Connected Conversations | Tom Nelson
What do commerce, Canada and cars have in common? Tom Nelson! After completing a commerce degree right here at the University of Adelaide, taking a gap year in Canada and working at BMW (with a myriad of jobs in between) Tom landed in the faculty marketing team as Product Specialist.
Tom has been the product specialist over the last 2 years and assists with marketing and recruitment activities across the faculty. When not at work, you will find him riding his bike, enjoying drinks on Rundle Street or gardening.
Please tell us your name and a little bit about yourself.
Hey there, my name is Tom and I work for the faculty as part of the marketing team. My current role is as a Product Specialist, which is an ambiguous title but it’s a lot of fun! I previously graduated from the university with a commerce degree in 2019 and couldn’t be happier to be back here working.
In my spare time, I’ve always enjoyed action sports like BMX and Snowboarding, which is why I picked my local skatepark for the photoshoot. I like to spend as much time outdoors as possible and have a passion for plants and gardening. I also love to travel when I have the time and money and am a sucker for buying tickets to as many festivals as possible.
Tell us a bit about your time at the University.
I’ve been in the product specialist role for about 2 years now and as the role was only formed when I first joined the University, I’ve been lucky enough to help shape it. Essentially, I attempt to know as much as possible about our Health programs so that I can assist with a variety of Marketing and Recruitment activities. One great aspect of the role is that I get to work with many different teams, and I am always meeting new and inspiring people, of which the university has an abundance.
What has been your journey to get where you are today?
I was unsure of what I wanted to do after school, so I took a gap year, worked my butt off and then partied in Canada. The partying didn’t help my decision making much but I’ve always been interested in marketing, so I started a commerce and marketing degree at Adelaide which I thoroughly enjoyed. I had many jobs while at school and university, including as a Barista, Waiter, Gardener, Shelf Stacker, Delivery Driver, Removalist, Receptionist etc. My shortest job was as a Housekeeper which lasted 2 days before I realised, I was not cut out for being a housekeeper... Prior to joining the university, I was in car sales at a BMW dealership and as much as I loved the cars, I knew it wasn’t for me. Upon leaving the car industry, I applied for a job at the University, and it’s been my favourite job to date!
What has been your career highlight, to date?
I hope to have a more impressive answer to this question in 10 years, but I’d say the opportunities I’ve had to present to large audiences, either unveiling new BMWs or promoting programs on Open Day. I am also grateful for all the friends, horrible customers, inspiring coworkers, and everyone in between who have made the first 10 years of my work life so enjoyable and memorable.
What do you love most about working at the University of Adelaide?
The beautiful campus, the people, and the buzz. There is a constant feeling that great things are happening here, and I love being even a small part of it.
Who (or what) inspires you?
My parents are a great inspiration to me. They have always been excellent role models for me and my siblings and continually demonstrate what a healthy relationship looks like, how you should treat people and how to conduct yourself. They are both very smart and have had successful careers in their fields, which drives me to do my best and challenge myself wherever I can. The older I get, the more I appreciate them, and I hope to some day be as good a parent as they are.
What is the best decision you have ever made? Or–if it’s more interesting–the worst?
The best decision I’ve made would probably be solo travelling when I was 19. As much as it’s a cliche for long-haired Aussie yahoos to live and work in Canada, it really was an amazing experience and taught me to never be afraid of stepping out of my comfort zone. As for my worst decisions, you’ll have to ask me in person for those…
What is your favourite thing about living in Adelaide?
I love Adelaide! My favourite things are the weather, the people, the greenery, festivities, and accessibility. I try to get out and about as much as possible and particularly enjoy exploring the hills during the day and then heading into town for a meal and some drinks along Rundle street. I am a big advocate for Adelaide and have never found a shortage of things to see or do here, like people in other states might suggest!
What’s something that people are surprised to find out about you?
I’m a twin! I have a twin sister, Georgia, who is the biggest pain in my side and my best friend at the same time. We’ve always been close and share many friends so we’re often heading off to festivals together or organising joint parties. Like all good twins, we can speak our own language and telepathically read each other’s minds!
What do you hope to be doing in 10 years’ time?
Retired after winning the lottery, admiring my car collection, and landscaping my hills estate.
What do you do on your commute to/from work?
I bought a moped a few years ago to drive to and from work and it has been a game changer. It wakes me up in the morning and is fun way to get home in the afternoon. The ability to lane split means traffic doesn’t exist and not paying for parking is great. If you hear what sounds like a lawn mower and see a flash of blue paint flying past, make sure to give me a wave!