ACS Volunteers Inspire the Next Tech Workforce at Big Day In Perth

A big thank you to our ACS Emerging Professionals Community volunteers Mizuna and Zafirah, who inspired students at the 2026 Big Day In Perth, hosted by the University of Western Australia. This was a fantastic opportunity for community outreach, and a strong reminder of the impact early engagement can have on future tech talent.

Mizuna and Zafirah brought energy and professionalism throughout the day. With support from Western Australia State Manager Darren Roxburgh and ACS WA Emerging Professionals Committee member Austin George, Mizuna and Zafirah hosted the ACS booth to engage with attendees. Their contributions made a real difference to the 600 digital students in attendance.

“Volunteering with ACS was an amazing experience, especially because I was able to connect with Zafirah. She set up the table for us and was very kind and supportive; I really appreciated her support. The conversations with the teenagers were also impressive. I could see their passion, and I felt honoured to support them. There were also students who were not familiar with IT, so I showed them a graph created by ACS and suggested possible career ideas, such as becoming a machine learning engineer if they enjoy mathematics. Big Day In Perth is a great event for helping teenagers understand not only what IT jobs look like, but also how IT supports their daily lives. Overall, it was a fantastic event, and I would love to attend again.” - Mizuna

What stood out most was the diversity of student engagement. Some were already exploring programming concepts like Python and confidently discussing topics such as while loops, while others were just beginning to discover what a future in IT could look like. Using tools like the ACS Foundation STEM Career Wheel, our volunteers helped students connect their interests, whether in maths, gaming, or problem-solving, to potential career pathways such as data analysis and software engineering.

It was also encouraging to see strong interest in areas like cybersecurity, particularly as conversations touched on how the field is evolving alongside AI.

Other exhibitors also showcased immersive initiatives. Future Lab showcased interactive game-based activities using Scratch and Makey Makey, helping students engage with technology in a more tangible and accessible way. GenAI Bootcamps highlighted an inclusive approach to tech education, supporting young people with autism through tailored AI learning experiences and pathways into employment.

“I enjoyed talking to students about ACS, the ACS Foundation STEM Career Wheel, and introducing them to different career pathways based on their interests. It was great to answer their questions, give out ACS merchandise, and share my experience as an ECU cybersecurity student. I also enjoyed explaining what cybersecurity is all about and discussing how the field is continuously changing with AI.

It was great to see students become interested in cybersecurity and gaming. Some students did not yet have a clear idea of what they wanted to do in the future, so I helped them explore different career pathways using the STEM Career Wheel. It was also a pleasure working with Mizuna throughout the day—we worked really well together as a team.” - Zafirah

Events like Big Day In play a critical role in helping students understand not just what jobs exist in IT, but how technology shapes the world around them every day. Today, Zafirah is a final-year Cybersecurity student at Edith Cowan University (ECU) with a strong interest in incident response, Cyber defence and ethical hacking. Mizuna is a tech professional with experience in both healthcare and AI operations, passionate about technology-driven healthcare solutions.