German Careers Day 2024

Jesse Allen studied his Bachelor of Arts in History and Economics and a Diploma in German Language at the University of Melbourne. He started learning German in Year 7 and completed the VCE German in 2021; continuing with studies at university. In 2024 he participated in the DAAD University Winter Course 2024 - “Mein Leipzig lob’ ich mir” with stays in Weimar, Wittenberg, Dresden and Erfurt.

Padraig Parkhurst is a PhD student and former MacGeorge Scholar at the University of Melbourne. He began teaching himself German in 2020, and in 2022-2023 he took part in the University of Melbourne’s German Program. From December 2023 to February 2024, and again in September 2024, he conducted a field study in former East Germany, researching Honecker-era East German popular music through the contexts of the Cultural Cold War, Popular Music Studies, and Eastern Bloc Studies.

Lena Glaubach studied literature, cultural and media studies with a focus on German and French at the Universities of Siegen, Mulhouse/ Colmar and Greifswald. She gained experience through a variety of internships, ranging from the organisation of literary events and festivals to working for the Goethe-Institut in Dublin. In 2023, Lena developed a deeper interest in German as a foreign language when she completed a DaF-certificate. This year, she is DAAD Teaching Assistant at the University of Melbourne.

Matthias was born and raised in Berlin, where his passion for language and culture began. He pursued his studies in linguistics, both in his hometown of Berlin, Germany, and in Stellenbosch, South Africa. With over two decades of experience at the Goethe-Institute, Matthias has worked in diverse locations, including South Africa, Greece, Vietnam, and Germany. Currently, he serves as the Deputy Director and Head of the Language Department at the Goethe-Institute Australia, where he continues to promote the study of the German language and cultural exchange programs.

Birgit Lang is Professor for German Studies at The University of Melbourne. She published widely on the history of sexuality, on the cultural history of German and Austrian refugees from National Socialism and on the history of translation.

Christiane Weller studied German Literature, Art History and Psychology at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich, Germany, completing her studies with a Master Degree (Magister Artium). In 1999 she received her Ph.D. from Monash University and joined the Monash German Department. She has been teaching German literature at Monash University since. Her research interests include German travel writing and expeditions reports, colonial writing, contemporary German fiction and psychoanalytic theory. She is a co-editor of Limbus: Australisches Jahrbuch für Germanistische Literatur- und Kulturwissenschaft / Australian Yearbook of German Literary and Cultural Studies. Christiane Weller is a member of several academic societies including the German Studies Association of Australia (GSAA), LCNAU and the Georg-Forster Society. 

Originally from the central valley of California, Yukio studied Urban Planning before relocating to Berlin in 2003. There he earned a Master's degree at the University of the Arts and joined Ableton, a Berlin-based music software company, in International Sales and Marketing. After 15 years in Berlin, Yukio moved to Tokyo in 2018 to lead Ableton's expansion in the Asia Pacific region as Managing Director for APAC. In 2023, Yukio relocated with his family to Melbourne to continue work with Ableton.
 

Astrid Hofmann is an intercultural consultant with over two and a half decades of experience working with multinational organisations including defence training institutes in Australia and abroad. Previously based in Europe for 17 years (France, UK and Germany) she worked there with B.A.O.R., Bayer, Deutsche Welle Television News, Grundy Endemol and Taschen publishers. She is a fluent German speaker and has often leveraged that as a translator and interpreter.
Astrid has assisted public and private organisations to more effectively manage the challenge of working across cultures focusing on leveraging cross-cultural team dynamics. She is currently preparing tomorrows’ employees and leaders in Australia in the tertiary sector. In Germany she has developed a practical module on Intercultural Teamwork which she delivers to a Bavarian University for their Master of Circular Economy. Through her company CTC, Cultural Transition Consulting in Australia she provides cross-cultural advice to organisations including Melbourne Airport, BHP, CSL and Nike.

Roxanne Metz holds a Master degree in Teaching from the University of Melbourne and currently works at Fröbel as a bilingual kinder teacher. Multilingualism has had a hugely positive effect on Roxannes’s personal as well as professional life, enabling her to work in varying international teaching spaces in French, German and English. 

Liam explores how hydrogen can be a carrier of sustainable energy and inter-cultural understanding across countries. Liam’s research exchange in the United States and remote collaboration with German researchers has helped him see the unique global perspectives of energy use and he now uses these insights to help others connect together through the potential of hydrogen. 

Nathan is a Consultant at the German Australian Chamber of Industry and Commerce, overseeing membership in Vic, SA, and WA. Starting classes in Year 7, he continued German through to studying at the University of Melbourne, and now speaks German daily. Nathan works closely with German companies and focuses on increasing the bilateral trade relations between Germany and Australia.

With over 20 years Human Resources experience in local and global roles in Australia and the Netherlands, Jacqui Cooke is passionate about cultivating a high-performing, engaged workforce and partnering closely with business leaders to align HR and talent strategies with the company's evolving needs.

Following the completion of a Bachelor in Business in HR at Monash University, Jacqui then commenced her career in HR generalist roles. At the same time she also completed her Post Graduate Diploma in Industrial Relations & HR at the University of Melbourne. After this Jacqui moved to the Netherlands where she spent 8 years working in international HR Management, Compensation and Benefits and Learning and Development leadership roles for progressive international organisations and also completed her Masters in Business Administration at the University of Phoenix, Rotterdam campus.

Jacqui now lives back in Melbourne and has been working with the BMW Group for the last 13 years in senior HR roles. She is passionate about the BMW brand and values the unique opportunities presented in this renowned German organisation with its global reach and commitment to innovation, technology, sustainability and a people-centric approach to business. She is inspired by BMW's dedication to investing in its workforce and creating opportunities for employees to reach their full potential and enjoy exciting careers.

Unlock your future by exploring a variety of career paths that align with your skills and passions. In this interactive workshop, you’ll take part in activities that help you identify potential career options and discover how German language skills can set you apart in the global job market. Whether you're interested in engineering, business, or tourism, you’ll see how speaking German opens doors to exciting opportunities, especially in fields with strong connections to Germany.