From the Classroom to the Flight Deck: Learning Takes Flight

VCE Business Management students recently had the opportunity to bring their classroom learning to life through a conversation with Qantas A330 First Officer and MLC alumna, Sophia Lazarou (2004), and Qantas A321XLR Captain Helena Chesworth.

As students explored Qantas as their contemporary case study, the session offered powerful insights into leadership, organisational change and the opportunities available to women in aviation.

The session also marked the record-breaking arrival in Melbourne of the Airbus aircraft at the centre of Project Sunrise, giving students a timely opportunity to explore the complexities of organisational change within a major global organisation.

For student Audrey, the session connected classroom learning to lived experience.

“Having these Qantas staff members come in was really an invaluable experience,” she said. “We were able to immerse ourselves in what they do day-to-day, hear their first-hand and personal experiences.”

Deputy Head of Commerce Victoria Blakston agreed that the event helped students connect theory with practice.

“It applies the content to a context. Because without context, content is just dry theory.”

One of the highlights came when Sophia and Helena role-played a scenario, illustrating how pilots are trained in conflict management. Students saw communication, collaboration and conflict resolution unfold in real time.

Sophia and Helena also provided reflections on the lessons and skills they’ve learned as leaders.

“It's about how you bring the team together and learning the ‘human’ skills to be a captain,” explained Helena. She also noted the importance of good role models as you are training. “I typically reach out to people that I aspire to be like and I really rely on mentors.”

“I was taught that the attitude you turn up to work with is the attitude that you set for the rest of your crew,” said Sophia. “And that's your fellow cabin crew, your ground staff, the engineers, the refuellers – everyone.”

For Sophia, who began flying as a Year 11 student, it was a meaningful experience to take the lessons learned in her career back to the College.

“It's really cool to be able to share things that I've been able to learn since leaving MLC and hopefully impart some sort of wisdom to give them the confidence to do something similar to what I've done.”

Sharing advice for young women considering aviation or pursuing career goals, she encouraged students to embrace every opportunity.

“Go for it. Do anything. Say yes to every job. Don't think a job is below you or above you. And don't have a predetermined end point, because you'll find your path along the way.”

The importance of representation was another powerful theme throughout the discussion. Speaking about her own pathway into aviation, Helena reflected on how when she was a student there wasn't a sense that becoming a pilot was a realistic pathway for her.

“It wasn't something I considered when I was in high school because I had no female representation,” she recalled. “Unfortunately, my career advisor had never heard of a female pilot before.”

For the MLC students present, meeting two accomplished women leading in a highly technical industry provided an inspiring example of what is possible.

VCE Business Management student Sienna said the experience was deeply inspiring.

“I think what inspired us the most today is to see that there's female pilots out there and they've set that up for us,” she explained. “They've gone through the hardships of trying to do that. And now we can see that any girl can be a pilot now.”

Qantas First Officer Sophia Lazarou and pilot Rose Donald

Among those inspired by the discussion was MLC student and pilot Rose Donald, whose own aviation journey is already underway after circumnavigating Australia earlier this year. Hearing directly from someone who had followed a similar path made a lasting impression.

“It was so valuable to be able to hear from someone like Soph who's really high up in her aviation career,” she reflected. “It's really given me something to aspire to.”