Reducing the impact of digital poverty on children's education

Caroline McDaid, CEO of WorkVentures, is a respected, passionate outcomes-focused executive who is well regarded for her diverse commercial and strategic experience, tenacity and can-do attitude. As a leader, she is well regarded for her adaptability, innovative approach to creating sustainable growth and ability to manage complex P&L’s. Her career has seen her progress through a diverse range of corporate and for purpose roles, providing her with a unique skillset incorporating corporate governance, P&L management, strategy setting and execution, strategic partnerships, complex commercial contract negotiation, leading highly diverse teams and not for profit income generation.

Read on for our interview with Caroline

Describe your career trajectory and how you got to your current position.

My career has been decidedly non-linear to say the least! After 5 years in professional services both here and in the UK, I spent over a decade in the media sector. I will never forget the bemused joy I had at first going to work and having a TV on my desk, the option of a giant slide as transport between floors, and a cast of colleagues representing every type of human I could imagine. It was certainly different from Chartered Accounting!

Over the next decade, I worked on projects I am incredibly proud of, like various Olympic and Commonwealth Games, the launch of sport channels, a broadband service, and innovative digital partnerships with telcos.

While the media sector gave me incredible opportunities and was certainly a lot of fun, I felt a growing need to put my skills toward a more meaningful purpose. In 2019, I made the unlikely career move to Greenpeace Australia Pacific. My time there, especially during the 2019/20 bushfires, changed my perspective on the urgent issues facing our planet.

Moving to WorkVentures enabled me to bridge these two career experiences. At WorkVentures, we have a strong focus on social impact, powered through a commercial, client-focused model, rather than a traditional fundraising-based NFP approach. For example, through WorkVentures; digital inclusion programs, we’ve supported over 100,000 Australians facing digital poverty with reliable technology and digital coaching, helping to bridge educational and employment gaps in some of our most vulnerable communities.

While at Greenpeace, I saw the power of advocacy to scale impact, something WorkVentures also leverages to amplify the reach and effectiveness of our programs focused on digital inclusion and youth unemployment.

What does this role mean to you?

When I started this role, we were in the thick of Covid lockdowns, attempting to ‘home-school’ my two daughters. My awareness of digital poverty couldn’t have been more acute as Australia’s digital divide widened. Children without tech access or digital skills fell behind, with the greatest impact on those already facing disadvantage. Even post-lockdown, 8 in 10 students lacking a suitable device struggle with homework, affecting educational outcomes like completing Year 12.

Our role at WorkVentures is critical in reducing digital poverty and showing what more can be done to address this often-overlooked issue. By partnering with schools, NFP’s and councils, we’ve been able to provide resources and technology to students who otherwise lack access, improving their educational and social outcomes. We know that digital poverty extends beyond youth and education: jobseekers face disadvantage, seniors face isolation, and First Nations communities see some of the highest digital gaps. Our initiatives have reached thousands of Australians, helping communities break the cycle of disadvantage by equipping them with tools and skills for a digitally inclusive future.

In short, this role is incredibly important to me!

Take us through a typical day of work for you.

There’s no such thing as a typical day – which I love! A day for me might involve meetings with ministers, school principals, or parents of students with disabilities, discussing the impacts of digital poverty. I frequently speak with organisations about device donations to expand our programs and strategise on maximising our social enterprise impact with finite resources. As an advocate for collaboration, I work closely with team members and partners to bring ideas to life.

Last year, for instance, WorkVentures partnered with 68 organisations to provide devices for students and families in need. Our partnerships have proven essential in helping us extend the reach of our programs, especially where resources are limited.

Sometimes, you might find me in the warehouse, helping the team scan in orders or support our device preparation efforts (though I’m often more of a hindrance than a help!)

What is the biggest challenge you’ve encountered in your career, and how did you overcome it?

Every career is filled with challenges that can later be seen as transformative opportunities. Over the past 5 years, the biggest challenge for me personally has been transitioning from a commercially focused role to a purpose-driven one. As I explored this through coaching, an opportunity at Greenpeace surfaced, though at the same time, a more financially lucrative corporate role also appeared. After a difficult head vs. heart decision process faced by many working in this sector, I chose the purpose-driven path, and I’ve never looked back.

Today, I apply that decision to drive WorkVentures’ mission forward, knowing that our work with digital inclusion programs has a life-changing impact. We’re committed to reaching our goal of reaching 1m device pledges for a National Device Bank within 5 years to further reduce digital poverty in Australia.

If you could go back in time, what piece of advice would you give yourself as you first embarked on your career?

I spent a lot of time as a young person worrying that I had made the ‘wrong’ career choices based upon my skillset. I’d love to go back and tell that 21-year-old that careers are journeys with intersections, bridges, and unexpected turns. Nothing is finite, and every experience is an opportunity to grow and influence your career path. The experiences that don’t energise us help refine the direction we do want to take and also help us identify our true strengths.

How do you stay motivated to work in this field?

With a career spanning both commercial and purpose-driven sectors, I genuinely find more motivation when work is linked to societal purpose. Knowing that our efforts meaningfully impact communities facing digital poverty and youth unemployment is extremely motivating. The impact is tangible: for example, WorkVentures has assisted over 25,000 young people with finding meaningful employment, helping break the cycle of disadvantage. This work, combined with my driven colleagues and passionate partners, uplifts my motivation daily.

How do you unwind after work?

I’m a fan of many hobbies – to my colleagues’ amusement! Outside of work, I play netball, run socially, do some Pilates, and recently have started rowing (enthusiastically but not skilfully!) I also shuttle my kids to their activities and I’m lucky to have a husband who’s a talented and willing chef. Reading fiction before bed is my ultimate way to relax, no  matter how busy my day has been.

What was the last thing you watched, read & listened to?

• Watched: I’m a sci-fi/fantasy nerd, enjoying shows like Rings of Power/House of the Dragon,
  as well as Doctor Who (a favourite I now share with my 12-year-old).
• Read: I’m part of a book club and recently enjoyed “The Dictionary of Lost Words” by Pip
  Williams.
• Listened to: I prefer non-fiction audiobooks. I recently listened to “Atomic Habits,” which has
  been impactful for personal and professional growth, and “Stolen Focus,” which explores the
  challenge of maintaining focus in a digitally cluttered world. On a lighter note, I experienced the awe-inspiring spectacle of over 20,000 teen and tween aged girls singing in unison to Olivia Rodrigo, so she is playing on high rotation in our house (I am now converted!)