NIAMH Conway could soon be taking shopping to tech-savvy heights without spending a cent.
The 17-year-old, who wants to help retailers build their businesses online, has been awarded a $25,000 Westpac Young Technologists scholarship to help cover her studies at the Queensland University of Technology.
She was one of 35 recipients across Australia to receive the bank’s merit-based funding earlier this year, which is aimed at boosting the country’s tech-talent pool.
While the Ormiston College graduate and OP 2 recipient was also offered the university’s Vice-Chancellor and Women in IT scholarships, Niamh said she chose Westpac’s award as she could only pick one.
“I feel so fortunate to receive this scholarship from Westpac, which has already opened many avenues I never thought possible and I look forward to future opportunities that could be made possible through the scholar alumni network,” she said.
Niamh said she would merge her business and information technology studies together to help retailers conduct strategic online marketing campaigns.
The Victoria Point girl said she was drawn to marketing because of the creativity involved.
While traditional forms of advertising, including billboard signage, have not yet gone out of fashion, Niamh said online shopping enabled stores to reach their target audience with ease.
Online platforms also meant retailers could collect data for market research and improve supply-chain management.
You could put trackers into shoes and track the distance people run and when their shoes expire.
- Niamh Conway
“It is all about consumer psychology and how people think,” she said.
“You could put trackers into shoes and track the distance people run and when their shoes expire.”
Niamh does not yet know what her job title will be after she graduates but said her career could be an exciting one thanks to the speed at which digital technologies had evolved.
She said she hoped to intern at Silicone Valley with search engine giant Google to learn more about front-end design and user-friendly interfaces.
While some shoppers may be hesitant to buy goods on the web, Niamh said the competition benefited consumers.
She said bricks-and-mortar shop fronts needed to improve customer experiences in a bid to keep dollars in the till.
