Joey Liao

How did the Future Leaders Certificate benefit your career?

Due to the great support we get from the careers team, business support and industry engagement, I was very involved with all the opportunities provided to us as students. From the FLC, for example, I had the chance to work on a real-life company project for my dissertation and put what we'd learnt into practice. I also had the opportunity to engage with employers willing to work with students. That really shaped my journey. Coming here with an open mind, whatever experience you take from this will be transformative, transferable and positive.

What was it about the Future Leaders Certificate that has helped shape your career and the person you are today?

I'm very thankful for the FLC. I remember I had an interview the day before we were supposed to present our company project. It was a very busy two weeks and I didn't have much time to prepare because I was committed to making sure our team did a good job. At the interview, I had to give a presentation on any topic, so I used our FLC company project as my subject matter. I passed the interview because I was talking about something I genuinely enjoyed. The experience really boosted my confidence. It showed me I could keep using those experiences and carry them forward into future interviews. It also helped me succeed in later interview stages.

The FLC gives you exposure and real-life practice, helping you engage with employers, present yourself confidently and demonstrate that you're interested in making an impact in whatever field you work in. That's what FLC is really about. The programme was so good to me. During that time, I had already updated my CV after enrolling in the FLC and received positive feedback and callbacks from companies because of the experience. I'm really thankful for that.

What does responsible leadership mean to you?

For me, responsible leadership is about showing empathy, understanding your stakeholders' or audience's needs and being personable in the process. In my field, I work with a lot of stakeholders in tourism, responding to their data requests and needs. Responsible leadership is about being proactive, anticipating questions before they're asked, understanding the context and showing what support you can provide. It's about engaging with stakeholders, listening to their needs and building partnerships. Rather than simply saying no, it's about providing another solution. For me, leadership is about helping your team and helping your stakeholders as much as you can.

How are you enacting positive change in your workplace?

I work in tourism, so we don't save lives every day, but I would say positive change comes from observing how my colleagues do things better and differently, then holding myself to the same standard and trying to rise to their level. It's about doing small things a little better every day, improving processes and learning from the people around you. You observe so much from working with people across different teams. I've only been in my role for a few months, so it's been a great learning curve. I'm like a sponge, absorbing observations and learning from the people around me.