Caroline Rockett

I’d first like to thank or acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which the UTS campus stands, the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. Pro Chancellor, Provost, Deputy Vice Chancellor and Vice President, Director and Associate Dean of the Faculty, Chair of the Academic Board, staff, family, friends, and graduates. It’s a very humble honour and privilege of mine to give the occasional address today. So, it was 25 years ago that I was at this very university, attending my graduation ceremony, and I can tell you, I remember where I sat, I remember who I sat next to, what I was wearing, who in my family came along. I can remember walking to the stage, I can remember hearing my name, I can remember shaking the hands of the Chancellor and walking back to my chair. All the while, I could think of nothing but not to trip or fall, I did not want to be the first person to trip or fall, so I wanted to make it back to my chair. That was my primary mission. Whether it was because I forgot about it or thinking about tripping or falling or whether I was really excited to be here for my graduation, I have to admit a truth: I don’t remember who the occasional speaker was, and I don’t remember what they talked about. So, I’m going to say to you, I will take no offense if, in 25 years from now, you don’t remember my name and you don’t remember the story I share today. 

So, when I accepted the offer to give this address, I was really excited. I was really excited at the opportunity to come back to UTS. UTS was an amazing place for me. It was a great middle ground and a wonderful stepping stone for me from high school into university, helping me grow and mature, ready for the future. Then reality hit. I thought to myself, what advice can I give such a large cohort of graduates that are smart, capable and well informed? What advice could I give you? So, I did what any good IT person would do: I started with the data. So, Mohammed in data analytics and the data analytics crew, I’m sure you’re going to appreciate this. I decided to ask some friends and family and colleagues one simple question: what advice, what meaningful advice, could I give a large cohort of Gen Y, predominantly, and Gen Z, students who are celebrating the completion of their graduation and commencing the start of their careers? So, I captured as much information as possible, I compiled the data into sub-groups and categories, into common data points, so Mohammed, you’ll really appreciate this data in the next piece, and I can only hope that this method and framework gives credibility to what I’m about to say. 

So, with the Traditionalist generation, their advice was reflective of a time that centred around world wars and the Great Depression. Attitude about life and career was really characterised by the caution and planning from their future. And radio was the emerging technology. So, career advice by this generation reflects the caution and circumstances of that time. And they said: to be managed means doing what the boss says, without question. Learn new skills and take on new responsibilities when the time is right, and when the boss tells you. Personal responsibility is of the utmost importance, so you have to earn what you get. And make sure to save some of your pay for a rainy day. For the Baby Boomer generation, it was television that was the emerging technology, and initially, most of their answers came back to me in the form of more questions. So, they asked: information technology, is that the internet? Does a degree in information technology mean you can fix my computer at home? Is coding like Morse code? After the initial hiccup, their feedback was linked to a very generally optimistic attitude towards life and career, where they believed individuals owned the responsivity to make good things happen. Advice here was very simple and direct: congratulations on getting through the easiest part of your life. You are very lucky you are entering a workforce that is filled with opportunity and choice. Have a career goal. Everything you do should be about helping you achieve that goal. Work hard, give it your best, be respectful. Listen to people with experience – they know what they’re talking about. 

For Generation X, and this is my generation, we’re defined by materialism, technology, and two-parent incomes. We grew up around rapid development in technology, where computers and the internet became widely accessible. So, the advice from my generation does follow on from the traditions of the past, but with a little bit more modernisation of thought, and I think it reflects a little bit of what our Pro Chancellor has just said. So, one: when you’re at university, you’re working with the latest technology and the latest frameworks, so when you enter the workforce, this is fundamentally the best time to capitalise on that knowledge base. It’s the perfect time when you can innovate. Two: always look to continually evolve. Just like the rapid rate of technology change, always look to learn and grow in your field. Don’t stand still. Three: the skills for the future are resilience, change agility and learning ability. So, as our future leaders, your ability to handle challenging situations, to drive change and to continually learn and grow, will serve you well. 

Gen Y, fondly referred to as the Millennials, so that makes some of the very people up in this cohort today. Gen Y entails not only the internet, but the connection or being connected 24/7. So, it took me a little while to translate the data from this generation, because they gave it in the form of memes and Instagram posts, but I did get the gist, and this is what they said: collaboration is in your DNA. It’s okay to say, ‘I don’t know.’ Corporate world is not as scary or as difficult as you think. It’s all about attitude over grades. Questioning management is not only accepted, it’s encouraged. There isn’t a lot of homework, but there is a higher expectation of the quality of the work that you produce. 

And finally, our newest generation, Gen Z, the Centennials, also making up a fair bit of the cohort. This is the first generation to never know life without the internet and social media. They’ve never experienced a world where technology wasn’t ever present or all-encompassing. Sensory overload has been built into them from birth. The amount of time that’s required for them to filter through information is substantially quicker, and as a result, this is a generation of decision makers. So, thoughts and advice from them as are follows: you will go from rarely checking your university emails to constantly checking your work emails like it’s an addiction. Take the job, get started, show initiative, don’t look back. Don’t be afraid to take risks and fail. You’re young, and you’ll recover. Network, network, network. So, from the wise and experienced Traditionalists to our young, decisive Centennials, I really hope there was something in those words of advice that have resonated with you. 

My son Ethan is here today. He’s also a Centennial. He’s in year 9 now, so he’s four years away from his tertiary studies, but his early interests have been expressed around engineering, aeronautics, technology, so I harbour a small hope that Ethan’s decision when it comes time will be to choose UTS as his university of choice. And I really want his experience to be as joyful, as memorable and as educational as mine was, as I’m sure all of yours were. I’ll iterate some of the comments made by Pro Chancellor: you’ve made lifelong friends, you’ve learned important techniques, and you’ve developed skills for the future, and these will serve you well in the challenges that you face ahead. So, let me finish with a couple of simple quotes. Michelle Obama said: ‘Stay true to the most real, most sincere, most authentic parts of yourself. Take a deep breath and trust yourselves to chart your own course and to make your mark on this world.’ And from anonymous: ‘As you graduate today, don’t forget to thank those who got you here. Google Wikipedia Red Bull and copy paste.’ My sincerest congratulations and best wishes to everyone. Thank you.