Prue Pickering

An internship during her time studying the Governance, Policy, and Communication stream helped Prue Pickering secure a position in the Graduate Program at the Department of the Environment and Energy.

"I currently work at the Department of the Environment and Energy. I’m in the Graduate Program, which means I rotate through three different teams at the Department before finding a permanent team in 2017. Currently I’m working on Australia’s international carbon markets policy. A big focus of our work is examining what shape international carbon markets might take once the Paris Agreement on climate change comes into force in 2020.

I chose to study at the University of Melbourne because I think that if you’re going to do something, do it right. I knew that if I was going to devote the time and money to getting a post-grad degree that I wanted to be exposed to the best lecturers and surrounded by the brightest and most passionate students. On top of that, the Master of Environment course is unique. You can’t balance your stream or major with your personal interests as seamlessly in other courses.

My studies at the University of Melbourne have had a very direct impact on my career to date. Taking climate policy classes in both my undergraduate and postgraduate studies inspired me to apply for a climate policy role at youth NGO Global Voices, where I worked with fellow OEP alumni. Through my work at Global Voices I met The Climate Institute team and was then lucky enough to work there (where I also had the opportunity to work with great Melbourne Uni Staff). It was because of my work with both Global Voices and The Climate Institute that I am in my current role.

The people I’ve met and the things I learnt at the University of Melbourne not only helped me get where I am, they inspired me to even try to get here in the first place."

  • Graduate