From an Electronics Technician in the Australian Defence Force to a finalist in the 2023 Women in Defence awards, Tanya Alempijevic's career journey is one of inspiration and perseverance.
Joining the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) at 17, Tanya saw it as an opportunity to be trained as an electronics technician, a skill she had developed and loved during her elective in high school. During her shore time, she worked in 'Port Services' and learned how to operate mobile cranes, forklifts, and elevated work platforms, as well as being a dogman for the cranes. Through this posting, she received her high-risk licenses, which proved useful when she left the RAN.
But sometimes, life throws you a curveball. After leaving the ADF almost 20 years ago, Tanya found herself in a difficult position, as at the time there were no support services for veterans transitioning out of their careers. For a while she serviced electronic pool tables and jukeboxes in pubs and clubs around Sydney, before moving to the Gold Coast to be a crane driver for a steel fabrication company on the Gold Coast. But it was her move back to Sydney would shape her career.
Most recently, Tanya has been named as a Technical Lead Finalist in the Women in Defence 2023 awards.
Initially starting her career at Serco as a weapons technician, focusing primarily on the Defence Marine Support Services contract, formerly known as the Fleet Marine Services Contract (FMSC), specialising as a boat technician. Tanya’s career took a significant turn when she transitioned into a planning role within the same contract, marking a pivotal moment in her professional journey.
“It was this role that convinced me to pursue a career in maintenance planning and asset management.”
Building on her previous role, Tanya's journey with Serco led her to a series of challenging yet exciting opportunities. This included her involvement in the contract bid for our current Mini Typhoon, Typhoon & Toplite (MTTT) contract, where she currently works as the technical planner.
What motivates Tanya? It’s simple: she loves her role! As the Technical Planner for our MTTT contract, Tanya enjoys working in a collaborative environment while also liaising with Defence personnel all over the country, maintaining her 'Defence Family' connection.
As Tanya looks to the future, she envisions a career in Asset Management within Serco with ambitions to also complete a Graduate Diploma in Asset Management.