CAT PHILLIPS

Supply Planner: Exxon Mobil

I help keep the lights on, literally. I’m part of the team using maths to make sure Victorians have enough gas to power homes and industry today, tomorrow
and into the future.

Between supply planning, playing in the AFLW and competing in Ultimate Frisbee, life is never dull.

My parents are a bit out of the ordinary and as kids we were often away on family trips. From three months in the central australian desert to working on sheep stations, our road trips were full of maths and word games. Dad was always keen to chat about homework and concepts that sparked my curiosity.

A turning point for me was maths in Year 11. I had an incredibly passionate teacher who was always willing to spend extra time exploring concepts the class was interested in. It instilled in me a curiosity about how things work, and led to me studying science and mathematics at university, followed by a Master of Mechanical Engineering.

Life is full of learning curves. The first time I picked up a football was February 2016, and by that October I was drafted into the inaugural Melbourne Football Club AFLW team. The communication and interpersonal skills, resilience, and dedication developed on the field feed into all other areas of my life.

When I studied maths at university, I worried I’d be stuck in a job where I’d be sitting by myself at a computer all day. But that’s definitely not the case. My job involves communication and maths, two completely different skill sets that I love.

If you aren’t sure what you want to do – don’t worry. Just keep your options open for as long as you can and keep your eyes open for exciting opportunities! You never know how things might change or where you might end up.