Staff profile: Meet Raya Darcy
Raya Darcy is a Program Designer in the Training Design and Development team.
What is your favourite aspect of working in your team?
I love that our team is made up of people that all have quite different personalities. We’re all our own person, and I’d like to think that everyone feels comfortable just to just be themselves. We have people that are quite lively and spirited who bring a lot of energy; people that are calm and relaxed who bring a sense of peace; people that are talkative and funny who bring a sense of humour; and people that are social and personable who bring a lot of warmth and caring. So we’re a diverse team, which always makes coming to work interesting and fun.
What’s the most interesting project you've worked on at the CFA?
That’s like asking “What is your favourite book or movie?” and I can never choose a single favourite. I’ll answer the question by saying that the most interesting thing about my role as a designer of CFA training programs is that I’m always learning something new. I am a naturally curious and knowledge-seeking kind of person, and I really love working in emergency services because I feel it’s really important work. So my work feeds my curiosity and my knowledge, and I always want to ensure I can create quality programs which enhance the training needs of our volunteers. I’m currently working on a course on fire weather, which is really fascinating, and I’m working to ensure that our volunteers are getting appropriate and engaging fire weather safety training.
What is your background?
I left school in Year 10 and worked in a few clerical roles but then decided I wanted to pursue higher education and so completed Year 12, then a degree in Sociology, and then a PhD in Communication. I was a lecturer in Media & Communication for 10 years but preferred teaching over research (and all the pressures that went with it!) and moved into learning and development roles, including course design, where I’ve been for about 10 years. I’m in my happy place when I’m designing courses – it’s what I love doing.
What’s a hobby or interest you have that might surprise your colleagues?
I’m a Sydney Swans tragic, currently still in recovery from last year’s grand final loss (sob!)
If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be and what would you ask them?
My 18th century great grandparents (a few times removed) were African American slaves, owned by a military Colonel in the US, who defected to Prince Edward Island in Canada during the American War of Independence, where he eventually set all his slaves free. I would ask my great grandparents about their experiences, their culture and their knowledge, and then share their stories with the world.
What is one thing you can't live without at work?
Smartsheet. I love Smartsheet because it enables me to bring the chaos of creating and managing multiple training courses into a well-managed process. I use it all day, every day.