Thriving in Uncertainty – Episode Five
Thank you for joining us for our new podcast series on Thriving in Uncertainty, where we spotlight leaders who have gotten comfortable in ambiguity and hear their professional stories of overcoming challenges to navigate change successfully.
You often hear about 21st-century leaders in government, but what about 22nd-century leaders? It’s an intriguing concept to ponder, especially considering that Gen Alpha, children born between 2010 and 2024, will play an pivotal role in stewarding our community, country, and world into the next century.
Join us in exploring this topic and much more with Kate Driver. Kate is the CEO of IPAA ACT and the co-founder and board member of the CoRE Learning Foundation, linking education, industry, community, and government to meet the needs of students and deliver future sustainable workforces for the Australian Industry.
While Kate may not have a crystal ball to predict the skills a 5-year-old will need to thrive in a 22nd-century workforce, she offers fascinating perspectives and insights drawn from both her public sector career and her lived experiences.
Through her work with teenagers in her charity, she explores what they want from leaders today and how many question or reject the long-standing assumptions about the world of work that have persisted for generations. Listen in as Kate moves beyond the excitement of science fiction hype to provide pragmatic insights on the jobs and industries of the future, framing the importance of sustaining and improving life for humans at scale.
Listen to episode five:
Also available through Apple Podcasts and Spotify:
Links to information sources mentioned in this episode:
Foundation for Young Australians research - Our Reports: The New Work Order Series - FYA
Dr Laurie Santos, Yale University - The Science of Well-Being | Yale Online
Dr Angela Duckworth - https://angeladuckworth.com/
Organisational links:
IPAA ACT - Institute of Public Administration Australia (ACT) Limited |
IPAA National - Institute of Public Administration Australia | IPAA National Website
The CoRE Learning Foundation - Leading Foundation Education & Learning Centre in Australia
Find out more about this Trailblazer:
Kate Driver
Chief Executive Officer
IPAA ACT
Co-founder and board member of the
CoRE Learning Foundation
After starting her career as a private practice Barrister and Solicitor, Kate realised that she was destined to follow a less “planned” but more “intentional” path, with careers and roles that better aligned with her personal and professional values. So she left behind the view of Sydney Harbor and unfulfilling hours at the desk, and returned home to Canberra where she began an eclectic career working in the Commonwealth Public Sector. Kate was appointed as the CEO of IPAA ACT in January 2024.
Kate describes herself as the quintessential “accidental public servant”. After she took a 6 month contract in the APS, she found herself in a rewarding public sector career spanning almost two decades. Her career mantra has been “good things with good people”. She has worked across a variety of roles as a senior executive in public policy and programs, HR and corporate services, property and security, policy implementation and National Cultural Institutions.
In addition to her professional executive career, Kate is a philanthropic leader, working across a variety of Australian charities and not-for-profit enterprises, including co-founding the CoRE Learning Foundation. Kate is a proud Auntie and Auntie Mother to some wonderful First Nations young people, and is a passionate advocate for inclusion and belonging.
That was the last episode of Thriving in Uncertainty for 2024.
Tune in on Tuesday, 28 January 2025, as we return with our series and are joined by Martin Hehir, Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer for the Governance and Corporate Group within the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, as he talks about taking the path less travelled.