There was an expectation Jess Clow would choose medicine or law – a degree with an element of prestige.
No one raised it explicitly – it was more like an unspoken societal expectation.
She was a straight A student. She graduated high school with a great ATAR. That’s what high achieving students did – they went on to study something society deemed ‘worthy’.
It never occurred to Jess studying history was a field in which she could specialise. Not at first.
In line with expectations, Jess originally wanted to study medicine.
She quickly realised it wasn’t for her and scrambled to find a new direction. Trying not to stray too far from these expectations, she started studying Paramedicine.
But her heart wasn’t in it.
She took a short break before making a big decision – she was going to study a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in English. She’d always liked the subject at school. She liked writing.
But then, as part of that degree, she did an elective about history. She loved it. She’d always loved history. She’d just never considered studying it – didn’t know it was even an option.
“Everything just clicked in that moment,” Jess says. “I changed my major to History.
“I had no idea where it could take me at the time. But once I started, I realised there were so many options.”
History senior lecturer Dr Amy Clarke, a well-known media commentator on history and pop culture, says arts and humanities graduates develop highly transferable skills in critical thinking, research and communication.
“We know employers value these skills very much,” Dr Clarke says.
“A recent study showed these competencies align with 126 occupations beyond traditional history work – from public policy and media roles to business and legal environments.
“Beyond that, the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia has shown that training in the social science, arts and humanities shows graduates from these degrees are heavily concentrated in high-level managerial and professional roles, with one in three ASX200 CEOs and more than 60 percent of federal parliamentarians, holding one.”
Jess’s enthusiasm for the discipline is palpable. Sitting outside on a patio at the Caboolture Heritage Village, that passion comes to life.
“I have this fascination with our society and the way we ended up where we are now,” Jess says.
“History is full of places and people and lives with such rich stories to tell – on an individual level and a societal level.
“There's just something so profound about that to me.”
At the end of her second year of uni, City of Moreton Bay advertised for a student in the heritage team.
It took some encouragement from lecturers but Jess applied for the position and ultimately landed the job.
She has been working with Council for a few years, now a full-time Heritage Planner, helping to develop its local heritage register which involves researching and visiting culturally significant places across Moreton Bay.
Her work details the key features and history of each site and building she visits to their heritage status and help ensure the region’s history is preserved.
“I'm using everything that I learned at university in a really applicable way,” Jess says.
“I'm basically doing historical research every day. I couldn't ask for something better than that.
“But at the same time, the whole point of my role is to preserve the region's history to make sure that everyone can appreciate it – both now and in the future.
“It feels good to be doing meaningful work.”
Her enthusiasm has clearly not dimmed over the years.
“When you go to certain areas, like out in the hinterland, it still gets me,” Jess says.
“I don’t know how to describe it. When you're walking down a main street with pretty much all old buildings, there's just something about it. You’re transported to another time.
“It’s the coolest thing in the world.”
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