Aya Nasreddine was awarded the Australian Organics Recycling Association 2026 Young Professionals Scholarship. We talk with the emerging environmental consultant about her immersion in the industry and the road ahead.
The Australian Organics Recycling Association (AORA) Young Professionals Scholarship is one of the organisation’s more recently adopted methods for industry outreach.
For more than a decade, AORA has worked to promote the recycling and reuse of organic material within a circular economy through partnerships, events and advocacy.
John McKew, National Executive Officer at AORA, says the Young Professionals Scholarship, established four years ago, is now critical to this arsenal, attracting and immersing new talent in the organics recycling sector.
He views the scholarship as imperative to keeping organics recycling both current and timely.
“We feel the initiative is important for both AORA and the whole industry,” John says, “so it’s something we’re committing to for the longer term.
“For any young person looking for an industry to grow in, the organics and recycling space is one they should consider. It is of vital importance to Australia, both environmentally and economically, and is only getting bigger.”
AORA’s scholarship provides recipients a $3000 grant toward covering the cost of their attendance at the AORA Annual Conference. Recipients gain total access to the event, which includes a product demonstration day, two plenary session days, and social functions. The immersive experience exposes them to policymakers and government regulators, while also introducing key industry issues, current solutions, the organics recycling end-market, and AORA itself.
“The idea is to give the young professional a broad view of the industry’s value chain and help to increase their awareness of what is happening in the space,” John says. “We hope to support their endeavour to be part of the industry and circular economy; while also showing them how much we value young people coming into our industry.
“We want young people entering this area with interest, passion, and a desire to make a difference. Their contributions are integral to our work.”
Scholarship recipients are selected based on their applications, which are vetted by John and other key AORA members – including those from Pure Environmental, this year’s scholarship sponsor.
Kali Martin, General Manager – Infrastructure and Development for Pure Environmental and Chair of AORA’s Board of Directors, says the company is passionate about attracting young and new talent into the industry.
“Pure Environmental has proudly sponsored AORA’s scholarship program for the past two years, alongside running our own graduate programs and other initiatives designed to attract emerging professionals and give them meaningful opportunities to enter and develop within the industry,” Kali says.
“The AORA conference is a great cross-section of industry expertise for newcomers to be exposed to. It’s a great opportunity for young professionals to kickstart their networks – that’s one of the most valuable aspects of the scholarship.
“We get a good number of applicants for the scholarship, and they are all high quality, but we’re also looking for passion. Someone who wants to learn and will have a lot of touch points with the industry.”
John says Aya Nasreddine, the 2026 AORA Young Professionals Scholarship recipient, submitted a comprehensive application.
“What stood out was that she had already demonstrated a strong commitment to the circular economy, and certainly to organics recycling,” he says.
Aya has worked as an environmental consultant for the past two years but has been fostering an interest in sustainability for much longer.
She says she’s always wanted to work in the space.
“I think it’s so important to understand that waste is not just something to be disposed of; it can be recovered, recycled, and turned into something valuable.”
Aya enrolled in a master’s degree in Sustainability at Deakin University, which required her to complete an internship. Searching for practical experience in how environmental work can be applied to real projects in Australia, she found work with environmental service provider MRA Consulting. She says this experience proved crucial to her comprehension of organics.
“During my internship, I was exposed to different types of projects,” Aya says, “and that really helped me to understand how waste management is not just technical, but also strategic and practical.”
Aya attended the 2026 AORA Annual Conference held in Melbourne in April, and leveraged the opportunity to better her understanding of the sector.
“I was able to connect with industry leaders and learn from the many experienced professionals there,” she says. “This exposure was very practical, which was fantastic.
“I heard from different organisations and saw different approaches to managing organic waste. And I was able to connect what I do in consulting with what happens operationally in the industry. Organics involves policy, infrastructure, technology, and even education and behaviour change.”
Aya says receiving the scholarship has given her more confidence to speak with industry professionals and engage with technical topics.
“From the first day of the conference to the last day, I felt I had changed quite a lot,” she says. “I learned the importance of collaboration between all parties, and I’ve been motivated to keep building my knowledge.”
Now incorporating her experiences from the scholarship and conference into her career, Aya recommends anyone thinking of applying for future scholarships shouldn’t hesitate.
“The scholarship is designed for those making a start in the industry,” she says. “Applicants shouldn’t let what they view as a lack of experience stop them from seizing an opportunity.
“As long as they are interested, curious and willing to learn, they will do well.”
For more information, visit www.aora.org.au
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