Old Scholar Spotlight - Alana Em

“Don’t lose heart when things don’t work out; it builds character, tenacity and resilience and sometimes leads you to where you could never have imagined!”

Alana Em (Hancock, 2001) has built a distinguished career as a technology specialist in education, dedicated to utilising practical and emerging technologies to create equal educational opportunities for all students. As a consultant with Google, she supports the development and implementation of innovative solutions in education, culture, and technology throughout Western Australia. Alana also serves as the Cultural Program Coordinator and Digital Literacy Specialist at Penrhos College, where she designs and delivers engaging and inclusive programs that promote an appreciation and understanding of Australian Indigenous culture and language. Additionally, she coaches, mentors, and judges students in robotics and coding for the First Lego League Australia, inspiring them to pursue careers and skills in STEM.

Short & Sweet

• Class of: 2001
• Tertiary education: Curtin University (Bachelor of Commerce. Masters of Australian Indigenous Cultural Studies) ECU (Graduate Diploma in Education), Murdoch (Science Specialisation).
• Current role: Educational Consultant for Google. Cultural Program Coordinator and Digital Literacy Specialist at Penrhos College.
• Music you are currently listening to: Christian R&B and Country
• Dream dinner guest: Rabbia Siddique
• Favourite subject at school: Drama
• Your experience at St Mark’s in six words: Laughter, liveliness, friendships, fun, opportunity, creativity.

A Little Longer

Your St Mark’s experience ...
I attended St Mark’s for Years 11 and 12. I found it to be a very pastorally grounding and community-minded school. The impact St Mark’s had on my life and its alignment with my own ethics and morals are the reasons I then chose to enrol my own children at St Mark’s.

Where has life after St Mark’s taken you, and were you certain about the career path you wanted to follow?
Life has taken me on a very convoluted path! Someone commented to me that I had lived many lives in my 40 years, and they’re right! I settled down, had my children, and went to university, all within five years of high school. I then switched jobs and career paths while adding to our family many times, picking up a competitive sport on the way. I started in Commerce, wanting to be an accountant, and have ended up in Education, Technology, and Indigenous Culture.

How do you think St Mark’s prepared you for life after school?
St Mark’s prepared me for life after school with its core values and community-minded environment, teaching staff, and students. The school taught me through many experiences and great examples of teamwork.

What is your fondest memory of your time at St Mark’s?
Laughing with my friends.

What does a day in your role at Google and Penrhos look like?
I work with Google and schools across Western Australia, implementing programs and platforms to support learning and teaching. This can range from in-class professional development to delivering custom and niche school and staff PD. Google has also allowed me to travel to conferences and present both in-house at Google and to Australian and International audiences. I’ve been fortunate to have the support of Penrhos and Google in implementing programs in remote communities to help bring opportunities to students, communities, and educators that would otherwise be missed.
A day at Penrhos has me working in two roles: Digital Literacy Specialist and Cultural Program Coordinator. My days can range from pastoral support to our Indigenous cohort, event organisation, and coding robotics. The days are never dull!

What is the most rewarding aspect of your role?
Community, creating impacts and relationships amongst communities throughout Australia, from remotes in the middle of the Kimberley to the Google offices in the East. It’s the relationship-building that trumps everything else. Student and staff capacity growth and seeing the confidence of staff and students alike grow in the dynamic world of technology has also been a rewarding aspect of my work. That special ‘ahaaa!’ moment when a child understands a concept, or the glint in an educator’s eye when they realise where they can link the technology and just how easy it can be.

With the emergence of AI, how do you see the educational landscape changing to combat this new technology?
The emergence of new tools, technologies, and methodologies is a hallmark of human evolution. The essence of progress lies not in restraining AI but in mastering its use. AI has been integral for some time, yet the recent surge in generative AI’s popularity presents new challenges. Teaching students to engage with AI effectively and ethically is paramount. Equally crucial is empowering educators with the knowledge to discern AI-assisted student work and leverage AI to alleviate their extensive workloads creatively and efficiently. AI is not an adversary; it is a tool that demands comprehension and thoughtful application.

What is the best piece of advice you have been given?
To choose a career which provides great impact for others.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Motherhood.

Who is your biggest inspiration, and why?
My mother. She came to Australia with no support system, raising three kids with my father away a lot of the time working. She started working when I was 11 and would work nights. She is the eldest of nine from an Indigenous family in the northern mountains of the Philippines. To this day, she still works to send what she can back home to help others in the village.

What advice do you have for students wanting to pursue careers in education technology, digital literacy, or cultural programs?
Build the plane as you fly it. This is our mindset at Google. Our solutions are always evolving. Be ready to adapt!