Growing up in the rural Queensland town of Gympie, Raymart Walker never imagined the world would become his professional playground. But today, he’s preparing for a diplomatic posting in Southeast Asia, after a degree in international studies from UniSC opened doors he never knew existed, leading him to a life-changing experience in Japan and a career with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
“I spent all my life in Gympie until I graduated Grade 12… my parents and I went to Brisbane every now and then, but we didn’t really interact with the wider world so to speak,” Raymart says.
“Mum’s Filipino and Dad’s Yugoslavian, but despite having culturally diverse parents and learning about the world through their eyes, the only careers I was exposed to as a child were teaching, and cleaning—my dad was a cleaner—and I knew I didn’t want to be a cleaner.”
As a teenager, Raymart lived on a farm with his parents, and while he loved being outdoors, the “sweaty, physical labour” wasn’t for him.
“Mum would always joke, ‘Well, you won’t be a farmer when you grow up, so you’re going to have to study hard and go to university,’ but that comment ended up propelling me toward the life I have now.”
“I’ve always loved learning and the environment of the classroom, so pursuing higher education felt natural… my parents, who never had the chance to go to university, encouraged me to go.”
As the first in his family to attend university, he had only been exposed to a narrow range of career options. Like many of his peers in regional Australia, the concept of an international career never even crossed his mind. So initially, Raymart chose a study path that seemed accessible.
“I wanted to be a teacher because I wanted to do something where I could make a difference, and anyone I saw doing that was a teacher,” he says.
This led him to enrol in a Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Science at the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC). But his life took a different turn during his studies, opening doors he hadn’t even realised were there to open.
“I probably would have finished that degree and become a teacher if it wasn’t for an international experience I secured in my last year at UniSC, through the New Colombo Plan (NCP) scholarship program,” Raymart says.
Raymart with Former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and former Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove receiving his New Colombo Plan scholarship in 2016.
Raymart in Japan at Akita International University, where he studied international relations. A course that ended up changing his career path.
The NCP, a prestigious scholarship program, supports Australian undergraduates to study and undertake internships in the Indo-Pacific region. For Raymart, this meant studying in Japan, and it was a life-changing experience.
“When I went to Japan, I wanted to use my electives to study international relations, as I've always found international news very interesting.
“Then I did a course which focused on international relations, sort of an international politics angle, and I really loved it… how the world works, it's extremely fascinating for me, so that course persuaded me to transform career paths.”
Raymart enjoyed his time in Japan so much, that the original nine months turned out to not be long enough for him.
“I loved learning about a different cultural context and international relations so much, that I extended my stay by another semester – and so I changed to an arts and humanities degree… it’s a change I don’t regret at all,” he says.
This decision proved key in shaping Raymart’s future. After completing his degree, he was able to pursue his passion for international relations through the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), which he’d been told was nearly impossible to get into.
“I applied for different graduate jobs through government, without any luck… I had my eyes on DFAT but I kept hearing how hard it was to get a position there, and I thought ‘well, I’ll just give it a go and see what happens,’” he says.
Having a go paid off. In 2021 he received an “incredibly exciting” offer to work at DFAT through the graduate program.
For the past two and a half years, Raymart has worked at DFAT on Southeast Asia policy, supported climate diplomacy initiatives, and even had the chance to participate in high-level international summits.
“I was lucky enough to support the ASEAN summit in Melbourne this year, I was there as a liaison officer supporting a delegation,” he says, still clearly awed by the experience.
“I remember seeing all sorts of people you see on TV, like our prime minister, our foreign minister, and different presidents, world leaders and prime ministers of different countries... I was in this hall with all these people, which was pretty amazing.”
Reflecting on his journey, Raymart is deeply appreciative of the opportunities his degree in arts and humanities – majoring in international studies – afforded him.
“The arts degrees really prepare you for thinking in this grey-area world that we live in, with all the diverse perspectives that exist; a lot of the people I work with have said, ‘I’m really glad I have an arts degree, because it's helped me to think about different issues… it gives meaning to the world.’”
His transformation from a stay-close-to-home student to a confident global professional is one of the most incredible aspects of Raymart’s uni journey.
“In one of my first lectures, someone from the study overseas office spoke about the travel opportunities at university... I remember being like, ‘Oh, that's not for me!’ I didn’t want to step that far out of my comfort zone,” he recalls.
“Even after I got the NCP scholarship, I was still hesitant to go as I had never lived that far from home, let alone in another country with a different language… but as I spent more time at university, I grew and engaged with more things.
“When it comes down to it, you have to put yourself out there and jump off the metaphorical cliff to experience those things you never thought were possible.”
Raymart credits his leadership roles at UniSC, especially being on the Student Representative Council, for giving him the confidence and skills to succeed.
“If I didn’t do the extra things at university, I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today.”
Raymart is also currently taking advantage of UniSC’s research pathways into postgraduate study, undertaking a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) research thesis in international studies part-time while he works in Canberra.
Now preparing for his next major career move—a three-year posting to Southeast Asia— Raymart reflects on how far he’s come.
“If you had said to me in high school that I was going to be living overseas representing Australia, I would be like, ‘You’re crazy,’” he says with a smile.
And as he prepares for his next adventure, Raymart is proof that with the right opportunities, even a kid from regional Queensland can make a global impact.
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