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Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ´óÈ« alumni Josh Pascoe (2003) has had what he calls a non-stereotypical career path. He is proof that there are many different ways to build a career and find your passion. 

You graduated from Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ´óÈ« in 2003, what have the last 16 years held for you?

Since leaving Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ´óÈ« I have not only built a career, but also been discovering who I am as a person, what makes me happy and what I am passionate about.

After finishing Year 12 I was not entirely sure what I wanted to do moving forward so I took the opportunity to travel overseas and work at a Summer Camp in Nassau County, New York, USA. I enjoyed the experience so much I went back to Camp Schodack three times, and also take the time to travel around the USA and Canada. In between travelling I worked in surf retail stores, which was something I really enjoyed and w I had a natural ability for. After my third year of Summer Camp I moved up to Vancouver, Canada, to live and work for Rip Curl North America.

After coming back to Australia, I continued to build my experience and career in the retail and wholesale side of the action sports industry. I am now based back on the Central Coast working for Cotton On Group as a Territory Manager, continuing to study and build my skill set as well as keep a positive worklife balance.

What has the highlight of your career been to date?

There have been a couple of career highlights so far and I hope to have many more!

The first was living and working in Vancouver, Canada. It is not only a beautiful part of the world with amazing people but the experience helped me grow so much as a person. It was here I had the opportunity to work for Rip Curl, a great company to be part of. 

The second career highlight was winning Territory Manager of the Year. Not only was it a culmination of my growth in the wholesale fashion industry, but it was recognition for the hard work I had put in. As part of my prize, I received an all-expenses paid trip to Coachella Music Festival in California which was a once in a lifetime experience.

What drives you to go to work and give it your best each day?

I wake up everyday and the first thing I think of is ‘How can I be 20% better today?’. I am always looking to learn new skills and techniques that will not only make me better in my career but also make me a better person. If I can make someone’s day, or teach/mentor someone in a skill, then not only is my day made but there is a good chance the person I helped will also be 20% better tomorrow.

What trait has been most vital in helping you succeed?

Being in a customer-based industry, I'd say my ability to speak to, and connect with, any type of personality or age group within any industry. I can change and adapt my approach and language based on the person or demographic I am talking to. This has allowed me come across clearly to anyone I speak to, and has helped me build trust and confidence in my abilities. Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ´óÈ« gave me the skills to make the most of any opportunity that was placed in front of me and the work ethic to get it done.

How has the COVID pandemic affected your industry? Do you think it will change how your industry operates in the future?

Unfortunately, being in the retail industry, COVID has affected the brick and mortar side of the business heavily with people being told to self-isolate and not visit stores or shopping centres. Even though retail stores were never officially told to close,a lot of major companies (including Cotton On Group) made the decision to close their doors for a period of time. I was still able to work during that time and was very lucky that the Cotton On Group took care of their team members during the forced closures.

As a by-product of the COVID pandemic, and physical retail stores closing, online sales have skyrocketed, not only at Cotton On Group but also for a lot of other retailers. Some companies have seen 3 to 4 times stronger online sales than they see at Christmas. I think my industry has learnt the need and benefits of a strong online shopping presence and need for an efficient distribution procedure out of their warehouses. Moving forward there will be push back from the retailers regarding rent prices in major shopping centres because COVID has proven customers are willing to shop online which has far less overheads for retail companies.

Outside of work, what else are you passionate about?

I have been lucky that parts of my work have also been my passions such as fashion and pop culture. I am a massive nerd at heart so movies, reading, comics, gaming and anything related to those is something I love to do when I’m not at work. I also love Basketball so much so I even have my own blog related to the Phoenix Suns in the NBA. I also play Basketball at Breakers Stadium, Terrigal, twice a week.

I love music and was fortunate to come from a family that all had different tastes in music. There was always something playing at home. I go to as many live gigs and festivals as I can and am looking forward to getting back to this soon.

More recently one of my sisters, Samantha Pascoe (Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ´óÈ« 2005) had a beautiful baby girl named Olivia and I am spending as much time with little Olivia as I can.

What is your favourite memory of Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏ´óÈ«?

Two memories come to mind. The first would have to be all the sporting teams I played and the fun we all had. I played Basketball and Rugby every year and I had no issues spending my weekends travelling long distances (thanks Dad) to play sports with my friends.

My second memory would have to be exchange to Southridge School in Vancouver in Year 10. I was part of the first group to go to Southridge School on exchange which solidified a relationship that still stands to this day. I made some amazing friends, got to live in and witness another culture and country and had an amazing host family.

What is one piece of advice you would give to your high school self?

My advice to myself, or any high school student, would be to not put so much pressure on yourself. There is more than one way to build a career and live a life. You don't need to have it all figured out when you are 17 or 18 years old. You would be amazed at how much you grow and change as a person from 16 to 25 which may take you in a completely different direction than you had planned. 

Also, don’t take school for granted. Be open to any opportunity and enjoy every moment you have with your friends and experiences along the way.