Heath Cauchi

6:30 AM

I have always been a morning person, so as I prepare for my commute, I’ll make myself some toast or muesli for breakfast and catch up on the latest show I'm watching.

7:45 AM

I drive to the station and jump on an express train into the city, where I spend time reading my latest novel or personal development book. Monday and Friday are the best days to come in, as I'm guaranteed a seat! Lately, I have been splitting my time across 3-4 days in the office,  and the other days at home, which is a welcome treat to my sleep schedule. 

8:30 AM

After my short walk from the station, I arrive at the office, head to level 16 to grab a copy of the Australian Financial Review and make a cup of green tea. I'll spend 15 minutes catching up on any recent events and then make my way up to level 18, where my team is located. Generally, I'll forget which desk I've booked the week before in advance, so after quickly checking that, I'll get settled in and take some time to review and priorities my tasks for the day.

9:00 AM

We have our daily stand-up meetings at 9am every day. This is an excellent opportunity to see how the team is going and what everyone prioritises during the workday. We are a group of 10, so there is a good chance someone will bring interesting updates. Depending on the time of the month, we either discuss the financial performance of the business or any projects underway during our quieter times to automate financial processes. It's also great to hear what everyone has been up to in their spare time.

9:30 AM

After the meeting, I start to work on the internal and stakeholder reporting that I assist with in my BAU responsibilities. This process involves retrieving the previous month's financial data from our system, which we then incorporate into our work. TAL recently acquired Westpac's Life Insurance business, so while we are still integrating this, the team must incorporate some manual workarounds to produce this data alongside the other parts of the business. I review the data, ensure the accuracy of the information, and prepare for the team to provide their input and updates. 

11:30 AM

After updating files and spreadsheets, I shift my attention to professional development. I am an advocator for continual education, so I spend some time working through an Advanced Excel LinkedIn Course that will provide some tips and tricks I can implement in my day-to-day tasks. TAL provides LinkedIn learning for free, so I work through one course per month if my schedule permits. I had some time today, so I figured I would give myself 30 minutes. 

12:00 PM

The TAL Graduate program brings like-minded yet diverse individuals together for a unique and tailored early-career experience. The cohort of graduates have become my close friends and we typically have lunch together when we are in the office. It's always fascinating to hear about their work and the opportunities they find in their different teams. Our first week at TAL was spent together as a Cohort, which has helped build a valuable support network for all of us.

1:00 PM

I'm the first to admit that being an early career professional can be daunting when stepping into a team of experienced individuals. That said, as a Graduate, the business wants it's grads to bring a fresh set of eyes and new innovative ideas to the company that might otherwise be overlooked. A big part of my role is to consider the current processes and identify ways to make them more efficient and automated for us and the wider finance community. I spent time investigating our finances system to see if a report we currently do manually can be automated. 

2:30 PM

At this time in the day, I am invited to attend a Finance Change working group where stakeholders from various teams provide their input and advice on upcoming system variations. I take notes and report back to the members of my team that weren't in attendance with things that might affect us. These are always good opportunities to meet people from across the business and further understand the priorities of the larger group.

3:30 PM

To help break up the day, I schedule a quick coffee catch-up with my Business Sponsor, who is my support and advocate  here at TAL. I ask him for general advice and to also connect me with some senior leaders that might help me with future rotations. Rotations within the Graduate program are generally self-selected, which means we get to tailor the experience to our personal needs and goals. These catch-ups usually give me some ideas that I hadn't previously considered, so I am motivated and head back to my desk to check my emails and prepare for the remainder of the afternoon.

4:00 PM

Outside of the regular work we do at TAL, there are opportunities to get involved in extracurricular projects. I am pleased to head down to my 4pm TALConnect Meeting which is our social club here. I provide an update to my fellow committee members on the event I organised last week and listen to the updates for upcoming ones. We recently held boomerang painting workshops during National Reconciliation Week.  

4:45 PM

Before I leave for the day, I review my to-do list for tomorrow and prioritise my tasks based on their urgency and importance. I ensure that all my work is saved and backed up to our systems, and I check my email one last time for any urgent matters. 

5:15 PM

I head out of the office and make my way to dinner with some peers from Uni. With the office in such a central location, everything is at our fingertips and only minutes away. It's just 4 of us for dinner; I hear about their work and how they are finding the adjustment to the full-time work schedule. I really enjoy staying connected to my Uni network; It's interesting to see where our degrees have taken us. 

7:30 PM

I start making my way home, using this time to unwind from my day and catch up on a podcast or continue reading the book from the morning. 

8:15PM

Once I arrive home, I spend some time with my family and give them the rundown of my day. I empty my bag and wash my container from lunch. Plug in my phone and laptop and get everything ready for tomorrow.

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