Six months into Adobe: Learning, mentorship and a front-row seat to digital transformation

2020 was a year like no other, and for students in their final year of study, uncertainty about what opportunities would be available to them upon graduation was top of mind. Abi Beardsley, APAC Communications Graduate, joined Adobe in 2021 as part of our inaugural APAC Graduate Program and she provides her perspective on what her graduate experience has been like after 6 months at Adobe.

For those who graduated in 2020, anticipation and a sense of pride was muddled into a murky pot of unease. Within weeks of the global pandemic hitting Australia, businesses went into hibernation, whole industries reinvented themselves, and headlines predicted economic turmoil. Many saw their ‘dream job’ fade away and in its place, a market that would surely prioritise keeping people in jobs above investing in a clean slate.

Personally, finding the perfect job was essential upon leaving university, and as a creative sort, I thought I’d find my sweet spot somewhere between publishing and agency-land. But much like my improvised at-home graduation with a makeshift gown and cap, ideas had to be reinvented and plans realigned. And as it turns out, I found my dream job — just not the one I thought it would be.

Kick-starting my career in technology was a perfect accident, and while I admit my initial conception of Adobe lay in Photoshop, Premiere Pro and the rest of the Creative Cloud gang, I’ve since found a passion for digital experience.

As a first of its kind, Adobe’s 2021 APAC graduate program provides the framework, tools and digital literacy essential for global transformation as we accelerate headfirst into a digital-first economy. In Australia, Adobe offered several permanent positions across sales, marketing, digital, and communications. I was lucky enough to be offered a position as a communications coordinator and have since experienced a conglomeration of hands-on regional projects, opportunities to expand my network, instrumental learning and mentorship.

Last month, for instance, graduates and interns were invited to the Sydney office for a Fireside chat with Adobe Vice President of Digital Experience Marketing in APAC, Duncan Egan, who attributes success to attitude, acknowledging weakness, confidence in learning and networking. Reflecting on his own experiences in the tech world, he says, “Have fun, enjoy the journey, be challenged and be challenging in the right environment.”

Much to Adobe’s credit, these opportunities are offered in abundance where an employee-first, purpose-driven culture, built on the values of creativity, focus and leadership, is instilled from the ground-up. Since onboarding six months ago, no question has been too naïve, and no idea dismissed. Every interaction across the board has been met with support and warmth, and while at times it may feel like swimming in the deep end, it’s with the strength of a team nurturing success.