Career trajectory

Port Macquarie is a picturesque coastal town of 50,000 people, roughly 400 kilometres north of Sydney. It is noted for is pristine coastline, abundant marine life and as a popular destination for travellers, and it is also where young Kaitlyn Ashcroft first gazed skyward and dreamt of a career focused on space.

For any kid growing up with such lofty dreams, turning them into a working reality is no small task. But for those growing up away from the large city centres, the journey is that much longer and more difficult.

“I always loved space. I was that kid who grew up wanting to become an astronaut,” says Ashcroft. But like so many before her, her very geographical location, finances, and the emotional weight of moving away from home to study created a significant barrier that had somehow to be overcome. 

After graduating from Saint Joseph’s Regional College in Port Macquarie in 2019, simply slipping down the road to university was not as straightforward as it might be for a similarly driven student from a city centre, and so the need for added support was the difference between dreams and reality.

For Kaitlyn, it was the Country Education Foundation that set her on her path of literally becoming a rocket scientist, with a Hasting Education scholarship. Then she received the Kay and John Burman Scholarship for continuing education and the 2022 Audi Foundation CEF Scholarship, which have enabled her to immerse herself in Bachelor of Aerospace (Engineering Systems) at Newcastle University.

The Audi Foundation partnership with the CEF dates back to 2017, providing financial support to help rural and regional students undertake post-school education. Celebrating it fifth anniversary this year, the Audi Foundation has contributed $350,000 to its partnership with CEF, including $160,000 in direct financial scholarship to students across the CEF network of 44 local foundations.

As a 2022 Audi Foundation – CEF Scholarship recipient, Kaitlyn’s accommodation needs will be met for the remainder of her four-year degree, and allow her to concentrate on the time consuming and demanding course load.

“When I moved here last year, I had a job at a bakery which was a 3am start. I was working 30 hours a week and then when uni started I was trying to balance uni and work. I quickly realised it wasn’t sustainable. Having the additional grants allowed me to lessen my workload and dedicate more time to study which is the reason I moved here. I’m supported for the rest of my degree.”

Kaitlyn is one of over 6000 students that the Country Education Foundation has supported since its inception in 1993 – young people whose geographical location and personal circumstances might otherwise have precluded them from pursuing their studies. And while seeing young people realise their potential is one goal of these scholarship programs, the ongoing benefit to the broader community can’t be understated. 

“Space is so fascinating to me because it’s beyond our scope of understanding,” says Kaitlyn. “I’ve always really liked physics because it just explains everything – why things happen the way they do. Maths is very straightforward and it’s the foundation of everything really. Physics is the study of how everything is and how everything acts with each other. It makes sense to me. I’ve always had a strength in maths and physics so a job in engineering was always assumed. But when I saw the opportunity to do aerospace engineering, I just knew that’s what I wanted to do.”

Not only is this opportunity for Kaitlyn to study changing the trajectory of her life, but the support also garnered from the Country Education Foundation is having a ripple effect on Kaitlyn’s siblings too.

“I just want to be a good role model for my siblings,” she says. “I’m the eldest of three and the first person from my family to finish high school and go to university. My younger siblings now have these crazy big goals too. I always told my sister that you can literally do anything. And I don’t come from a very good financial background so to be able to study something like I’m studying which is so out there – Aerospace Engineering – its life changing for my whole family.”

For those students in rural or regional Australia who long for tertiary education and a career they perhaps didn’t believe was possible, Kaitlyn offers this sage advice.

“Apply for everything. If you think it’s too far away for you, or out of your scope, it’s truly not. There are so many different pathways to get to where you want. It’s possible to study your childhood dreams, no matter your financial background or anything like that.” 

As for her goals for the future, the sky is quite literally the limit for Kaitlyn. “I’m passionate in two areas – Satellite Engineering and Rocketry, which I can’t choose between right now, but the degree will open both of those paths for me. With Satellite Engineering I would most like to focus on space exploration and interpreting data from satellites. And then Rocketry is developing new technologies for defence and exploration which is something I’m interested in as well.” 

It’s all a long way from growing up in Port Macquarie, but with the assistance of her community, The Country Education Found and the Audi Foundation, it is as good a starting point as any for a career amongst the stars.