I moved to Australia from Bangladesh in 2013 and I started my undergrad in Computer Science in Adelaide.

It wasn’t my dream course, I was always drawn to biology, but I didn’t want to wait eight years to enter the workforce.

But Computer Science wasn’t easy.
Especially navigating assignments and systems so different from back home.
But I found two amazing mates that helped me navigate uni life.
Group problem-solving became second nature, a lesson I carry with me till today.

When it came time to find work, I listed 100 companies that took graduate intakes and applied to 30.
Out of them, five made offers, and Brisbane stood out.

Ironically, my interview with @arupgroup was a disaster due to tech issues, but they liked my attitude.

ARUP gave me a strong foundation.
But I wanted to grow faster, so I moved to a tech start-up called Accelerate Tech.

Within three years, I moved from associate to principal consultant.

I have led the @multiculturalnsw and the @nswpolice project, building a mobile translation app that now supports 29 languages.

I’d seen first-hand how language barriers held people back, especially elders and migrants.

This was my way of giving back.

These experiences as a Bangladeshi in Australia taught me to be proud of my roots.

For ambulances, we replaced an old paper-based system used in emergencies.

This upgrade has made responses much quicker and more accurate, helping save more lives.

To anyone from Bangladesh or anywhere else, your culture belongs here.
Don’t dim yourself to fit in.

Shine in your own way, and this country will make room for you.