At FYA we love talking about jobs, careers and the skills you need to get from one job to another. We know that a young person today is likely to have 17 jobs across 5 different industries. It’s no longer about the linear career path! We don’t have to look much further than our very own team to find out just what that non-linear path might look like in action.
Once you’ve found out all you can about Jade, head over here to meet YLab Director Dhakshy, here to meet Digital Coordinator Sam Danby, here to meet $20 Boss Program Manager Annie Buckeridge, here to meet General Manager of Programs & Events Molly Whelan, here to find out about Enterprise & Changemaking Manager Rita Khayat, then here to meet Director of Innovation Caroline Farrer.
Next up is Jade Jones-Cubillo — FYA’s IMPACT Program Coordinator.
What’s your title, what does it mean and what do you do?
I am a Program Coordinator for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership Program IMPACT. I guess you could say my role branches across a few areas being a coordinator. I do the content build of our workshops, the delivery and logistics of our camps, I am in charge of some admin tasks, along with engagement with our students across the Northern Territory and the Kimberley Region in Western Australia.
What were you doing before FYA?
I had been working in an administration role straight out of school in the Northern Territory Government. I worked for departments that ranged from the Chief Minister’s Dept through to being the main phone line and administration for Parks & Wildlife NT (and yes, I had many calls about crocs). I learnt all my core work skills here. The tasks that I bored myself with in my time being the front desk girl actually paid off in the long run.
What did you study at uni (if at all)? Is it relevant to your job?
I started to study Business, I got both my Cert II and Cert III while working in the Northern Territory Government. Parts of it are relevant to my current job, other parts… not so much.
How did you get started at FYA?
I was part of the Indigenous Programs here at FYA when I was a youngin’ at school. That sparked an interest for wanting to work in this space and for this organisation. Why? Well…. FYA is like the Google of not-for-profit. I mean… bean bags and laneway cricket? YES PLEASE!
But on a more serious note, I was connected to the outcomes this organisation had for young people, in particular young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. I volunteered as an alumni, which then moved into a casual role with the IMPACT program (which I did while taking annual leave from my full-time job). All of these things led to me landing an interview after I applied for the Program Coordinator role 2 years ago!
Favourite part of your job?
Apart from hanging out and making lifelong connections with young mob, I would say getting to watch their growth over a three year period and working in the youth space. I am fuelling a passion of mine to help my people. What’s not to love?
Least favourite part of your job?
The wait for the next camp! Lots of anticipation and excitement… it’s very hard to compress! This is the time where I am most stressed with planning.
Is your career going to plan?
The word career gives me the heebee-geebees but I guess it’s an important concept to think about. I usually try to learn and do my current job until I feel like I am 100% capable of almost doing it on my own… Example? If the world was ending (apart from saving my beloved dog Luca) I could feel confident to run the program with limited help. I love to take risks. I wouldn’t be in my job if I didn’t love it and I think that will be true for me for the rest of my life. I want to take opportunities and learn all I can from them until my interests move me to something new. So yeah, I think it is!
What do you want to be when you grow up?
I would love to reach out to Rafiki to get a wise insight of what I want to be and what direction I’ll go in but for now I’ll just go with a professional movie critic? I don’t know… it sounds cool.
What is the single most valuable skill in your job?
Being myself. I work with over 75 students around the top end of Australia and I feel like the most important part of my job is being able to connect and engage with them.
What’s been your biggest career challenge?
Going from the public sector to the non-for-profit sector for sure! Complete turn of the tide.
What’s one piece of advice you can offer to someone who wants a job like yours?
Use your networks. If you don’t have any, look for some! Get out into your community and look for places you could volunteer. You could take part in things within your school like career expos. Even do something completely out of your comfort zone — apply for a youth program (even if it’s not in your home town!). Take every opportunity and turn it into a networking opportunity.
What’s one piece of advice you have for someone who has no clue what they want to do?
Push the boundaries, ask questions, explore anything and everything, and take every opportunity. You’re young! You will find your feet and be running circles around the world soon enough.
Tell us something weird about you.
I am a self-proclaimed professional leg shaker. Stressed out? Shake my leg. Just hanging out in the office? Shake my leg… Can’t sleep? You guessed it, I shake my leg!
The post How’d You Get The Job: Jade Jones-Cubillo, IMPACT Program Coordinator appeared first on FYA.