Empower Her: My Fourth UNSW Workshop, and Still Learning Something New
Authored by Kimberly Chou, Year 12 MLC School Student
Published on the 20 May 2026 by UNSW Business School EDI Team
My journey with UNSW began with participating in the UNSW Girls in Business Camp in 2024, a program designed to introduce the world of business and networking to year 10-12 students. This program helped me discover my interest and open new opportunities for my future, which led me to attend the UNSW Girls in Business Camp again and BizQuest in the following year, 2025.
Entering Year 12, I admit to hesitating before signing up for Empower Her. With trials and deadlines approaching, the stress of Year 12 was getting to me. But looking back now, it was one of the better decisions I've made this year.
The UNSW Business School hosted Empower Her: From Financial Confidence to Property Ownership, a two-day immersive workshop hosted at the UNSW CBD campus, designed to inspire emerging female leaders from Year 11 and 12.
Day 1
From the moment I arrived, I was surrounded by a mix of familiar and new faces, all who were just as open-minded and passionate in participating as me. Having attended multiple UNSW programs before, there was a sense of familiarity in returning to a space where curiosity and inquisitiveness are encouraged. Yet despite this being my fourth UNSW workshop, this experience still felt entirely new.
Unlike previous programs that focused more broadly in a range of disciplines in business or entrepreneurship, Empower Her centered specifically around financial literacy, property ownership and long-term financial security, topics that felt relevant especially for students our age, transitioning into the adult world.
The workshop revolved around the case study of Zara, a fictional young woman whose financial future we were tasked with analysing. We had the freedom to choose different versions of Zara's depending on her career pathway, including entrepreneurship, corporate STEM, academia, creative industries and more, in which we were selected to form groups with entirely new people with the same interest in a particular discipline. I chose to explore the career path of entrepreneurship, which had a surprisingly different financial trajectory from other groups.
Our overarching question across the two days to unravel was, “At which stage of Zara’s life should she purchase a property, and why?”
To answer this, we were tasked with breaking down Zara’s financial blueprint by evaluating factors including her income progression, expenses, savings, career stability, and long-term financial goals at varying stages of her life. Rather than simply learning finance concepts in isolation, we had to problem solve under time pressure, much like a university case competition.
The first workshop, led by Nicola Powell, Community Partnership Manager at Clovelly Community Bank, alongside Associate Professor Kristle Romero Cortés, UNSW’s School of Banking and Finance, explored the fundamentals of borrowing, budgeting and deposits. What stood out most was how accessible they made these concepts feel. Topics that often sound intimidating or overly technical became understandable and interesting through real-world examples and discussion.
This was followed by a workshop on understanding interest rates and the Reserve Bank of Australia, led by Joanna Bleakley, an Economic Analyst at the RBA. As an IB Economics student currently studying macroeconomics, it was particularly interesting hearing these concepts discussed beyond the classroom and syllabus. Having recently completed an economics commentary on Australia’s monetary policy, this session offered an insightful perspective on the correlation between interest rates and inflation, directly influencing housing affordability and financial decision making.
A highlight from the first day was undoubtedly the industry panel discussion and Q&A. Hearing from successful women highly established across the finance and property industries provided extremely perceptive insights.
This panel included:
- Betsy Westcott, CEO & Co-Founder of Millie
- Joanna Bleakley, Economic Analyst at the RBA
- Sarah Kay, CEO of Woods Bagot, Registered Architect
- Akira Galvin, Executive Director, Property & Place at Enigma
What I appreciated most was how honest and approachable the speakers were when discussing their own career journeys. Rather than presenting perfectly linear success stories, many spoke about uncertainty, career changes and challenges they faced along the way, which made their experiences feel far more relatable for students nearing the end of high school.
Outside the workshops themselves, some of the most valuable moments came from the conversations during morning, lunch, and afternoon breaks. It was great reconnecting with students I had met through previous UNSW programs while also meeting new people with completely different interests and perspectives. Despite all coming from different schools and backgrounds, there was a shared willingness to collaborate, exchange ideas and support one another throughout the workshop.
Additionally, I enjoyed conversations with some of the UNSW Women in Business Ambassadors, including Muskaan Kaur (Bachelor of Commerce/Economics), Hiritika Ghosh (Bachelor of Commerce/Law), Jiya Patel (Bachelor of Commerce/Design), and Helena Ly (Bachelor of Actuarial Studies/Commerce). They shared their experiences in navigating university, internships opportunities and career pathways, and offering insights into their degrees.
Day 2
By the second day, every group had become deeply invested in their version of Zara’s future. Discussions became more analytical as we explored topics such as joint borrowing, asset protection, career breaks and the long-term impact of financial decisions. These workshops shifted our perspectives beyond simple budgeting and highlighted how financial outcomes are often shaped by broader social and structural factors, like marriage, financial responsibility and career changes.
The workshop, Marriage, Joint Borrowing & Asset Protection led by Madhvi Madhvi, a Senior Tax Accountant at UNSW, explored how financial responsibility is often shared between partners, and how decisions around relationships can directly influence borrowing capacities, financial independence and long-term security.
This was followed by a session on The Super Gap & Career Break Shock with Xiao Xu, a Senior Lecturer at the School of Risk and Actuarial Studies, which highlighted the long-term effects of career interruptions, particularly in relation to unpaid labour on women’s superannuation and financial security.
The final challenge of the program was presenting our group’s financial analysis and blueprint, defending our recommendation for when Zara should enter the property market. Despite having only six minutes to present two days’ worth of analysis, it was one of the most rewarding parts of the workshop.
Preparing for the presentation pushed us to think critically, communicate concisely and work collaboratively under pressure, especially when constrained to only an hour and a half to finalise our script and forecast. Every group approached the task differently. Some relied heavily on financial modelling and calculations, with some groups creating excel spreadsheets analysing all Zara’s financial decisions, while others focused more on lifestyle considerations and long-term flexibility, with some creative groups drawing visual representations of Zara and her life stages. Listening to everyone’s presentations was genuinely fascinating because each career pathway produced entirely different financial outcomes and priorities.
The presentations were judged by Dr Faiza Majid (Senior Lecturer at the School of Banking and Finance), Emma Thompson (NSW Deputy Executive Director at Property Council, Australia), and Monique Munro (Communications Officer and Career Accelerator). Presenting in front of a room of over 60 students, alongside this incredible panel of judges made this experience initially nerve wracking but engaging nonetheless. The judges actively challenged each group’s reasoning, asking on the spot questions that required critical thinking, justification and at times quick improvisation to defend assumptions or elaborate arguments.
The experience also reinforced how much I enjoy the analytical and collaborative side of business-related problem solving, which has definitely sparked my interest in joining case competitions similar to this once entering University. Speaking with the UNSW ambassadors, coordinators and academics throughout the workshop further strengthened my interest in pursuing a degree within the UNSW Business School, for example Commerce and Law after high school. Their insights into university life, case competitions and career opportunities made those pathways feel both exciting and achievable.
More than anything, Empower Her reinforced why I continue returning to these UNSW programs. Each workshop has offered something distinct, not only in content but in the way it challenges how I think, communicate, and approach unfamiliar, new problems. These experiences create an environment where curiosity is expected and students are encouraged to engage actively with ideas with like-minded students.
Finally, a sincere thank you to Rhiannon Tout, EDI Project Officer UNSW Business School, and Dr Faiza Majid, School of Banking and Finance, for their outstanding effort in coordinating and delivering this workshop. Their organisation, guidance, and dedication throughout the program were crucial in making this experience both engaging and meaningful, while fostering an environment where students could feel encouraged to contribute, challenge their thinking and connect with others.