Callum Martin

Petroleum Engineering
“It’s not every day you’re going to get $20,000 over two years. It will ultimately help how I go throughout my studies.” 

“Because I’m young, I also want the ability to work while travelling, and this job allows that.” Callum Martin knows exactly what we wants from a career: to travel the world, meet new people and embrace every opportunity – which is why the 18-year-old has his sights set firmly on the resources industry.

“Petroleum engineers ensure society meets its energy demands, and there are a lot of job opportunities in the field, so I know that I can come straight out of university and into employment,” says Martin, who is currently in his first year of a double degree in petroleum engineering and geology at Adelaide University. “Because I’m young, I also want the ability to work while travelling, and this job allows that.”

But before he sets sail for Canada or Europe, Martin’s plan is to build his skills on home soil. “I would like to work in Australia at first to establish myself and see what the industry is about,” he says. “Then, maybe a year or two later, see if there’s an opportunity in a different country where I could potentially improve my understanding and learn new skills.”

Being awarded a two-year scholarship from the Playford Trust scholarship has helped put Martin on the pathway to a career of his dreams. “It’s not every day you’re going to get $20,000 over two years – it’s a lot of money for someone just out of school,” he says. “It will ultimately help how I go throughout my studies.”

Having the trust monitoring his progress over the next two years is also a driving factor to succeed, but it’s not the only one. “There is a bit of extra pressure in that they’re trusting I do well, but I feel for myself I have to do well anyway to set myself up for my future,” he says.