UWA Master of Business Analytics student, Gayatri Varma Revi Varma, has been nominated for the McCusker Centre for Citizenship Outstanding Intern Award for her work helping Consumer Credit Legal Service (WA) Inc (CCLS) convert data into strategic planning.
Recently arrived in Perth to begin her UWA study, Gayatri applied for the internship hoping to learn about Australian culture and social issues while making an immediate positive contribution to local communities.
“I was particularly excited about the chance to work with a not-for-profit organisation, and I felt like it would be the perfect way to grow personally and professionally,” Gayatri said.
Emma Milne, CCLS CEO, said Gayatri started making an impact immediately in her role as IT and Data Analytics Intern.
“From the outset, Gayatri demonstrated initiative and a strong ability to learn quickly. She immersed herself in understanding our strategy documents, our Case Management System (CMS), and key reporting frameworks. Within a short space of time, she independently transformed strategic plan content into data-ready formats and Excel-based dashboards,” Ms Milne said.
“Gayatri’s work had a measurable impact on our ability to serve vulnerable clients more effectively by building and refining data systems. Her dashboards will help illuminate trends, and the ability to visualise strategic progress also supports more robust internal governance, which ultimately translates to better client service outcomes.”
The experience gave Gayatri insights into the importance of data-based work for not-for-profit organisations and community legal centres, while adding depth to her skillset.
“I would say I was in the right place at the right time with this internship. Because I was studying Power BI in one of my units, it was a perfect opportunity to apply my learning, explore more advanced features of the tool, as I worked with the CCLS team to understand hurdles and deliver robust and accurate dashboards,” she said.
“The internship showed me how critical data accuracy and visualisations are in making informed decisions, especially in the not-for-profit sector. I also gained insight into the operational challenges faced by legal services and how analytics can support access to justice and community impact.
“I learned how data can help drive meaningful change, which is exactly the kind of impact I want to have in my future career.”