Don’t let your fear of failure stop you

Written by Juliet Gobran, Westpac Scholar, 2018 Young Technologist

One of my biggest insecurities has always been failing, I am sure I am not alone. Sometimes this fear weighs so much that it pulls me away from aiming for something greater than I think I can achieve. Before I have even made the first step, I am worried that I will fail.

 

Applying for the Westpac Young Technologists Scholarship was no exception. It took a big push from my high school careers advisor to submit my application. Receiving this scholarship back in 2018 brought with it a whirlwind of emotions. I felt lucky, and then not deserving. But each day since then, I have learnt there is a group of people (the Westpac Scholars Trust) who believe in me because they think I can succeed, and if they think this, maybe I should too. 

 

The Young Tech Scholarship has impacted me in ways I never thought it would. There are obvious impacts, including financial support and increased employability, but the thing that has made the biggest impression are the amazing Australians you get to meet through the Westpac 100 Scholars Network.

 

This network has led to friendships, personal growth, learning opportunities, topical discussion with like-minded people, as well as a position with Westpac Group. The experience I have gained from this scholarship has been invaluable to my career and my life.  

 

The motivation that comes from knowing Westpac is backing me, has pushed me to embrace every learning opportunity. Because of this mindset, I have gained industry experience by striving for more during my studies. 

 

My journey in tech so far. 

 

My interest in tech stemmed from my love of problem solving. In school, creative arts and maths were my strengths and passion, both of which share a focus on problem solving. When it came to deciding what I wanted to pursue at university, I did not want to pick one or the other, and to combine Mathematics and Art seemed too broad. In creative arts more specifically, I loved working with digital media and have always had a fascination with technology, but no real knowledge or understanding of its complexities. Browsing through the list of double degrees paired with Creative Arts I spotted Computer Science. I thought about computer software, and how there is a visual design element, the front end. But I wanted to design the back end too.  

 

Starting my journey in tech only three years ago now, my passion has grown deeper each day as I am challenged with new problems to solve. I am now in my third year of my five-year double degree in Creative Arts (Visual Arts and Design) and Computer Science (Software Engineering) at the University of Wollongong (UOW). During my time studying I have also been taking the opportunities to gain work experience. Including working for UOW as a STEM ambassador and creating coding tutorials for first-year subjects, animating an app for a local start-up business, and now starting my journey at Westpac Group as a Team Assistant in Enterprise Transformation Services.  

 

My tech journey is only in its early stages, but I am excited to see what lies ahead. I know it will not disappoint. My desire to learn and experience more, has been developed greatly by the support this scholarship offers. I am inspired to strive for more and now believe in myself.

 

Published 18 September 2020