Tech Careers Hotline is a podcast for anyone curious about a career in tech. We put real questions from students and mid-career professionals directly to leaders across Australia — and let them share the unfiltered truth about building a career in one of the fastest-growing industries.
From Musician to Building AI That Catches Crime | Sarah Bradley, Director Data Science & AI, Nasdaq
Sarah Bradley is Director of Data Science & AI at Nasdaq, where she leads the AI and machine learning behind the platform's market surveillance technology, used by exchanges and regulators worldwide to catch financial crime. Before that, she was a classically trained musician who performed as a soloist at the Sydney Opera House and didn't write a line of code until university.
In this episode, Sarah unpacks how AI models spot market manipulation, why she disagrees with the classic advice to just follow your passion, and what she tells the hundreds of school kids who ask if it's too late to learn to code.
Get Into Tech Free Resource: https://techcouncil.com.au/your-career-in-tech/ (https://techcouncil.com.au/your-career-in-tech/)
Sarah Bradley LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahbradley-ai/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahbradley-ai/)
Adair Robins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/)
Music Credit: License code: KR2VLJP5QV5P7LDE License code: 5LA5IAVKYG26HASD
19 Aug 2026
She's One of Australia's Leading Voices on Ethical AI | Kara Bombell, EthicAi
Kara Bombell started her career as a documentary filmmaker, then spent fifteen years rising to COO inside major ad agencies before leaving it all to co-found Ethic AI. In this episode, she joins me to unpack why the businesses getting AI right aren't the ones moving fastest — they're the ones pausing to think first.
We get into why "human in the loop" should really be "human at the helm," the confidence gap between men and women adopting AI, why real learning requires struggle and why most AI tools are optimised against that, and why she thinks the so-called "soft skills" are actually the hardest and most valuable ones right now. Kara also shares her own path from documentary filmmaker to AI entrepreneur, and why refusing to tone herself down for the boardroom has been the thing that's actually driven her success.
If you're curious about a career shaping how businesses use AI responsibly, this one is for you.
T-EDI Standards: https://www.tedistandards.com/ (https://www.tedistandards.com/)
Get Into Tech Free Resource: https://techcouncil.com.au/your-career-in- (https://techcouncil.com.au/your-career-in-tech/)
Kara Bombell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kara-bombell/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kara-bombell/) Adair Robins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/)
Music Credit: License code: KR2VLJP5QV5P7LDE
License code: 5LA5IAVKYG26HASD
5 Aug 2026
She Helps Build Products That Resolve Nearly 5B Customer Issues A Year | Hannah Deveney, Zendesk
Hannah Deveney grew up in a house full of scientists, but a work experience placement with the robotics team at UNSW is what got her hooked on computers instead. Over 20 years later, after product roles in hospitality, travel, fashion, and a pandemic pivot at Local Measure. She's now Senior Director of Product Management at Zendesk, the company behind the "powered by Zendesk" line you've probably seen at the bottom of a customer service chat.
In this episode, Hannah talks about how her team rebuilt their whole product during the first weeks of COVID, why they tested three ideas and dropped two of them quickly instead of chasing everything at once, and what watching a support agent juggle 17 open tabs taught her that the data alone couldn't. She also opens up about how AI is changing her team's work day to day, what stands out to her in someone trying to break into product, and one piece of advice from a mentor, choosing the hard path over the easy one, that changed the direction of her whole career.
If you're curious about a career building products that shape everyday customer experiences, this one is for you.
Get Into Tech Free Resource: https://techcouncil.com.au/your-career-in-tech/ (https://techcouncil.com.au/your-career-in-tech/)
Hannah Deveney LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahmilborrow/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahmilborrow/)
Adair Robins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/)
Music Credit: License code: KR2VLJP5QV5P7LDE License code: 5LA5IAVKYG26HASD
23 Jul 2026
She helped Atlassian crack the code on remote work | Emma Crockett, VP Atlassian
Emma Crockett dropped ballet and vet school dreams the moment a work experience placement had her setting up IT systems instead of treating animals, and she realised she liked that more. Twenty years later, including seven years as Senior Director of People Analytics at Meta, she joined Atlassian less than two years ago as VP, Head of People Insights, Operations & Benefits, at a company that's changed the game on remote work.
In this episode, Emma shares the unfiltered truth about what those first, disorienting months in a new role really look like, why building your first ten relationships can make or break how fast you onboard, and what the data actually says about remote and distributed work. She gets honest about how her team is experimenting with AI day to day, what actually makes a candidate stand out to her, and one piece of advice about rubber balls and glass balls that might change how you think about your next stressful deadline.
If you're curious about a career at the intersection of data and people, this one is for you.
Get Into Tech Free Resource: https://techcouncil.com.au/your-career-in-tech/ (https://techcouncil.com.au/your-career-in-tech/)
Emma Crockett LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-crockett-17769314/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-crockett-17769314/)
Adair Robins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/)
Music Credit: License code: KR2VLJP5QV5P7LDE License code: 5LA5IAVKYG26HASD
29 Jun 2026
She's One of Australia's Most Trusted Cyber Advisors | Shameela Gonzalez, Executive Director CyberCX
Shameela Gonzalez dropped maths the moment it was optional, majored in organisational psychology, and became one of Australia's most trusted cyber security advisors. She talks about what it actually feels like inside a cyber crisis, what she learned as chief of staff to some of Australia's most senior security leaders, how she handles imposter syndrome after all these years, and why cyber is far more accessible than most people think.
If you're curious about a career in cyber, this one is for you.
Get Into Tech Free Resource: https://techcouncil.com.au/your-career-in-tech/ (https://techcouncil.com.au/your-career-in-tech/)
Shameela Gonzalez LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shameelagonzalez/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/shameelagonzalez/)
Adair Robins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/)
Music Credit: License code: KR2VLJP5QV5P7LDE License code: 5LA5IAVKYG26HASD
9 Jun 2026
She builds products used by 25M people with no tech degree | Mindy Eiermann, Culture Amp
Mindy Eiermann studied Asian studies, was heading to law school, and ended up VP of Product & Design at Culture Amp — without writing a single line of code. She talks about falling in love with the problem, why telling people what you want is the most underrated career move, and what she looks for when hiring PMs.
If you're interested in Product Management, this one is for you.
Get Into Tech Free Resource: https://techcouncil.com.au/your-career-in-tech/ (https://techcouncil.com.au/your-career-in-tech/)
Mindy Eiermann LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindy-eiermann/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindy-eiermann/)
Adair Robins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/)
Music Credit: License code: KR2VLJP5QV5P7LDE License code: 5LA5IAVKYG26HASD
19 May 2026
She Leads Google ANZ, 10 Years After Not Getting the Job | Mel Silva, VP & MD Google ANZ
In this episode Mel talks about making the leap from financial services into tech, backing yourself before you feel ready, and why the best no of her career turned out to be a breakthrough. She gets honest about self-doubt at the highest levels of leadership, what it actually looks like to put your hand up, and why she believes AI is about to change every industry on the planet.
If you have ever wondered whether you need a technical background to build a career in tech, or whether the moment has already passed, this episode is for you.
Tech Career Pathway Resources: https://techcouncil.com.au/your-career-in-tech/ (https://techcouncil.com.au/your-career-in-tech/)
Mel Silva LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melspiteri/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/melspiteri/)
Adair Robins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/)
Music Credit: License code: KR2VLJP5QV5P7LDE License code: 5LA5IAVKYG26HASD
12 May 2026
She Lived the Problem Then Built A Global Solution | Jenny Rudd, Founder of Dispute Buddy
What if the worst moment of your life became the reason you built something that helped thousands of others?
Jenny Rudd built a tech startup in her late 40s, with no engineering degree, from a small town in New Zealand. After spending 40 hours screenshotting texts for her own family court case, she looked around, realised nobody had built the solution, and decided she would. The result is Dispute Buddy, an app that turns your messages into court-ready evidence without ever having to relive a single painful text.
In this episode Jenny talks about pitching investors, going through Techstars, and building a lean startup from scratch. She gets honest about surviving the early years, what default dead actually means, and why she thinks being wrong is her greatest asset.
If you have ever wondered whether it is too late, or whether you need the right background to build something meaningful in tech, this episode is for you.
Tech Career Pathway Resources: https://techcouncil.com.au/your-career-in-tech/ (https://techcouncil.com.au/your-career-in-tech/)
Jenny Rudd LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennyjanerudd/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennyjanerudd/)
Adair Robins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/)
Music Credit:
https://uppbeat.io/t/ottomp3/on-the-move (https://uppbeat.io/t/ottomp3/on-the-move) License code: KR2VLJP5QV5P7LDE
https://uppbeat.io/t/qube/play (https://uppbeat.io/t/qube/play) License code: 5LA5IAVKYG26HASD
22 Apr 2026
From Junior Analyst to Fintech CEO | Soraya Alali, Zip ANZ CEO
Soraya Alali didn't have a career plan. She had curiosity and an obsession for the customer and it took her from junior analyst to ANZ CEO of one of Australia's biggest fintechs without a tech degree.
In this episode, the Zip ANZ CEO shares the unfiltered truth about building a career without a roadmap, what she did when she hit a glass ceiling, and why mindset matters more than credentials when you're trying to break into tech.
She also gets into AI - how she's using it daily, why it's the great equaliser for anyone starting out, and why you should be ready to talk about how your using it in any interview no matter the role.
Real questions. Real answers. This one's for anyone who's ever wondered if tech is really for them.
Soraya Alali LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soraya-alali-8a236687/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/soraya-alali-8a236687/)
Adair Robins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/)
Music Credit:
https://uppbeat.io/t/ottomp3/on-the-move (https://uppbeat.io/t/ottomp3/on-the-move) License code: KR2VLJP5QV5P7LDE
https://uppbeat.io/t/qube/play (https://uppbeat.io/t/qube/play) License code: 5LA5IAVKYG26HASD
30 Mar 2026
Former Australian of the Year Racing to Win the Global Quantum Computing Race | Michelle Simmons
Episode: Michelle Simmons, Founder & CEO, Silicon Quantum Computing
Michelle Simmons fell in love with physics at 12. Twenty-five years later, she's built Australia's first quantum computing company from Sydney — and in 2018 was named Australian of the Year.
Her team built the world's first single-atom transistor. Now she's racing to deliver the world's first commercial-scale quantum computer by 2033.
In this episode, Michelle shares the unfiltered truth about leaving academia to found a company, raising capital, building high-performing teams with no passengers, and backing yourself in one of the world's most competitive fields.
Real questions. Real answers. This one's unmissable.
Michelle Simmons LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-simmons-34662921a/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-simmons-34662921a/)
Adair Robins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/)
Music Credit: https://uppbeat.io/t/ottomp3/on-the-move (https://uppbeat.io/t/ottomp3/on-the-move) License code: KR2VLJP5QV5P7LDE https://uppbeat.io/t/qube/play (https://uppbeat.io/t/qube/play) License code: 5LA5IAVKYG26HASD
18 Mar 2026
She built a $100M Robotics Company at 25 | Grace Brown, Andromeda CEO & Co-Founder
Episode: Grace Brown, Co-Founder & CEO, Andromeda Robotics
Grace Brown started building robots at 15. By 25, she is leading a $100 million company from Melbourne — creating Abi, the world's leading social companion robot for aged care that speaks 90 languages and remembers every resident she meets.
In this episode, Grace shares the unfiltered truth about scaling a deep-tech startup, raising capital, building diverse teams, and backing yourself in one of the world's fastest-growing industries.
Real questions. Real answers. This one's unmissable.
Grace Brown LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-brown-619b59161/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-brown-619b59161/)
Adair Robins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/adair-robins/)
Music Credit:
https://uppbeat.io/t/ottomp3/on-the-move (https://uppbeat.io/t/ottomp3/on-the-move) License code: KR2VLJP5QV5P7LDE
https://uppbeat.io/t/qube/play (https://uppbeat.io/t/qube/play) License code: 5LA5IAVKYG26HASD
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