The day opened with a keynote from Leanne Cann, People Services Director at Babcock, who shared an honest and highly personal account of a career that began straight from school with no clear plan or where it might lead.
Drawing on her own experiences, Leanne challenged the idea that there is one route to a successful career. Her story showed how curiosity, saying yes to opportunities, learning from others, and being willing to step outside your comfort zone can open doors you may never have imagined at the outset.
A powerful theme throughout was confidence. Leanne reflected that confidence did not always come before we take on something new. Often it is built by doing the thing that feels uncomfortable, learning from it and discovering what we are capable of. She also spoke about the importance of our allies, role models and the people who recognise our potential, sometimes before we recognise it ourselves.
For the students, apprentices, graduates, career changes and emerging talent in the room, her message was simple: careers are rarely linear, grades and starting points do not define where you can go, and you do not need to have everything figured out.
There is no single route to success in defence. What matters is staying curious, being open to opportunity, building connections and having the confidence take your next step.