Episode 13: Rachael Dagge
PSYCHOLOGY - YACHTS - NATUROPATHY - NUTRITIONAL SCIENCE - AI HEALTHTECH FOUNDER - RESEARCH SCIENTIST - CONSULTANT
Rachael has lived many different lives clearly. From working on yacht with Russell Crowe to startups lowering food waste in hospitals to testing out how Covid tests react to American lollies.
She’s tried and tested different paths to find her right fit - from various degrees to SheCodes coding bootcamp to currently a Consultant at KPMG!
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Below is the episode transcript. This is automated through Azure Cognitive Speech Services. There is more training and customisation work coming for improved accuracy.
In the meantime please bare with any missing words/grammar/typos - the AI is learning!
Transcript
Akanksha
Welcome back everyone to another episode of Paths Uncovered and it's a podcast where we get to go through the untraditional career paths that people have taken into technology. And I'm very excited to have Rachel Dagge with me. Today I've just given up hope without even trying to be like other really exciting. Yes, everyone of the guests is just exciting and I'm just becoming a cliche every time I introduce someone. So I'll just let you do your own introduction.
Rachael
Thank. You hello everyone, so my name is Rachel. I am a consultant at KPMG in the health, aging and Human Services line and my degree is in nutrition. But I also have studied coding and I'm currently doing my masters of biotechnology.
Akanksha
And. Like I don't. Remember. I. Think it's on LinkedIn? I'm pretty sure I stalked you down, which is a lot of people who've gone into the podcast where I’ve stalked people down. But I remember seeing some random article, I think that you are mentioned in all these things that I'm like. What the hell? It's so Random. Thank.
Rachael
You yeah. It's it's a wild ride.
Akanksha
That's for sure. I like these are the best kind of stories as well, I feel. From where they go and get to and stuff. So look we’ll dive straight in let's go back to kind of like high school times where we usually start their podcasts just in terms of what were you thinking back then. What we like, what we aimed at decisions and like what was college going to be. What was the decision? Between nutrition and stuff.
Rachael
Yes, so back to high.
Akanksha
School.
Rachael
Come in terms of aims didn't really have many UM. Aim to have a really good social life on weekends. That's for sure. But I'm no. I I wasn't. Really academic, I went to really academic. School. Come. But I probably. Spent more time in trouble and I did actually studying uhm. Yeah, I thought I wanted to be a wedding. Planner actually believe it or not come I love.
Akanksha
But
Rachael
yeah. Yeah. I was really really. Keen on it and I was trying to persuade my mom was like I really wanna drop out of. School in year 10. And study at TAFE and she was like no. Let's just wait. So yeah I yeah completed. School. And. When I finished, I. Decided to go into. Mass communications 'cause I thought maybe something. In PR in that kind of. Area would be. Cool. Didn't really enjoy. It. Come. So I changed. It around I changed like. Three different degrees in a. Year and a. Half. And. I did a bit of photography I. Changed to psychology. And then I. Changed to psychology business and that was kind of like.
Akanksha
I'd like to say the last.
Rachael
Change, but it wasn't the. Last.
Akanksha
No. I really appreciate that because I mean. I think it's very. Different in Australia. Compared to Ireland at least, where like in Ireland is like, OK, you do these six objects and then you pick a degree and the degree tells you exactly what you're going to study. For the next four years, yeah. And so really, whereas like at least here you get. The choice of trying different things or I definitely. Would have been able to do. That and that's why they should be dropped out and. Restart it again and first year kind of thing.
Rachael
Yeah, yeah, no, it's. It is very. Different here I guess, so there's a lot of pressure when you're leaving school and. When you don't know you. Like you just kind of. Pick and choose and you're. Just like blindly picking. So yeah, like I just kind of, that's what I did. I was like I'll just. Try things out and just see how I land.
Akanksha
That's it, I mean yeah. It's so important. We talked about this on recent episodes where it's like college. All it tells you and teaches you is how you learn and what you learn best is kind of just how you put things off, not the actual content. Yeah, that's all great. I'm still sort of my. Doesn't really help. It. How much of it helps? Questionable.
Rachael
Yeah. Definitely, and like when I did when I did. Psychology I actually. I found you know I went into. It because I thought human behavior. Is really interesting and I kind of wanted to combine like the communications. Part in potentially advertising with. Human behavior that was like. Kind of my thinking around it, but I've found that. I've. Like kind of maintained. That interest in human behavior and everything I've done and always had that kind of flavor throughout. My work so it's. Been.
Akanksha
It has.
Rachael
Been good, you know, like. I I am, I am grateful that I did it. I did. Learn something so the hex that you know there is.
Akanksha
Something from that. So with that then the. Train for years a degree was from. Some psychology and business is that the one he says.
Rachael
Yes no. So I I chopped and changed. Throughout a year and a half. And then I was. I went away. I decided I take. Six months off 'cause my mother was like. What are you doing? Up so I win and. Backpacked with some friends around. Europe as you do. And I came back and I was. Working in a. Bar called the Regatta in Brisbane. People would know it. And my cousin called me one. Day. And. He is like a, you know he's crazy like he has always worked on super yachts and he's always told me these crazy stories and helping like. Wow, it's so. Cool and he just called me one. Day, and he knew I deferred. Uni for six months and he was. Like hey, I'm bringing the yacht back from Fiji. Were going to be in cans. And two weeks. I've. Told them that you have. Experience on boats. Like my like, I grew. Up on boats and my dad. Used to import and sell European. Yachts in Australia. So I I like had an. Idea? Of how to be on a boat, but how to be a stewardess or a deck? And like I had no idea and two weeks later I was on the spin platform which is. Like the back of the boat. And standing there in the stewardess outfit. With like white. Gloves on and champagne and.
Akanksha
Like Russell Crowe stepping on the boat.
Rachael
And. I was just like.
Akanksha
I. Here I.
Rachael
Am.
Akanksha
I love that. That is all that is brilliant. Yeah, how? Long read them there at the boat at the. Oxford I kind of called. Out a boat yeah yeah.
Rachael
So I worked. In north QLD. For a couple. Of months as a deckhand, and. Shoe. And then. I went. Over to Europe so. I went basically in the South of France. That's where the main yachting. Hubs are. Up to a town called on team and dumb. Yeah, I got a job working. For. A Russian. Guy for. A couple of years. And then I moved. It over to a French boat. For a couple of years. So. Yeah, I was in yachting for. Like 3 1/2. Years it was a. It was meant to, kind of. Be like a six month thing and then it ended up being a much bigger thing.
Akanksha
Thanks so much. I feel like those could. Experience were like. Oh yeah, OK, this is paying for two weeks and then three. Years later, you're like, uh? Yeah OK cool cool.
Rachael
And I when I was doing it, I was like oh I wanna do this. For 10 years. You know I want to move up and I was moving up at. Quite a good. Rate and I I thought I could really. Like make a career. Out of this so.
Akanksha
I I.
Rachael
I very much. Took it seriously. And people would always say, oh, when? Are you gonna come back and get a real job? And I was like no, no this is my real job. I trust me. Uhm yeah. So I, I was really into it. I absolutely loved it and I I, you know I. Still miss it to this day.
Akanksha
That is sorry. That's easily the best story, right so far. I mean, there's been someone who. Worked at a sailing club like manager selling. Clothes. That were close. I think it's gotten too, which was really interesting. Alex and the next thing she did. After that was like. Work at Twitter. Which I never. Asked.
Rachael
OK, well I haven't OK. She's doing.
Akanksha
Better, but. OK, I gotta wait stop. Really nicely into it. So what was next? After being at the Oscars for. Years. Yeah, so after a couple.
Rachael
Years I kind of thought, uhm? Well, I guess. During. Like the quieter. Times so when the boss wasn't on. Board. We have, you know, quite a moment. Where you just be. Maintaining the yard and doing inventory and that kind of stuff and and I would. Just listen to. Podcasts all the time and I would always listen to like like biohacking podcasts and scientific podcasts and like natural. Medicine Podcast I really liked them up. So. That was. Kind of like the. Tipping point and I was really ready to come home and really ready to study. I thought OK now I'm ready. Yeah, this is the degree I wanna. Do so I came back which was a huge. Move. Coming back and living in. Australia. Again. Particularly. Coming from working and living on a. Boat and you know some of the boats I worked on, well floating at sea. For nine months. Of the year so. You wouldn't see anyone else but. Each other and. You became very accustomed. To the life. Of. Living on a boat. So it was. Very big. Adjustment coming. Back and one that I definitely didn't. Expect. But yeah, I came back and I started to study hum nutr opathy which is very random. So people pronounce it differently. But it's like to be a natural path. So like you're a natural health practitioner.
Akanksha
I feel like it's not something. Everyone knows it's just something the term is not something people would know. They're like, Oh yeah, I know about. It. Yeah. Explains
Rachael
that yeah, so it's like. Nutrition and herbal medicine so. I did that for a year. And I also. Worked. As a medical. Receptionist. During the time in which was quite a contrast, you know, working with doctors and staying something that was alternative kind of therapy. Yeah, so the doctors always like why he's studying.
Akanksha
That
Rachael
why don't you study? Medicine and and I would help out, like with minor operations. And stuff 'cause it was a small. Clinic come and very busy and on weekends like we didn't have many nurses around and I kind of decided from there. That I really liked. I really liked that. Aspect of things. I really liked that really like heavy science side of things and I was definitely not going to do medicine like we had a lady. Who? Like had a heart. Attack and I was helping and I was useless.
Akanksha
So.
Rachael
I was like definitely not going to be a doctor. No way, but I kind of from that point. I was like I really enjoy. The heavy science side of things. I wasn't so much enjoying the herbal medicine, so that's when I moved over. To you Q. And I started studying Health Science majoring in nutrition.
Akanksha
I love the whole kind of progress of where, how, how it got to. Their. Yeah. I think it's really really important because. I get this question all the time, especially from family and stuff. But like. So when you doing the. Masters. Like yeah, when what? Like why are you where are you? Working like then where is the masters, yeah? Like I said, I'm sorry. Three years ago I never even saw myself doing. Data or anything unrelated to. Technology, I know there's no hope when we just randomly. Picking up a masters for the sake. Of it, when I don't even know what I'm. Doing how did it do in terms of like? What's going to happen in 2? Years I don't.
Rachael
Know yeah and you just you could flip again and you want to go in another direction and then. You feel kind of sorry. Oh I understand.
Akanksha
You I think especially now. When is the case of it's? Not the whole. This is what you've chosen this. Is what you'll do for the next. 50 years and then you'll retire like it's just. Not that any case.
Rachael
Anymore at all. No, some like.
Akanksha
We shall see when we get there, and I think we. Also. When we do.
Rachael
Companies don't want that either like they actually. Really. Appreciate. Someone who brings. A bit of a different background in different. Perspectives so it's kind of not the case. Anymore, I've just really like narrowing. In on one kind of area, it's kind of. It's it's very like. Futuristic, I think to pull in different disciplines and combine them. And yeah, I think that's really important to stay relevant and stay sort of ahead of things.
Akanksha
Yeah, I don't think it. Means the whole point of. Sorry, I I. Remember. Picking the degree I. Did and the reason I wanted to do medicine in college I was like yes, I'm going to be a doctor like I knew I was like. Yes, this is this. Yeah. And then I think it's just. Like the way that point. System worked in Ireland. Like I missed out like on a few points like it's probably a difference of like an 8 posture and mine is kind of a.
Rachael
Grading
Akanksha
system kind of a thing, right? And. The next thing I had was like. Well, I knew I liked. Math in school, so I said I'll do. Match, I think that's literally how it all started. I'm. As a 17 year old. I, I'm really questioning who gave me the power to do these kind of decisions like this is our. Compassion.
Rachael
You would've been the only. Extrovert. In your math. Class.
Akanksha
Bieber is the price you would be surprised. Honestly, like a lot of yeah, like I think. Majority of it. Was not like. That which was a surprise to all of us to be. Honest, we were. Really close next. Year and we were. All kind of like very much. On the same log. Level of that's where all the same kind of people, and I think it's a shock. Let's not like. I mean, yeah, the case of like. Oh, there's more of us. Oh my God. We all get on really well, so we're actually all. Really into this. OK cool.
Rachael
That's. Very.
Akanksha
Late, but yeah, but the other end of. It is bad I find. That like people like Oh my God, you're so good at community, like in consulting. And tech and stuff. And I'm like.
Rachael
This is normal.
Akanksha
Yes. Surely it's just normal having come from that degree. Yeah, yeah, we told. Oh my God, no, you like. Your skills are so. Dark, unique, and I'm like I could just like wait no.
Rachael
But it's so good, so not being cookie cutter you know and like that's when people can't stand back and they're like, oh, that's interesting.
Akanksha
So wait, that really well, I'm glad that you kind of went through the pipe was like, well, right decisions came along and they made sense at the time and they kind of lead themselves into what made sense in the future and did the. Right like? College degrees or whatever else it might. Be I really like. That
Rachael
yeah, yeah, totally. And I, you know, I kind of. I didn't feel like it was going to be a big. Change like I. Was I guess I was changing from wanting to be a natural path to wanting to be a dietitian, so there was no. I still was going to work clinically. And in the. Nutrition space, but just like. Coming at it from a different angle. Yeah. So it seemed like in. A very easy. Decision at the time.
Akanksha
Yeah, So what comes along next to you, I'm. Assuming you finish. The degree, whereas the decisions here are you going to. Go work as a dietitian.
Rachael
I. Did.
Akanksha
Finish this degree.
Rachael
Uhm? Yes, I did finish this degree. My. Mother was. Like thank God my graduation uhm? Yeah.
Akanksha
Sorry.
Rachael
I guess that's where things. Get really. Weird, I started the. Degree and I worked for a dietitian and I did a lot of experience in that space and I just really hated it. To be honest, I've I was so frustrated with you know you'd have Bob come. He wants to lose 10 kilos. Or whatever and he you know he drinks seven rum and Cokes on a Friday night and he eats like a bag of chips a day and so I would sit down with him and we were. Talk it through. And I I could give him every single plan I could give him every single detail, but it all came down to human behavior. And that's when I was like. This I feel like. To do this job really well, you need to have a real psychological element coming into it, because I can give you all the knowledge in the world. But if you've had a really bad day. Like if you've crashed your car or you've had. Family. Issues like you're not. Gonna look at my diet plan and be like OK Rachel. Said to have some scrambled eggs for breakfast, but. No, I don't wanna do that. I'm gonna have. Bag of chips and romancoke. Like so I just. Kind of thought.
Akanksha
I just I was really.
Rachael
Frustrated with it, I wasn't. Frustrated with the people, I was just more frustrated. With I guess the. The. Way that. Like we go about. It as a profession. So. I don't even know what comes next. I Oh yeah, I was because my degree was Health Science. So it was really. Broad in the sense. Of like I did a couple of nutrition subjects, but it was mostly science subjects. And a bit. Of public health UM. So I was. Sitting in a it was like a health policy or health promotion subject and they were talking about. How? They I guess, roll out new policies. In health or small things like. And I use this example. A lot but.
Akanksha
If we put.
Rachael
6. More. Taps. In a. University campus people would drink. X amount more of water. The hydration levels would go up. They would decrease, you know their risk. Of cardiovascular. Disease. And I just thought that's so cool because that's. Tackling human behavior number one, but. It's. Getting so many more people like it's not this one or one. You know, clinical engagement that I'm having with someone I'm I'm getting to affect multiple people, and that's kind of where my eyes opened. Up and I was. Like I. Really want to be in the. Public health space. It's really. Important. To me to make. Big. Change and big. Impact. Across a lot of. People. And about that time as well, I kind of thought well what's the future of public health? You know you've got to have that tech integration into it as well. So yeah, that's rare. I was really. Like my interest really sparked an and I applied for this camp called Young women leaders in AI and I met them at this random event called code, which is like a tech event in Brisbane. It's really, really cool.
Akanksha
But yeah, I I met these people. There and they were. Like you should. Apply scholarship funded program seven days. At the Gold Coast University. Hospital and I was like. I know nothing about AI, I've never.
Rachael
Coded before.
Akanksha
And they were. Just like apply, just put in a good application. So I did and I got. It I got. In and through that. Camp we on the last. Day we had to pitch an idea that integrated sort of health. Obviously, being in the Gold Coast University.
Rachael
Hospital
Akanksha
and AI and our team. One the. Camp. So. That's when we started our startup and I became a co-founder of an AI startup.
Rachael
Come through budget for things here because Oh my God, I love this and I think. This is kind of where I'm like. People need to go and do more meetups and stuff and. Yes, there is a networking. Part of it like you get. To meet the great people. And they lead to opportunities. And blah. Blah blah like that's great. But it's things like this. That you find out about it. Through these kind of. Events like. People just share. All like I mean. Yeah. That women. Cover hey, these are the events that are coming up in the next month we think are cool someone might. Someone else might think it's kind of cool too. And. Everyone kind of shares and becomes it's. Like, really like. Holistic space of like oh it was just sharing and it's a community and it's great. But the fact that you're kind of going into the world of like OK public health for wanna. Be. And I know that tech is now. Becoming really important and then like this opportunity comes. Along where it's like it's. Ideal where it's just like the perfect world matching of any kind of care about. It.
Akanksha
Yeah.
Rachael
Yeah.
Akanksha
Absolutely and dumb. Yeah, it just. It felt it was really. Exciting and we, you know. We're solving a really big. Problem come and. It just yedor kicked off from there so. Basically. Our. Idea was we were. Looking at food wastage and malnutrition in. Hospitals. Primarily and then we moved. Into aged care, but we saw there was. 40 percent food wastage rate and and. That was just like not good enough. And and to see the impact. That it had on patients. And. Very easily fixed. Impacts, you know, to the point where we would see patients just wouldn't eat because they were either, you know, in a surgery or you know not feeling well after chemo or you know there was multiple reasons why and it just seems like if we bought automation into it and data and and we're tracking these kinds of things, it just. Yeah, it seems like a pretty obvious fix to the problem. So. Yeah, we basically try from that, we would. Pitch it so many events. We got given a Karen AI camera by Microsoft which was at the time apparently the first. AI camera in. Australia. Come from. Microsoft, so that was pretty cool. Uhm? Yeah. And. So. We just kind of continue on. Then we we ended up getting the head of Dietetics from. UQ come on. Board. And we had a clinical. Trial all set. Up and ready to go and then covered. It.
Rachael
Stow that
Akanksha
kind of put that one on the. Shelf for awhile. But definitely it's I think about it every day. And it's something that you know I. Would. I would pick up happily anytime. It's just like wasn't wasn't tight, like the timing wasn't. Right on it that.
Rachael
You said, well, I mean it's. Interesting. Like I mean, obviously. Trying to get it set up and working. Is a whole. Different story during Kovid. But I'd assume like something like. That to have that kind of set. Up would have been. Very handy and beneficial, obviously made.
Akanksha
Yeah. I just think. We went into the. Age. Care kind of sector. Guns blazing and one or. Two, you know, do all this. Crazy. Stuff. And we would go into aged care homes. As we did. A lot. And. They would pull out their spreadsheet, printed out spreadsheets, and be like. This is our. Tech. And that's kind of as. Far as they got in terms of. Their technology and they yeah they just I think a slower industry to pick up that stuff. Very risk averse. Uhm, you know they don't want some crazy AI camera coming in and and. Doing all these. Wild things, so I just think you know, maybe in a few years the industry will be that more receptive to that. But yeah, it just. Wasn't.
Rachael
The right. Time talking actually. So this is something. That, I think is really interesting, it's. Kathy Moyer, one of the people who've been on. As a guest. Before. I actually love and like she says is saying of there. Isn't. Like I mean, it's very minimal. People who probably are but. There aren't. Really many jobs or people. Left in the world that don't deal with. Technology. Or can say they don't work with technology? And I think. That's a really. It's a really good way of. Putting it like. You aren't. Someone who's in AI who didn't really know much about it, but here you are. Setting up a AI tech startup essentially. Like you are. Someone in type like you are a person in tech. Now and that somewhere you belong. How is that experience? Like I'm assuming there's other people. In the group that were more. Towards. The software side of things. Like how was all that?
Akanksha
Yeah, we had. We sort of had a few different brains. We had more of the business side people, which was kind of where I fell in business development. And then yeah we had sort of the AI techie gals. All females in in the group, which was really cool and yeah. We had a. Really good mix of people, so we definitely all thought really differently. We had someone who was a clinical dietitian, so you know. Super super. Lucky in that. Respect. To have such a diverse. Team and yeah it. It's it's just so important when you're, you know, going out and. Trying to get stuff done like to have people that think differently to you and start.
Rachael
Business with especially with most anything to do where they. Are like yes. That diversity is Yankee. Making sure you're looking at all. Different kind of angles of it.
Akanksha
Oh absolutely oh, at 100% and through the. Camp as well. Like I really. Saw that there was there's. Such an ethic side to AI. And you know you don't need. A lot of technical understanding. To. Be able to understand that there needs like. There's there's a serious need. The diversity in businesses with AI and and you know the people coding that are going to be plugging their biases into that. So it's important to not just have a bunch of white middle aged men doing it, it's it's so crucial. You know just the. Examples. I've heard is just. Insane it like it just blew my mind.
Rachael
Like I love her, she's like. Oh yeah, we just forgot that there was 50. Percent of the. Population. That exists and we just didn't. Factor that in here. Like, huh, amazing?
Akanksha
The the worst example I can think of, which was a soap dispenser and AI soap Spencer that didn't. Pick up on. Darker skin. And it's just like. How did that? Slip through the cracks like. You know? It's just examples of that.
Rachael
I. Like how many people would have had to. See it yet to that? Yeah, I think. I think it was. A. Either way, like the most shocking one that I've seen recently, you know I'm just kind of came back up on like Linkedin's and stuff. 'cause I think New Zealand Government, which I mean, let's be real New Zealand like one of the best companies countries I can think of in the world. They. Like the scanners at. Airports
Akanksha
for.
Rachael
Like, uh, yeah. Passports and stuff. They. Hadn't. The training data set didn't include. I think Chinese. Backgrounds. And the people of trying to send. Just weren't getting recognized in there like facial scanners. And stuff and I was like.
Akanksha
That's. Horrendous.
Rachael
But it's an airport. Like a how? Have you got there and how did they get that?
Akanksha
Exactly. And and. You know we're not. Sort of. People you know it's not just chiming in and giving Idlib. Service like it's actually crucial. To have this. Uhm, I've you know in. Every. Position I've been in I've. That's something that I've like held very close to me to really ensure there's like fairness in the industry. And you know, as it stands now, there's really not come. I was appointed chief student, entrepreneur, a VCU, and. So I really. That you know the two main things for that year is I really wanted to get students outside. Of. Engineering and business into. Startups? And you know, feel comfortable. In the startup space but. I. Also. Wanted to see more. Diversity in the programs. Because. I. Actually. Saw so much. That women shy away from a lot of the kind of more serious pitching competitions. The ones with more money and I just yeah, I wanted the university to really champion women and and find a way to make sure that they actually put themselves in the ring. 'cause I just yeah, I think that's just so important. Even just trying and seeing what happens, you know? Yeah. Yeah. So.
Rachael
Just so much to learn even. Just from like this web. Terribly yeah, I hate it. Every second of that and. Yet I'm like, oh. But this is like to change. That
Akanksha
yeah, oh exactly. Yeah. It's yeah. There was so much I wanted to do in the role and I was just so. Excited to get it because yeah, I just I felt like I had. You know more control.
Rachael
Over.
Akanksha
What was happening and I could like. Feed issues up through the. Students, and yeah, it was, it was. The best one of the best. Jobs I think. I've ever had. Actually working as children entrepreneur and I've told him that so many times so.
Rachael
Yeah.
Akanksha
It was. It was a great. Year but yeah. So. It's. It's kind of weird 'cause my my. Story. Jumps. A little. Bit but. Basically plate. Waste. UM was going on in the background, and I. Was selected to go over to San. Francisco to work? In a medical technology. Startup. Over there. UM? So this was. Just. Before COVID hit. And I was in America and I remember going. To the shops. And I couldn't get hand sanitizer.
Rachael
Alright, that's really weird.
Akanksha
But yeah, I worked for a startup called Patched Medical over there, which was their sort of steps. This AI detection device. So did that. For a month and then came back started my tenure as teaching entrepreneur and. Yeah, I just did a little like a couple of. Different. Coding. Courses. And I was like I really want to learn. More actually, want to get a good foundation of this because? If I'm going to. Work in the health space in the health tech space. I really need to have that bridge of knowledge and it doesn't necessarily mean that I need mean that I need to. Code. And. Actually do the. Coding it just means that I need to understand the basic terminology and a language. Under that and the language around a product and. Know the timing of things. Know the costings. You know, know all those little details? And I wouldn't know that unless I actually. Did.
Rachael
Did the coding.
Akanksha
Thing. So I yeah, that's when I. Applied for she. Codes. Come and yes started on that journey.
Rachael
Oh, how was that? So I mean. I asked this because there's been a few people. On the podcast. Before. Who've gone? Through that kind of boot camp. Journey. More so trying to move. Into a software dev role or. Something specifically in the really hard code coding. Side of things, right? But this is interesting. Where it's like. You're not really aiming for kind of, yes. I'm going to be coding for the rest, it's more. How do I understand this better to like actually help this implement into other parts of my life and the other things that are going on? That's a really interesting, like different take and it'll be interesting to see how you found the six months that.
Akanksha
I.
Rachael
I think. That my fellow.
Akanksha
Team members contested. Is like. Where there was a little there. Was a small group of us that were just not detail people. I'm not. A. Nitty gritty detail. Person I'm a big. Picture person, so when there was a damn comma somewhere I would.
Rachael
Just be like I give. Up my car is broken. I give up. I'm exiting, it's done yes or no I.
Akanksha
Really enjoyed the front. End stuff like I love that and I love the element of you know user design and again that human behavior side of things I've done a bit of that with. With. Patched in San Fran. Looking at how people interact.
Rachael
With the product so.
Akanksha
That, to me was really cool and looking at, you know colors and just like the design. Side of things. But the back end was just the absolute death of me.
Rachael
So. Yeah. It's funny because. That my sister is doing coding now in college. So like. Over the weekend, she's like I just. Need you to sit down? With me and figure out what. Is going wrong because I can't do. Anymore and I was like what do you want? That I started going through it, I'm like. Why is there a double cut line? Double yeah yeah, it's just like. I did the whole weekend looking at those.
Akanksha
Would. Be so annoying because because.
Rachael
We go through as a class.
Akanksha
Together it was mostly it was virtual for the first couple of months just because of COVID. And sorry if you were going through the class. And then you kind. Of hit a roadblock. You'd be booped out into a breakout room and you'd be with a mentor. And they would. Fix it or like help you fix it.
Rachael
And so you share your.
Akanksha
Screen there like. Oh so just. Sorry, lovely. That just that comma, Rachel, that's not supposed to.
Rachael
Hope.
Akanksha
We have OK. So I small, but yeah, I I have so much respect for people for software engineers and coders I really do. And so it. Was a really good experience in that. Respect. Like just understanding. 'cause we actually. At the end of it, we had. A guy from BHP calm and he kind of. Tossed a thought. With making an app. It was kind of like a banking app. And. Even like having sessions with him and we would. Go through each week. And he would. Give feedback and be like oh can we just move here and even just. Him being like.
Rachael
Canoes movers here at the. Lakeshore. I don't know how to. Do that. I don't know how long that's going to take. That could take. Like
Akanksha
4 hours four days. And then showing people at the end. And he would be.
Rachael
Like oh, that's cool, like oh it doesn't.
Akanksha
Look like my apps.
Rachael
But it's like this took weeks and four people. Today so.
Akanksha
Yet massive massive. Respect.
Rachael
I like it. That's actually super interesting. That you got like. Industry. Kind of experience and stuff, but like people come in and as well that's. All it was. Haven't heard about such a good.
Akanksha
Program and like it was very holistic. You know they were very supportive and it wasn't just about the coding. You know it was really about the community and. So yeah, they do. They do such a fantastic. Job and I would honestly. Tell. Anyone to do it like it just even if. You just have an. Inkling of interest in the area like it's just. So value it's been so valuable for me.
Rachael
I like. Actually, yeah, this is a great chat. If people are listening look and it's a free one as well. 'cause it's sponsored by corporates in the background so. It's a really well. Run Free boot camp. Yeah, which people should look into if they could contemplating.
Akanksha
Yeah, yeah totally and they so they picked 2020 women and they sponsor you for six months so. It's. Yeah. It's amazing I would.
Rachael
Highly. Recommend it. Ideal, so you've done. It's now coming like Brisbane did fairly well at the starting. Of like 2020. COVID, at least, so I mean, you're. Kind of coming. Out of COVID you're coming out of those, Chico. 's kind of program.
Akanksha
And.
Rachael
At this stage I think you say. Was I called again place?
Akanksha
Slight waist.
Akanksha
Play play. Sorry. It's like there's the budgeted for my. Health check terms. That's been kind of shoved. At the moment, So what is happening? Then
Rachael
so so I'm I'm. Chief. Student entrepreneur and I'm working for the university and I as part of my one of my. Subjects we had to do placement. And a lot. Of people were doing placement in government and you know the public health area. And I was like some bit boring. I am going to apply for a biotech company and so I I don't even know how. These happen, but my savvy ended up on. The CEO's desk. Sean at a loom. And he called me one day. And he had like screaming. Kids in the background and he was just like. OK, so you mean just San Francisco, OK? I I yeah OK alright cool. Will take you and I'll take great done. So I started with a loom and I started. In their dev team and quickly was, you know, realized that that was way too advanced for me. So I did a bit of like. Testing and stuff, but I'd yeah, I was like this is in the area for me and I moved into R&D as a scientist. So I did my place and hours and then I stayed on. As a junior scientist. So. I.
Akanksha
Yeah, I worked for a loom. For.
Rachael
Think. Just over. 6. Months come and. Yeah. Absolutely. Loved it, it was the. Craziest company to work for. You know I started. When there was like. 50 people in the company and when I left there was 350. Uhm? Yeah.
Akanksha
In six.
Rachael
And three offers. Yeah, like it was just crazy. And such a. Cool ride to be a part. Of. And I wouldn't have left it if I didn't have my job at KPMG. It was very, very hard to leave. I was done I. I loved it there. So that was interesting. You know I was. I was a scientist in a lab and I was petting. And in my in my chemistry labs at Uni I was like I'll never, I'll never need this again like whatever and I get there. And I was like. Oh, how do I reverse? The. Pit like. I shouldn't really. Listened to my labs. UM? So. Yeah, but it was really cool. In R&D because. You're. Testing the product in different. Environments, so for those of you that don't. Know a loom. Is biotech company based in? Brisbane and they have created a rapid. 15 minute COVID tests that you can buy over the counter. So in your pharmacy and at the. Moment it has FDA. Approval so. You can buy it in a pharmacy in America come and yeah, I know that they're working to get it. Approved in other countries. But yeah we were. Testing the product so we'd put the. Product in the freezer and then. Test it or. We chew on an. American. Lolly and then. Do a. Test and see if anything interacted with it so. It was kind of again that human behavior. Element and seeing if anything would. Interact with the product. And yeah, seeing how we could rectify. That come. Yes, sorry, yeah incredible experience.
Akanksha
That sounds like so much fun. It's like that it's like the ideal kind of like research scientist that I picture, when, like when you think about your like, yeah, let me just go try a lolly and see how that works like what. A great day at. Work.
Rachael
So cool, sorry so. Cool and I helped out in other areas in production. So I was. Operating the big machines. And yeah it was. Kind of. Cool. When I started because I got to have a taste. Of a few. Different areas and then. Land where I thought was really interesting. So yeah, R&D was just. Yeah, it was a lot of fun.
Akanksha
I love it, you got. OK, went from yard to like proper star knobs and text journals, yeah. For India like it's. This. Has got it all people. It's it's. Kind. Of stuff we wanna hear. It.
Rachael
Really confuses people. They're like what are you? Doing
Akanksha
but you said you had. The job at KPMG already lined up, so that was next. I'm assuming and that is where you are.
Rachael
Now, yeah, so I was in my first year of I think it's made my second year and I went to one of those stall days at UM at the uni and I. Found it a bit. Intimidating, 'cause I was, you know, walking around with my brochure and it was. Like oh, if you have a. Background in business or engineering or whatever finance. And I was like, well, I don't. Have any of them? I'm a nutrition.
Akanksha
Student.
Rachael
And then I saw that. KPMG at the bottom it said are. People in health. So I went over and I start to the lady. And she was like. Kind of told. Her what I wanted to do. When you know I want to work in public health. And I want to work in the tech space and I want to bring it all together. I would have big. Impact. And she was like, OK? You need to talk to this guy. He's a. Partner and. So she's. Rattled off his name and as I. Walked away I just punched it into LinkedIn. So I. Understand the LinkedIn stalk and I just messaged. Him and I was like hey, can I have half an hour of your time? And like grab a. Coffee and just find out more about what you. Do. And. Yeah. I found myself at one of. The. You know I went. Through like all the interviews and I was. At a testing. Day. And then yeah, go. To grad position. With. KPMG in the health team so. It was just. By that chance. That I. Spoke to that. Lady and you know, met met this partner that that kind of. All. All those events kind of came about.
Akanksha
No, I love that. Those get specially those things. I'm like people please listen, just do it like take the shot like what's the worse it's like OK please do apply online like that's the worst thing that they'll say. So I mean with the. Cookie cutter response for everyone else. But you never. Know what else might come.
Rachael
Along and I think I. Always say this. To my friends. If they're. Like you know. Scared. Of of that kind of stuff. It's kind of like. I heard this a while. Ago and it was like. No one asked. The prettiest girl. From school to the dance and it's kind of like no. 1. Sees those big. Names. And thanks, you know they're like, oh, they're probably not going to reply or they're not going to talk to me. But it's like if everyone thinks that then no one asked them and so you may as well just ask and just see what happens. Like there's. There's literally nothing to. Lose.
Akanksha
And The thing is, right, if they're not looking at it or replying to it, they don't remember you like there is no kind of like laughter over kind of like, yeah, embarrassment factor left anyway. Like they don't remember this and they never knew this happened. Move on, yeah?
Rachael
Oh 100%. So. You can only. Gain from those experiences, like if you go into it. In an organized. Fashion. And you know, you know what you want. And you're really clear. Then I think. Yeah, people are always willing to help. Definitely.
Akanksha
A lot but. That is. I think that's a. Great way to wrap it all up. So how like? I genuinely mean this is like it's been such a great chat if. I'm. Still in like of. Like the whole of the fact that we started this and you're like, yeah? And Russell Crowe. Alright. So like, yeah, we ended up at. KPMG having done 100 things in the middle. I love it so.
Rachael
And there's definitely.
Akanksha
Parts I left.
Rachael
Out just because it's it's just too confusing otherwise. So.
Akanksha
Yeah. Look, I think. I mean. People can find you all across socials and stuff, and they can hunt you down on LinkedIn then that's. Yeah, that's what our past.
Rachael
I'm all about the LinkedIn.
Akanksha
Stalk it makes such a big difference. I love it and I'm I guess like I've gotten so used to doing and I'm like I'm not shameless that I'm just like.
Rachael
Here we go yeah I. Loved your message. I was like oh girl.
Akanksha
See, this is it, so like we leave it? Out there for today. I'm so glad that you came along and chatted. To us about everything that's gonna happen. I'm really sorry to see that all goes. Like the key working. KPMG. Sounds. Interesting and it kind of along the lines. Of what you were hoping. For you. Very much landed to what you wanted, yeah, through. Everything that you've.
Rachael
Experienced. Yeah, yeah. It's it's it's my personality. Really well like it's always. Changing and it's really dynamic. So. I never bought I'm someone. As you could probably tell, gets bored pretty. Easily, so I'm kept on my toes which is. Definitely a good thing for me.
Akanksha
I like I will be back. Again in two weeks time with another episode, and until then, hopefully we're not locked anymore and you keep safe this season.
Rachael
Thank You
