Luca Sawyer
Snapshot:
Industry / Sector: Law & Legal Services
Career Type: Currently Studying, Employed
Education Pathway: University
Mid Coast Connection: Born & raised on the Mid Coast
The Blurb:
Luca Sawyer, a Taree High graduate now completing her Bachelor of Arts/Law at the University of NSW, shares her journey from a regional high school to studying and working in Sydney's legal sector. Uncertain about her future in her final year of school, Luca discovered her path through UNSW's Winter School and Pre-Programs, which opened the door to a law pathway she hadn't previously imagined.
She discusses the skill that has defined her trajectory — saying yes to every opportunity, even when it feels daunting — and explains why she values helping people and giving back to younger students through Aurora mentoring and cultural camps. Luca also reflects on the power of applying for things even when you feel underqualified, and the importance of not letting fear hold you back.
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Current Role – Final-year Bachelor of Arts/Law student at UNSW, working part-time at Terri Janke and Company, an Indigenous law firm specialising in protecting Indigenous cultural and intellectual property.
Career Path – Attended Taree High School; participated in UNSW Winter School in Year 12; completed UNSW Pre-Programs (three-week pathway program); entered the law pathway program at 17; moved to Sydney and lived on campus; officially commenced Bachelor of Arts/Law in 2019; now in final year with one elective remaining; working part-time at Terri Janke and Company; selected for the Aurora Education International Study Tour to Harvard, Columbia, and NYU.
Key Skills – Saying yes to opportunities, courage and initiative, self-advocacy, mentoring, and client engagement.
Challenges Shared – Moving to Sydney alone at 17, navigating university as a quiet and shy person, managing the financial pressures of student life, and pushing through self-doubt to apply for opportunities she felt underqualified for.
What She Loves – Working with clients to protect Indigenous cultural and intellectual property, contributing to advocacy around fake Indigenous art legislation, mentoring high school students through Aurora cultural camps, and the prospect of entering the workforce.
Advice to Younger Self – Say yes to everything and apply for opportunities even if you think you're not qualified. You never really know what might come your way. Go for it and don't be scared.
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"We protect Indigenous cultural and intellectual property. So artwork, stolen artworks, stolen books and just everyone's heritage and knowledge from families and stuff, which is really empowering."
"I was tossing up between University of Newcastle or UNSW. But once I did the Pre-Programs... I got into the pathway program for law."
"I feel like I'm a very quiet, shy person. So maybe just like saying yes to all the opportunities that come up, even if I'm a bit unsure about it."
"Even I've applied for things I'm definitely not qualified for... Definitely apply. Say yes because you never really know."
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[00:00] Intro
Today we're joined by Luca Sawyer, a Taree High student who is currently studying law at the University of NSW in Sydney. Luca will share with us some stories from her journey and the skills she has used to get to where she is today.
[00:31] So we've got Luca Sawyer, who's studying Law and Arts at the University of NSW in Sydney. So we're lucky to catch you at a time when you're at home to join us today. Luca, can you share with us a little bit of information about what your day or your week might look like while you're studying?
Yeah, so I'm in my final year, thank God. So I've got one law elective left. So I'm doing Animal Law, which is a nice easy exit. So it should be fun. And I'm also working part-time at Terri Janke and Company, so it's really exciting. It was one of the first Indigenous law firms to start up. So we protect Indigenous cultural and intellectual property. So artwork, stolen artworks, stolen books and just everyone's heritage and knowledge from families and stuff, which is really empowering. It's really cool.
[01:29] So that's your part-time job while you're studying? How many hours do you usually do a week while you're at uni?
You can do three courses a term, but I stick to two. So normally like six to eight hours at uni per week and then I work three days a week, which is really cool. So I get to work with a lot of clients like Bangarra and ASTAR. So it's really awesome.
[02:00] Can you share a little bit with us about your pathway of where you went to high school and getting into your studies?
I started at Taree High and in Year 12, UNSW offers a Winter School. So that's for students from Year 10 to Year 12. So we go over, they pay for all the flights, accommodation, meals, and yeah, we go over and stay on campus for a week and try different classes and see what we like. So that was pretty big in terms of what I wanted to do because I wasn't sure in my final year at all. So that led me to doing the UNSW Pre-Programs because I really enjoyed it.
I was tossing up between University of Newcastle or UNSW. But once I did the Pre-Programs, which is like a three-week program if your ATAR's not at the right level you want for your course. So you do the three-week study there and then they'll either get you an offer or get you into a pathway program. So I did that. I really liked it. I got into the pathway program for law and I did that when I was 17, leaving Taree High, which is really scary, moving to Sydney by myself. But no, it was really good. I really enjoyed it. And then in 2019 I officially started my Bachelor of Arts/Law.
[03:31] Did you live on campus when you first moved to university?
Yeah, it was really good. So Abstudy offers a residential costs option, so they pay for your accommodation and then you get $50 a fortnight. I wanted to work a bit, well, because that's not enough. But no, I really loved living on campus. You got to meet heaps of people. There's always stuff going on all the time. And it was just a lot easier for me as a 17-year-old.
[04:06] Can you talk to us about a skill that you might have used through your time to get to where you are today?
I think a big thing for me, I feel like I'm a very quiet, shy person. So maybe just like saying yes to all the opportunities that come up, even if I'm a bit unsure about it. Because that's led me to a lot of fantastic opportunities, like the Aurora Education International Study Tour that I'm about to do.
[04:38] Do you want to tell us about that? That sounds very exciting.
It's so exciting. So Aurora offer, if you're in your final year and you want to do postgraduate study, like Masters, we go over. There's either the US or the UK option. So I chose the US. So I'm going over to Harvard and Columbia and New York University in February next year, which is so cool. So we get to stay in Harvard on campus and then see if that's what we want to do after we finish.
[05:12] What is it that you love about what you do at the moment?
I think at the moment I'm very over uni. I'm glad I took my time and I've done it. But now I'm really excited to join the workforce. I like working with clients and helping them with their needs. Like they've come with a lot of different areas, but the big thing at the moment the government's working on is the fake arts. There's a lot of made-in-China sort of stuff. So it's really amazing. I'm working with the company so we're going to try and put the new laws in to stop that from happening.
[05:58] What does that say about the values that are important to you?
Important to me is really helping people and feeling like I'm making a change in a way. I'm also working with Aurora to do mentoring for high school students. So we take them on like cultural camps and then we can be there as a guide to them if they have any questions about uni, what they want to do. So I think it's really important for me to help people and give back for the opportunities I've gotten for younger students.
[06:31] And what would be some advice you would give to someone who might be in Year 8 or Year 9 or 10 now and looking to their future? What would be a key piece of advice?
I think back to the saying yes to everything. It's a major thing. Even though I've applied for things I'm definitely not qualified for. Like, I was like, there's no way I'm going to get this. Yeah, definitely apply. Say yes because you never really know. So yeah, I'd tell my younger self to just go for it. Don't be scared.
Please note: All content is correct at the time of recording.
