Behold the Early Career Hustle

As young engineers, you have just started your career journey with everything to prove and nothing to lose and every day is simultaneously new, exciting, and daunting. Behold, the Hustle! The excitement associated with graduating and entering the workforce can easily sweep up young engineers but it is also important to acknowledge the struggles associated with such a large environment shift. In this interactive workshop, hear from your speaker; Samira Tollo, and workshop facilitator; Karen Zhou, as they share their experiences and lessons learnt from challenges they have faced during their early career hustle. This workshop aims to cover topics such as: learning how to forge your own path, building up the confidence to have challenging conversations, the importance of self-branding, building knowledge in non-technical pathways, and salary negotiation.  

About our speakers

Samira Tollo

Samira Tollo is the Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder of Elbaite (P2P cryptocurrency exchange) and a blockchain consultant with IBM who is passionate about growing Australian grown blockchain use cases. She is an electrical engineer with a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering (Honours) from The University of Queensland. Samira’s accomplishments in the field have been widely recognised, in 2020 she was a finalist for Rising Star of the Year in the Women in Digital National Awards and has been featured in the Women's Agenda and Smart Company. During her time at University she was awarded the prestigious Electrical Engineering Alumni Advantage Scholarship and a Supporting Women Scholarship. 

She is passionate about all things tech and wants to encourage more young Australians to start tech companies.

Karen Zhou

Karen holds a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering (Honours) and is a part of UQ's 2018 graduating cohort. She is starting her first professional role as a graduate process engineer in the oil and gas industry, specifically in the energy infrastructure and gas transmission sector. Karen has been involved in the UQ Women in Engineering Alumni Council since 2020 and hopes to use her perspective as a new graduate to help the Council run events that can support young professionals as they transition from university to full-time work.

Continuing Professional Development 

Attending this event will account for 1 hour of CPD. 

About Women in Engineering 'Challenging Yourself' Professional Development Series

Hosted by the UQ Women in Engineering Alumni Ambassador Council, this series aims to empower, enlighten, and emphasise the potential of your individuality and progress your career development. Delivered online over three consecutive weeks, hear from experienced industry professionals who will discuss the challenges they have overcome throughout the various stages of their careers and provide practical tips to help you progress yours. 

Venue