Sangeethapriyaa Devan Nair
Visual & graphic design coordinator, ANTON Jewellery, The Ultimate Diamond

I came to realise my worth as a creative and to not underestimate my craft even though I am a junior designer. I was also able to gain knowledge on how to appropriately set my rate as a freelance creative which was very helpful.

Through the branding I created for Flourish [a series of workshops], I was able to attract four times the number of spaces available. The branding for this project was created with the help of mentorship provided by Zahra Zainal. Apart from the insightful guidance provided, it was also extremely inspiring to be guided by a fellow Malaysian who has made a name for herself in the Melbourne design community.

Building a network is extremely hard as an international student as we do not have pre-existing relationships to build from. This often puts us at a disadvantage in gaining employment and exposure post-graduation. By breaking down this invisible wall and providing a space where women can gain guidance from other WoC; it helps us meet and collaborate with like-minded creatives so that we may learn and grow together.

Aditi Sigroha
Junior Security Analyst, Cynch Security

At the CCO I learnt team communication, time efficiency, and the need and value of being proactive.

I mainly worked on assisting Priyanka on various grant applications by conducting research and data collection, for example for an Expression of Interest, where we worked together to successfully obtain >100 responses in 2 weeks.

I believe The CCO is making a positive impact to help WoC by giving them the ‘chance’. Getting that first step into the professional world, along with constant mentoring. It helps in the overall growth and refining of an individual. The unique projects that The CCO offers to work on also helped me understand the gap and empowered me to work even harder.

The CCO gave me the experience and tools to help understand the Australian workplace and culture. Further, Priyanka, introduced me and gave me that first point of contact with Cynch Security and was my reference. I am really appreciative for this because this eventually landed me my first role in my field of study. I am highly optimistic about my future and The CCO because we have Priyanka guiding us.

Shanaya Jayaweera
Paralegal, Elit Lawyers by McGirr & Snell

I met Priyanka in the middle of the pandemic in 2020, at a time when I wanted to start networking and building my legal career. I was lost at where to begin but she believed in me and pushed me to be the best version of myself in a professional and a personal level. She is the reason I know some very special people who have helped me along the way to where I am now. She is also the reason I was able to confidently start conversations with people and this led to me getting a dream job after almost years of looking for the perfect place that fit my values. I can’t recommend Priyanka and the CCO enough for Women of Colour looking to strive in their careers!