenty-five years later, she's built Australia's first quantum computing company from Sydney — and in 2018 was named Australian of the Year. Her team built the world's first single-atom transistor. Now she's racing to deliver the world's first commercial-scale quantum computer by 2033. In this episode, Michelle shares the unfiltered truth about leaving academia to found a company, raising capital, building high-performing teams with no passengers, and backing yourself in one of the world's most competitive fields. Real questions. Real answers. This one's unmissable. ---------------------------------------- Michelle Simmons LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-simmons-34662921a/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-simmons-34662921a/] Adair Robins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/] Music Credit: https://uppbeat.io/t/ottomp3/on-the-move [https://uppbeat.io/t/ottomp3/on-the-move] License code: KR2VLJP5QV5P7LDE https://uppbeat.io/t/qube/play [https://uppbeat.io/t/qube/play] License code: 5LA5IAVKYG26HASD

She built a $100M Robotics Company at 25 | Grace Brown, Andromeda CEO & Co-Founder

Episode: Grace Brown, Co-Founder & CEO, Andromeda Robotics Grace Brown started building robots at 15. By 25, she is leading a $100 million company from Melbourne — creating Abi, the world's leading social companion robot for aged care that speaks 90 languages and remembers every resident she meets. In this episode, Grace shares the unfiltered truth about scaling a deep-tech startup, raising capital, building diverse teams, and backing yourself in one of the world's fastest-growing industries. Real questions. Real answers. This one's unmissable. Grace Brown LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-brown-619b59161/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-brown-619b59161/] Adair Robins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/] Music Credit: https://uppbeat.io/t/ottomp3/on-the-move [https://uppbeat.io/t/ottomp3/on-the-move] License code: KR2VLJP5QV5P7LDE https://uppbeat.io/t/qube/play [https://uppbeat.io/t/qube/play] License code: 5LA5IAVKYG26HASD