The Passion project:
Mapping education & passion to careers
From a personal problem to the UNSW Founders program
Having gone down a less conventional study path, and hearing students’ study and career worries as an educator, I chose to focus on the challenge of building a career after school for my Experience Design personal project.
Years later, I continue to work to understand and solve for this problem space, together with my partner and with entrepreneur mentorship of UNSW’s Founders program.
Problem statement
A school leaver wants to have a role that reflects their passions and lifestyle goals, which needs to match their transferable skills to industry roles, but faces unclear or differing role descriptions and little understanding of their industry.
Research approach
250+ sample size
Ages 16-40 to produce similar results to a longitudinal study
Surveys, 1:1 exploratory research, competitor feedback, SME interviews, concept testing
The journey so far…
Discover: Problem space, customers, competitors & allies
2019
Define: CVP, problem scope & problem validation
2020
Develop: Business case, solution space, industry connections
Test: Business case & solution space validation
2022
2021
Learn, Pivot, Repeat: Post-covid discovery & analysis
2023
“There’s a lot of stuff I didn’t know about my degree choice, the problem is you won’t really know if you like it until you start doing it.”
Janet, 21
Athlete & Medical student
“At school I spent time thinking about what I should be doing (Plan B) rather than what I wanted to do (Plan A). I know that with all the jobs I do, my career will stay the same.”
Peter, 21
Actor, Director & Performance student
“In my first degree, I didn't think I had learned anything that would be professionally useful…there can be a lot of time wasted learning new things after entering the workforce.”
Mark, 29
Journalist & Photographer
Research insights
My expectations weren’t met at Uni and my first job.
I haven’t found the specific information I needed on my chosen industry, at the time I needed it.
My practical training improved my industry knowledge and related skills.
I want work to allow me to have my ideal lifestyle.
I couldn’t see the obvious roles related to my degree.
I want to have a positive impact in my work.
