Career summary

Jackson’s love for words has led him in different directions and successful careers stemming from his studies in law, journalism and public policy. He grew up in a small country town and moved to Melbourne to study a double degree in Arts/Law at Monash University, and live at the residential accommodation, Mannix College. A change in direction saw him graduate with a Bachelor of Journalism from Monash in 2014, then return to Monash in 2019 to undertake a Master of Public Policy (MPP). During his career, Jackson has been a legal assistant, reporter, deputy editor, consultant and is currently Public Relations Manager at ME Bank.

Career pathway

2020 – Public Relations Manager, ME Bank
2020 – Graduated from the Master of Public Policy at Monash University
2020 – Policy intern in the office of Shadow Minister in Federal Parliament, Canberra
2019 – Master of Public Policy, Monash University 
2019 – Certificate in Governance Practice, Governance Institute of Australia
2018 – Senior Associate, Michelson Alexander Consulting
2018 – Graduate Certificate of Law, ANU
2017 – Short-term secondment to IFM Investors communications team
2016 – Deputy Editor, The New Daily
2015 – Money Editor, The New Daily
2014 – Reporter, The New Daily
2013 – Legal Assistant, Kellehers Australia Barristers & Solicitors
2013 – Work placement with Barrister, Sir Owen Dixon Chambers
2012 – Vice-President of Mannix College Student Society
2012 – Student Delegate, National Student Leadership Forum
2011 – Resident Advisor (Marketing portfolio), Mannix College
2011 – Bachelor of Journalism, Monash University
2011 – Bachelor of Laws (deferred in third year), Monash University

Why did you choose to study at Monash University?

For my Bachelor’s, I grew up in a country town and I found that there were a lot of people that I knew who had come from country areas and found Monash a good place to study. I had a look at a whole bunch of different universities and some of them didn't offer exactly what I was looking for. Monash was very welcoming to country kids and was a very highly ranked University with really good course offerings – and it had the course I wanted to study.  So, when it came to my postgraduate studies, I looked at Monash to see if it offered the type of degree I wanted to do.

Monash also offers internships as part of the Masters program, which I was very keen on taking part in and gaining industry experience.

Why did you choose to study a Master of Public Policy (MPP)?

It’s been a fascinating (and winding) journey for me, from studying law to a career in journalism before transitioning into corporate affairs.

Most of my fellow students were keen to pursue careers in non-profit, public service and politics. But where they zigged I zagged, and I found myself at ME Bank, a financial institution with a fascinating history and strong customer-centric purpose.

An MBA might have been the obvious choice for a career in the private sector and I did consider it but in the end I chose the Master of Public Policy. I chose the MPP because I wanted to understand the inner workings of government and how policies are designed.

I believe governance spans both the public and private spheres. A focus of my MPP was the overlap between good public governance and good corporate governance. Governance is highly relevant to my own sector of banking, where the recent Royal Commission exposed widespread governance failures. Rio Tinto’s destruction of a priceless Indigenous heritage site and AMP’s sexual harassment claims are even more recent examples of the importance of decision making at the very top and in the boardroom.

And of course, the MPP teaches you how politicians and public servants think. That is pivotal to anyone in the private sector but especially corporate affairs professionals. Inevitably, your company and your industry will be regulated – and probably heavily. Knowing how the governmental process works, how public sector operators think, and how to speak their language will come in handy.

What did you enjoy most about studying your Master’s at Monash University?

The Master's degree was quite unique because it offered condensed units which were shorter and more intensive. The units that I studied were offered outside of business hours so that enabled someone like me, who is working full time, to also study full time. The intensive class delivery was unique and really helpful. What I found really valuable was that we would do theory for the first hour and the rest would be breaking up into groups to solve a problem. We would collaborate in small groups and decide on a policy solution to present to the class. It helped our critical thinking, problem solving and our communication skills.

With the supportof Monash, I was also lucky enough to be able to do a policy internship with aShadow Minister in Federal Parliament as the capstone unit for my MPP in myfinal semester. This involved travelling to Canberra in February 2020 andsubsequent electorate office work. The experience was invaluable and I was gratefulto be able to take advantage of at Monash.

What does your role at ME Bank entail?

I am public relations manager at ME Bank. In its history, ME Bank was started by the industry superannuation funds so its main motive isn't just profit, we also want to be helping and supporting the customer. My role entails protecting and enhancing the reputation of the bank which includes making sure potential, new and existing customers hear about our products and our special offers and the good work that we're doing through media and other channels. My job also includes helping the bank’s other business units produce content that is clear andsimple, as well as helpful content that boosts the financial literacy of our customers.

With the current COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of what I work on at the moment is making sure customers understand the support services available from the bank.

How did studying your Master’s at Monash help you develop transferable skills?

The Master of Public Policy helps you problem solve. Policy is about identifying a problem and finding out all your viable options to solve the problem. Not just what's your ideal solution but working with stakeholders to understand how your proposed solution is going to work in practice. All those skills are directly transferable from a public governance role to the corporate world. It's directly transferable and it makes you better in project management. Whether it's in the public governance sector or in the corporate world, managing a project to completion involves thinking through the risks, identifying stakeholders and engaging with them. All of that is taught in the Master of Public Policy and I found it really useful.

What advice do you have for graduates who want to pursue a career in public relations and communications?

My advice for anyone interested in communications is to seek out as many skills as you can and keep building on them. I think if you want to get ahead in that field, you need to add other areas of knowledge to it. A critical mass of skills is will help you advance.

Written by Monash Arts student intern, Cindy Chea, 2020.