Q&A with Cameron Williams: From Melbourne to London, building a global technology career with Macquarie

In this Q&A, Cameron Williams shares his experiences as a Java developer and DevOps engineer at Macquarie. He highlights his journey from Melbourne to London, the benefits of lateral mobility and his passion for netball. Cameron offers valuable insights into career growth, the importance of making connections and the rewards of working on impactful projects. 

What inspired you to pursue a career at Macquarie?

My career at Macquarie began with the Summer Intern Program, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I studied Mechatronics Engineering and Computer Science at university and was torn between pursuing robotics or exploring opportunities in technology. The internship gave me the chance to apply my skills in a professional setting, and I was drawn to the collaborative and supportive culture at Macquarie. 

Following the internship, I was offered a position in the Graduate Program in Sydney. Unfortunately, personal circumstance prevented me from relocating from Melbourne at the time, so I took a role at another company during the height of COVID. A year later, a software engineering role opened up at Macquarie and I was excited for the opportunity to apply. Thankfully, it all worked out, and I’m grateful to have found my way back to Macquarie. 

What does a typical day look like for you?

No two days are the same! As a Java developer and DevOps engineer, much of my time is spent on project or feature-based tasks. I also support a regression testing platform, collaborating with teams to quickly resolve issues and ensure seamless releases to production. 

Mornings often involve meetings with stakeholders in Sydney, whether for project or ongoing platform work. The rest of my day is typically spent troubleshooting problems or writing code, usually to the soundtrack of some good music.

How do you feel supported and empowered to take on new opportunities and shape your own unique career pathway? 

I’ve always wanted to work overseas, so relocating from Melbourne to London has been an incredible opportunity. It came about because of a business need for more platform support across time zones, and I was fortunate to be asked if it was something I’d be interested in. But it all started with open conversations with my manager about my career aspirations and how we could make them a reality. 

To prepare for this move and take on greater responsibilities, I focused on developing the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in my role. For me, that meant learning about the technologies our platforms rely on, especially cloud technology, and building my skills to independently resolve support requests. Over time, I completed certifications aligned with our cloud provider through Macquarie’s TechEd learning and development program, which helped me take on more responsibility. This included improving processes and features for our platforms, which has been incredibly rewarding. 

What projects have you enjoyed working on, and what are you looking forward to? 

My current project has been particularly enjoyable. I’m leading the deployment of a new internal full-stack application, backed by cloud technology, to automate parts of our release process. It has involved everything from gathering requirements and evaluating options to selecting the best solution for review.

Once the analysis is complete, I’ll dive into the coding, which is the exciting part of seeing a solution come to life. There’s nothing more rewarding than getting a new piece of technology to work, especially if it’s something I’ve never used before. And if it works on the first go? That’s the dream!

In what ways are you supported in your wellbeing?  

Netball is a huge part of my life. In Melbourne I played competitively, and even living in England I still watch every game of the professional leagues in Australia. So, discovering that Macquarie has a mixed netball team in a local social league has been one of my favourite ways to meet new people in London. 

I’ve also been encouraged to join other social teams including the Macquarie touch rugby team and to participate in volunteering events, which has made it easy to settle into a new country where I didn’t know many people. These connections have been invaluable in helping me feel at home.

How would you describe your peers? What do you value about working as part of our team? 

Despite the distance, I’ve found my colleagues in Melbourne, London, and even through working online with my team in Sydney to be incredibly supportive, hardworking and fun. It’s never too hard to get help with an issue or learn something new.

Our team has been deeply involved in delivering new technologies to our existing infrastructure, and I’ve learned so much from my colleagues along the way. I really value the opportunity to contribute to these large-scale projects and take responsibility for improving platforms - however big or small.