Meet IWN Champion, Chloe Dawson

Our Westernport Water Champion, Chloe Dawson, is making the most of IWN’s opportunities to learn from others within the industry. She’s also an expert at dividing her time at work and at home. Here’s a quick Q&A with her.

LET’S START WITH THE PERSONAL - TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF

I live on beautiful Phillip Island after moving from Melbourne seven years ago in search of a lifestyle change. I have a dog and a horse, who take up all of my spare time but I wouldn’t have it any other way! I enjoy travelling (usually escaping somewhere warm for winter) and am looking forward to getting back overseas again soon.

WHAT’S YOUR PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND?

After finishing school, I began working at GE Capital Finance on a three-month contract, processing credit card applications. Nine years later, I was still with the business and had been in a number of roles, including team leading, UAT testing, and reporting and analytics. I found the latter really interesting (I’m a bit of a geek when it comes to Excel!) and so I moved to Telstra as a Business Analyst before moving to Phillip Island.

At Westernport Water, I currently have a split role. I work three days as Asset Management Information System Coordinator, which I’ve been doing on a maternity leave cover for about 12 months, and two days a week as Revenue Coordinator, which is a role I have been in for nearly five years. The roles are very different and it’s a great mix across the business.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE WHAT YOU DO EACH DAY (BUT TO A CLASS OF 5 YEAR OLDS)?

I work with a group of people who all make sure that when you turn on the tap, you have clean and safe drinking water.

WHY DID YOU WANT TO BE AN IWN CHAMPION?

I don’t have a technical background from an educational point of view and I’d really like to expand my knowledge in that area. I think IWN is a great opportunity to do this while learning from the other Champions’ experiences as well.

I’m especially interested in safety innovations. Safety is a huge part of Westernport Water’s culture so any innovations that support and assist people to be in a safe work environment are great. We have come a long way over the years in terms of safety measures but I think this is an area that will always evolve and get better.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE WITH IWN?

There is so much that can be learnt from other people and other organisations, and I want to make the most of IWN’s opportunities to do this. I want to get as much knowledge as I can from the program and build relationships that will help me grow throughout my career.

WHAT GETS YOU OUT OF BED IN THE MORNING?

Knowing that my horse needs to be fed and my dog needs to be walked!