Meg Purtell, ABC Radio News Producer / Presenter and lifelong learner, didn’t take the traditional route to career success. In her own words, she “landed a career in journalism”, without being degree qualified.
She has since established herself as a respected and highly skilled journalist, but was able to recognise the value that postgraduate study could provide her.
When Meg was awarded a career boost scholarship from Women in Media Queensland, she jumped at the opportunity and landed on QUT’s Enterprise Leadership program, to complement her on-the-job experience, and enhance her future career potential.
Meg’s choice in QUTeX enabled her to delve into her primary areas of interest, like innovation, strategy, and leadership. Although Meg’s working life is fast-paced and constantly changing, she was able to continue her education and apply her learning to her workplace, and learned to balance work, study, and homeschooling during a global pandemic.
Personalising her workplace project around changes in technology and changes in people’s media consumption habits, allowed Meg to readily apply what she was learning to her everyday work life.
My study has been really helpful to come up with solutions to some of those problems that we’re facing….(to) find ways to adapt and really move forward.
This is Meg’s story.
Meg Purtell is currently studying the Enterprise Leadership Program, working towards a Graduate Certificate in Business (Enterprise Leadership). She has shared her study journey in a series of articles for “Women in Media”.
- Meg Purtell receives first career boost scholarship
- You’re good at your job, but what’s next?
- After a quick scramble the career boost begins
- Diving in the world of design thinking
Meg is inspiring in her openness, honesty and authenticity and we are proud that she has chosen QUT to help her on her journey.
Transcript
Hi, I’m Meg Purtell
I’m studying the Enterprise Leadership Program at QUTeX.
I grew up in a country town called Albury, down on the border of New South Wales and Victoria, and in my time at school, I really had lots to do with leadership programs and I really enjoyed being able to delve into those opportunities and I’ve really taken that forward in my business life.
My role as a radio producer presenter involves putting together the radio news bulletins, and being able to pick and choose what news goes in those bulletins, and also putting that to air.
So, going into recording studios and reading the news at the “top of the clock’ and really letting people in Queensland know what’s happening.
My role is a very busy one, so every day is different. It starts with the 3:00am alarm and I never know what I’m walking into.
It’s certainly very fast-paced and everything is changing throughout the morning. I have bulletin commitments every half an hour and the news is always changing.
So, I was awarded the Women in Media Queensland Career Boost Scholarship last year, and it really gave me an opportunity to study and further my career prospects. And I chose QUT because it really enables you to delve into those areas around innovation strategy and leadership.
The thing I really liked about the Enterprise Leadership Program was that I was able to complete it in small parts, so I could pick and choose the courses that were most relevant to me and my role.
I’m a lifelong learner and I’ve been training people for a long time but not really progressing my skills. QUTeX has really provided me with that opportunity to continue my education and enhance my career potential.
I’ve also really enjoyed the facilitation, and the cohort, just building that Business Network around Queensland has been really great.
I’m finding that my study has been really helpful to sort of come up with some solutions to some of those problems that we’re facing.
There are changes in technology and changes in people’s media consumption habits, and we really need to find ways to adapt that and really move forward in the new cycle and provide options for people in the way that they would like it.
If I was to give one piece of advice to young women wanting to get started in the business sector it would be really just to be brave and have a go. Back yourself. You have great skills and abilities and don’t be afraid to be confident in using those.
