Alumni and Supporters

Bachelor of Business (1990)

Having worked in 14 different industries and a myriad of different roles ranging from HR to planning international ministerial events, ECU graduate Cindy Slaven’s advice to young people is to be open to a ‘lattice’ style career and never say no to an opportunity.

“I was always sure not to discount a career opportunity because it was not on a vertical horizon,” says Cindy, who undertook a Bachelor of Business, majoring in marketing, at ECU in 1990.

“I was keen to ensure I didn’t limit my exposure to new prospects and develop my skillset and experience.”

After a career spanning more than three decades, Cindy - a born and bred West Australian - is now the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Navantia Australia, which partners with the Commonwealth Government to support Royal Australian Navy capabilities.

Based in the ACT, Cindy’s current role melds her wide-ranging skill set which she has built up since her very first job, which saw her working at Target when she was a teenager.

“I loved school and was chosen to take part in the Gifted and Talented program at Kelmscott High School, which at times was stressful but which I very much enjoyed,” says Cindy.

“I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study at university, but after my dad went to an ECU career evening, he came back and suggested that marketing could be a good marriage of my skills.”

The rest, as they say, is history and Cindy puts her Bachelor of Business degree, with her major in marketing, down to the eclectic, enjoyable and successful career she has had to date.

“I loved university and the course I did, but when I graduated Australia was having the recession ‘we had to have’ and graduate unemployment was very high,” adds Cindy, who was a finalist in the Australian Defence Industry Awards for Marketing and Communication Professional of the Year in 2020.

“My first job was as an admin assistant for a company called Perfect Plants, and from there I got into a management cadetship at Stratco, a company at the forefront of Perth’s building industry.  It was there that I gained a really good grounding in business and became immersed in every area from finance to sales.”

Since then, Cindy’s career has seen her take up roles at Burswood Resort, McDonald’s Corporation and Tourism NSW - where she had great fun working on a Bay Watch-inspired tourism promotion.

Married to a naval officer, Cindy moved states frequently before settling in Canberra where she worked for the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) and the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science.

“Although my career has not followed a traditional pathway, I can honestly say I’ve enjoyed all the jobs I’ve done and everything has led to where I am today. I’ve never been unemployed and I’ve always left positions with people saying they were sorry to see me go,” explains Cindy, who also admits to being a lifelong learner, having completed postgraduate studies in communications, in addition to many professional development and vocational qualifications.

“I consider myself a generalist, not a specialist, and I think that’s highly valuable because you have a wide breadth of knowledge and skills, and it can make you so much more valuable as an employee.

“My current role has allowed me to segue into the leadership team and become a strategic adviser in marketing and communications.  I’m very fortunate that my company really understands the value of marketing and doesn’t view it as a cost, but as more of an investment.”

And so, does Cindy have any advice to school leavers, or those who have recently graduated?

“What I’d say is to make opportunities for yourself, don’t be afraid to promote your skillset and also don’t be scared to try things that might not be seen as a traditional career move,” she says.

“And of course, I completely believe that education is crucial. I thought the course I did at ECU was great even back then, and the more I reflect on it, the more I’m pleased I chose it.

“I’m certainly proud to be an ECU alumna, I was proud of myself in the early 90s when I graduated with credit, and I’m still proud of that achievement today.”