Our Alumni

ABCN’s long-term objective is to see young people enjoying a higher rate of employment and a better quality of employment.

One way we measure the impact of our work is through longitudinal studies of students who participated in our flagship GOALS program between 2005 and 2008. Our surveys found that their average income was $60,000 in 2018, compared to the national average of $37,600 for 24-year-olds (ABS, 2016).

Another piece of evidence is anecdotal stories of where alumni are working now. Here are some examples that demonstrate the powerful generational change our work creates.

Watch alumni stories from ABCN’s flagship GOALS program

Lauren Castino

‘The GOALS program really planted the seed for my interest in student empowerment,’ says Lauren, proud Gamilaraay woman and part-time school teacher.

Jessica Tabone

This GOALS alumna credits her KPMG mentor with influencing her decision career path. She later got a job with Accenture, another ABCN company.

Bradley Birnie

Bradley largely attributes his participation in this program to ‘going to university and being the first in my family to get a tertiary education’.

Michael Spiteri

GOALS ‘pretty much made me who I am today,’ says Michael when fondly remembering how the program opened his eyes to the world of business.

Steven Tang

‘The program gave me confidence and exposure to a corporate workplace,’ says Steven, who now works in the same organisation as his GOALS mentor.

Emily Winter

In 2007, 15-year-old Emily participated in a GOALS program. Here she reminisces about how this experience helped channel her creativity.

Andrew Phong

In 2008, 15-year-old Andrew participated in a GOALS program. He says it gave him ‘insane levels of empowerment and motivation’ and influenced him to study business at university.

Dr Lesca Sofyan

‘Having a mentor and a supportive network helped Lesca ‘push through life hurdles’. She pushed on to become a veterinarian.

Watch alumni stories from other ABCN programs

Nathaniel Diong

Nathaniel participated in a pilot Entrepreneurs Unearthed program when he was in Year 11. Now CEO of the Future Minds Network, he tells future ABCN students: ‘Fail as much as you can!’

Fadila Fidina

Fadila, a 2013 ABCN Foundation scholar, says: ‘Doing this program definitely changed my life.’ She recalls how being part of the Accelerate program was a pivotal moment in her life.

Kristy

In 2019, Kristy did a Focus program when she was in Year 10. Watch as she explains how her ‘aha’ moment during the program was all about looking after wellbeing.

Joshua Joannidies

In 2013, 16-year-old Joshua participated in an Aspirations program. Here he talks about how meeting his mentor gave him a new perspective on the business world and his potential place in it.

Shadab Safa

Shadab, a 2016 ABCN Foundation scholar, talks about how the Accelerate program significantly shaped his life by exposing him to a diverse range of opportunities.

See statistics about the impact individual programs have had on participants by clicking on selected programs here.