When Courtney Joyce left Albany Senior High School (ASHS) in 2016, she headed off on a European adventure the very next day.

Ten years later, she is leading a global marketing team, helping develop products sold through some of the world’s largest retailers, including Target USA, Walmart, Woolworths and Coles.

But while her career has taken her in exciting directions, Courtney credits ASHS with helping her discover something just as important: what she didn’t want to do.

Discovering the Right Path

Like many teenagers, Courtney thought she had her future mapped out.

“Throughout high school, I was convinced I wanted to study fashion design,” she says.

Through ASHS Impact Projects, she was able to immerse herself in the fashion industry and secure a Gateway internship with a high-end fashion house. While the experience confirmed her passion for creativity, it also helped her realise that a fashion degree wasn’t the right fit.

“That experience ultimately helped me realise that a fashion degree wasn’t the right path for me,” she says. “Without that opportunity, I probably would have spent years studying something that wasn’t the right fit.”

Instead, Courtney enrolled in AUT’s Bachelor of Business, majoring in Design for Business and Marketing.

After graduating during the uncertainty of COVID-19, she launched her own freelance brand marketing and design studio while searching for the right permanent opportunity. The experience taught her everything from running a business and managing clients to selling her skills and building professional relationships.

She later moved into contract roles with large organisations, conducting customer research, identifying opportunities and presenting strategic recommendations to senior leadership teams.

Networking also became a key part of her journey.

“I actively expanded my industry connections and never hesitated to reach out to people on LinkedIn to learn from their experiences.”

That willingness to put herself out there led to an unexpected opportunity. After being spotted on AUT’s top graduates list, Courtney was invited for a coffee with someone building a startup in the FMCG space.

At the time, the company had no office, no formal job description and only a handful of ambitious ideas.

Courtney took the leap.

Five years later, she is now Global Marketing Manager at MOXX, leading a marketing team at New Zealand’s fastest-growing consumer goods and export companies. Alongside her team, she has helped launch hundreds of products, build household brands and take New Zealand-made products to markets around the world.

The ASHS Difference

Looking back, Courtney believes ASHS played a significant role in shaping both her personal and professional outlook.

“ASHS is unique in the way it encourages you to explore who you want to be,” she says.

That environment taught her to be open-minded, connect with people from different backgrounds and think carefully about the impact she wanted to have in the world.

Professionally, those skills have proven invaluable.

“Early in my career, they helped me build relationships and learn from a wide range of people. Over time, that has evolved into being able to work effectively with different personalities, lead with empathy and positively influence the people around me.”

Many of the things that felt normal at ASHS now stand out as surprisingly different when she describes them to others.

“Almost everyone I meet is surprised when I describe ASHS,” she says.

“Three classes a day? What?! Yes; immersion.”

“No classes on Wednesdays? What?! Yes, real-world experiences and discovery of interests.“

“Calling teachers by their first names? What?! Yes, building confidence to connect with people who have more experience than you and learning from them on a human level.”

“Those things felt normal at ASHS, but looking back, they were incredibly unique experiences that helped prepare us for life beyond school. I wouldn’t change them for the world.”

A World of Opportunity

One of Courtney’s most memorable ASHS experiences was travelling to the United States as part of a business trip.

The opportunity saw her visit Silicon Valley and meet leaders from globally recognised organisations including Microsoft, Levi’s, Starbucks, Costco and Lucasfilm.

“It opened my eyes to what was possible and made the world feel a whole lot bigger.”

Years later, while working with Costco as a supplier, she had the opportunity to meet the company’s CEO.

“It felt like a real full-circle moment and a reminder of how impactful those ASHS opportunities can be.”

Learning by Doing

When asked if there was a moment she felt truly prepared for the “real world”, Courtney’s answer might surprise some people.

“I’ve realised there isn’t one single moment where you suddenly feel ready,” she says. “You learn by doing.”

Instead, she believes ASHS gave her something even more valuable: the confidence to trust herself, stay curious and embrace opportunities.

“Looking back, I think ASHS gave me the confidence to trust my instincts, stay curious and keep saying yes to opportunities, even when they feel a little scary.”

It’s a lesson that has served her well throughout the last decade – from travelling overseas after school, to changing career direction, to taking a chance on a startup with big ambitions.

For Courtney and her two sisters, who all attended ASHS, the impact of that experience continues to be felt today.

“My two sisters and I all loved our time at ASHS and I like to think it helped shape us into well-rounded people who have gone on to build careers we genuinely enjoy, which says a lot about the support ASHS can give you.”