Always put your hand up: Middle Arm Integration manager’s life advice for 2025 graduates

As an occasional address speaker at this year’s May graduation ceremonies at Casuarina campus, Charles Darwin University (CDU) alumnus Jacinta Kelly said she wanted the new graduates to remember three pieces of advice.

Ms Kelly said graduates needed to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, always put a hand up for opportunities, and treat every obstacle like another building block.

“If you keep these things in mind, some incredible doors can open – you can’t go wrong,” she said.

It’s what she learned since crossing the graduations stage over 15 years ago.

Ms Kelly studied a double degree, graduating with a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Civil Engineering in 2009.

She said she looked back on her university days with fondness – it’s where she met her husband, networked with her peers, and got the first taste of her future career.

“I had no idea what to expect after my university days, but I’m grateful for the exciting projects I’ve been involved with over the years,” Ms Kelly said.

Her career spans structural engineering, infrastructure project management, and leadership roles in both public and private sectors. Highlights include work on Archer Zone substation, remote housing programs, Bathurst Island Airstrip reconstruction, and solar energy facilities.

Most recently, she concluded her tenure as President of Engineers Australia’s Northern Division, a role that saw her advocate for the engineering profession and support the next generation of professionals.

Now, she is the Integration Manager for the Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct project drawing on her experience managing multidisciplinary teams and complex stakeholder environments

“Each project has had its own challenges – and that’s the point. There’s always something new to learn, a new team to build, or a problem to solve,” she said.

Looking back on her journey from graduation to present, Ms Kelly is confident this year’s CDU graduates have bright futures ahead. 

“Graduation might be the end of an era, it’s also the start of the rest of your life,” she said.