Students lead the way to transform Adelaide boardroom
Shooting Stars gain valuable exposure and enlighten our leaders
The OneSteel Adelaide boardroom recently became something just as meaningful as a corporate meeting space.
For a few hours, the room was transformed into a place where job titles became irrelevant, conversation replaced formalities, and a group of inspiring young women reminded a room full of experienced professionals why connection remains one of the most powerful forms of leadership.
The occasion was a visit from students participating in the Shooting Stars program at Whyalla Secondary College that is proudly supported by OneSteel Manufacturing (Administrators Appointed) (OneSteel).
The students were in Adelaide as part of a four-day Leadership Camp earned through commitment and dedication, strong school attendance, engagement in learning, and a genuine investment in their own personal growth.
“I really appreciated the opportunity to be involved … the girls demonstrated remarkable talent, determination and potential.
Michelle Yip
Community and Stakeholder Coordinator Dan Bateman said the visit was designed to provide the young women with exposure to professional environments and career pathways but just as importantly many of the OneSteel employees who volunteered their time declared they gained just as much from the experience.
“For some students, stepping into the boardroom was an experience in itself,” Dan said.
“Before introductions had even begun, the city views had already sparked excitement and curiosity and what followed, however, would leave a far more lasting impression.”
After a brief welcome, students were paired with female members of the OneSteel team for an activity that appeared deceptively simple … drawing one another’s portrait while getting to know each other.
“The sketches were never really the point,” Dan said. “The portraits provided something far more valuable than the finished drawings themselves, they gave everyone permission to relax.
“Conversations started to flow, moving beyond introductions and into discussions about aspirations, career journeys, personal strengths, challenges overcome and ambitions yet to be realised.
“Within minutes, many of the participants had forgotten about the drawing altogether, stories were exchanged, similarities discovered and connections formed.”
There were no presentations, no carefully scripted messages and no formal agenda beyond simply getting to know the person sitting opposite you. Yet it was precisely this authenticity that made the experience so impactful.
Students spoke openly about their dreams and post-school ambitions. OneSteel team members shared lessons learned throughout their varied careers. Following the shared lunch, one by one, participants stood before the room to introduce their partner.
“Rather than reciting basic facts, they spoke about what they had observed during their conversations,” Dan said. “They shared reflections about resilience, determination, kindness, confidence, leadership and potential.
“The exercise revealed something that many of us forget from time to time, people often see strengths in us that we struggle to recognise in ourselves.”
It was such a rewarding and energising day meeting the students and the Shooting Stars team
Georgia Jones
For the students, hearing those qualities reflected back by accomplished professionals was both uplifting and affirming, seeing themselves through the eyes of someone who had met them only hours earlier yet genuinely recognised their potential.
But what was perhaps most striking was the impact the experience had on the leaders.
As students introduced their OneSteel partners, they offered observations that were thoughtful, insightful and at times beautifully unexpected with laughter, smiles and moments of genuine surprise as employees heard themselves described through a fresh lens.
For a few minutes, age, experience and professional status seemed to disappear entirely.
General Counsel, Georgia Jones, described the experience as both energising and deeply rewarding.
“It was such a rewarding and energising day meeting the students and the Shooting Stars team,” Georgia said.
“Thank you, Dan and Raquel Stankovic (Land Access and Engagement Manager), for everything you do to create these opportunities and make such a positive impact.
“I thoroughly enjoyed being involved, although I’m not entirely convinced, I’ll be pursuing a career as a portrait artist anytime soon.”
Mergers and Acquisitions Transaction Specialist, Michelle Yip was equally inspired by the capability and potential she witnessed throughout the day.
“I really appreciated the opportunity to be involved,” she said. “The girls demonstrated remarkable talent, determination and potential.
“I hope they continue to embrace and pursue the opportunities available to them as they grow and develop … It was a privilege to be involved.”
Much is often said about the value organisations bring to community partnerships. Funding matters. Programs matter. Opportunities matter. Yet the greatest impact often comes from the people who bring those opportunities to life.
“The OneSteel team arrived ready to give their time … and were reminded that talent, resilience and ambition are not defined by age, title or experience,” Dan said.
“For many of the women involved, the day reinforced a leadership lesson that extends far beyond the workplace- when we invest in people, we often leave with as much as we contribute.”
