The paths we take after school are rarely linear, and for these three IGS alums, their journeys have been anything but ordinary. From scaling trees and battling wildfires in Canada to working in politics, media and cutting-edge engineering, Joel Pecotich (Class of 2006), Sam Varian (Class of 2014) and Ellie Hebden (Class of 2017) each reflect on how their time at IGS shaped their careers and global adventures.
Through their unique experiences, they showcase the spirit of exploration, adaptability and passion that IGS fosters. Whether protecting urban forests, navigating the fast-paced world of politics or innovating in medical technology, these alums continue to push boundaries, proving that an IGS education is just the beginning of a lifelong journey of learning and impact.
Joel Pecotich 2006
I originally wanted to be a landscape architect but didn’t like being in an office. I liked climbing trees so I decided I should get paid for it. I did my Diploma of Horticulture/ Arboriculture and a project management course.
I now work at Woollahra Council as a tree expert. Before Woollahra, I was a seasonal wildland firefighter for four years in rural Alberta, Canada. I was even featured in the ABC article Meet the Australians fighting Canada’s wildfires. I would also do abseiling work off skyscrapers and the Opera House in Sydney in my off-season, when I wasn’t travelling.
I live in Haberfield with my partner and our dog.
SAM VARIAN 2014
I moved to Melbourne in 2016 after graduating to study Arts. I graduated from uni in the middle of Covid, which was crazy, and managed to get a job in the Victorian government. I did learn from that, but didn’t love the deep bureaucracy, so I did a Diploma of Journalism and was lucky to get a job at Schwartz doing social media. That was amazing but I did realise that I don’t want to be a journalist, oops!
Then last year I managed to jump ship to the Greens, working for Victorian Senator Janet Rice and South Australian Senator Barbara Pocock, and that was incredible work that’s given me so much direction! I got to go to parliament and did a short stint covering as Janet’s media advisor, which were all amazing experiences.
I’m at the beginning of a big trip, which began in Taiwan with my boyfriend David, who proposed to me, so now I’m en-GAY-ged! I’m now on a Euro trip, eventually landing in Athens, (excited to use my IGS Spanish, and applying those same language lessons to learning Greek!) with the hopes of reading and writing more. I’ll also be starting a Substack, so like and subscribe lol when I actually write and publish it.
Since moving to Melbourne, I’ve met so many people who went to many different schools and I frequently feel so lucky to have gone to IGS. It’s full of kind people, and whenever I run into people who have moved to Victoria, it’s been so nice.
I’m not living in Sydney anymore- I’m now a real IGS man -a global citizen.😀 VARIAN 2014
Ellie Hebden 2017
After finishing IGS in 2017, I started a Bachelor’s of Engineering (Mechatronics) and Medical Science at UTS. I was pretty fortunate in that I knew what I wanted to do after being involved in robotics extracurriculars during my later High School years (Clubs Change Lives!). After my third year, I started an internship at a medical device company in the neuromodulation industry, working in the manufacturing engineering department.
After five and a half years, I graduated midway through 2023. I took a few months off to travel and returned to Sydney to continue working for the same company as a graduate manufacturing engineer. I recently moved to the systems engineering team where I work on developing new products.
I’m still close friends with many of the IGS crew and have many fond memories of our School years together. I’m so grateful for all the amazing opportunities I had.
