I started at Deakin in 1983 as part of the Special Youth Employment Training Program provided by the Commonwealth Employment Service (CES). My training covered several areas: Registry (including the telephone switchboard—no direct dialing to Melbourne back then), Human Resources (now known as People and Culture), and the Production Unit (now Deakin Learning Resources).
Between 1983 and now, I also worked in the Faculty of Arts and Logistics, which eventually became Campus Services. Currently, I serve as the Senior Officer for Keys and Access in Campus Experience, Infrastructure, Property, and Precincts, where I’ve been part of the Security group for the past 12 years.
One reflection I have about Deakin is the significant technological advancements we’ve made—from typewriters to cloud computing and now into the realm of AI. In 1983, we were using manual typewriters, gradually transitioning to electric ones, then to Wang computers, and later, WordMarcs. The introduction of Apple Macintoshes was a game-changer for our work life. Today, we use PCs, leveraging the Cloud, while navigating the challenges and opportunities that AI presents.
Another memorable experience was the extension of the JB building on the Waurn Ponds Campus. Nowadays, work areas affected by construction would be relocated, but that wasn’t the case back then. I don’t remember exactly when this happened, but it was during my first 12 years here. We worked amidst drop sheets, hanging wires, and cables crisscrossing under our desks. There were even blobs of plaster decorating our desks—and sometimes our work—if we hadn’t put it away from the previous day.
During that time, I worked in the Typesetting section of the Production Unit, and to process bromides (used for study guides and readers), I had to navigate through the Internal Audit offices. This meant walking through their meetings frequently! I would also return with the finished bromides. Thankfully, everyone was understanding, as we were all in the same situation.
We even had our own ‘opera singer’ in the office; one of the workmen would serenade us throughout the day, and he wasn’t half bad!
There was a shared joy when the sheets of plywood that shielded us from the winter chill came down—only to be followed by a wave of colds and flus!
The Christmas party that year was the best I’ve ever attended, as we had all been through so much together. Believe me, the extension was well and truly celebrated!
Happy 50th, Deakin! Here’s to growing and embracing the future.
