Please note: Images in this article were taken before current COVID-19 safety measures were in place.
[Vision: image showing words 2019 Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards]
[Vision: woman in white coat in a laboratory with another person and lab equipment behind them]
Rochelle Avenue, Woman Manufacturer of the Year and Marketing Manager at Leica Biosystems
I remember looking at different careers when I was in high school and I remember telling my mum that all I wanted to do was wear a lab coat and safety glasses and work in a laboratory…
[Vision: Rochelle operating a machine in a lab]
Rochelle
… and now I'm actually manufacturing those laboratory equipment so it's pretty, pretty incredible
[Vision: Rochelle standing in an office and speaking directly to the camera]
Rochelle
My name's Rochelle Avenue and I'm the manufacturing manager here at like a Biosystems Melbourne.
[Vision: Rochelle walking to the Leica building, opening the glass door and walking through to the foyer. She is then walking up the stairs; a Leica Biosystems sign is on the wall behind her.]
Rochelle
I started in October 2000, so I've been here almost 19 years
[Vision: Rochelle is putting on her white laboratory coat, then is sitting down at a desk with lab equipment. There is a close up of Rochelle using a microscope then an image of what she is looking at under the microscope]
Rochelle
My journey’s been I think quite an unusual one from being a scientist and then moving through different roles to then being a manufacturing manager which isn't your typical role for a female. Nor is it a typical role for a scientist
[Vision: Rochelle and a male colleague, both wearing lab coats and safety goggles, are in front of a computer monitor in the lab; Rochelle is pointing to the screen and then chatting to her colleague; both smile.]
[Vision: Rochelle is at a desk with a computer in an open plan office; she is side on to the camera and typing. There is a close up of her over her computer monitors. The next shot shows a pin up board with photos of young boys]
[Vision:: Rochelle standing in an office and speaking directly to the camera, she is then shown wearing a blue coat walking through an open plan office, passing colleagues and saying hello to them. She is then speaking to same colleague she was speaking to in the lab. He is sitting down in front of the computer while Rochelle stands next to him and they discuss what the can see on the screen. There is a close up of the colleague speaking to Rochelle.]
[Vision: A group photo of workers, many in blue coats, standing in the office is shown. The camera pans to another group photo which is more relaxed with many striking different poses eg thumbs up, waving.]
[Vision: a woman in a blue coat is working on a piece of machinery and moving one part of it; another colleague is then standing next to her looking at the same machine and moving parts of it.]
[Vision: Rochelle standing in an office and speaking directly to the camera; there is a side close up view of Rochelle]
Rochelle
What I find most rewarding about managing such a large team is being able to have the opportunity to get the best out of people. Because everyone comes with different ideas different experiences.
For me working with medical devices and, specifically manufacturing instruments that help diagnose cancers, touches millions of lives every day…so it's really easy to get up in the morning
[Vision: man wearing glasses and check short is standing in an office and speaking directly to the camera. His name and job title appear: Douglas Coveney, Senior Director, Leica Biosystems]
[Vision: Rochelle is standing in front of colleagues who are wearing blue coats, she is speaking to them and gesticulating with her hands]
Douglas
Michele is a significant contributor to the overall business
[Vision: camera pans across group of people wearing blue coats to Rochelle who is speaking to them. Two women are smiling and nodding. Rochelle is shown again speaking.]
[Vision: Douglas standing in an office and speaking directly to the camera]
[Vision: Rochelle’s head photoshopped on to an image of Supergirl with the words “Congrats Rocky for your nomination Woman Manufacturer of the year!”]
Douglas
She has overseen a record growth in medical devices with over 14 per cent growth year on year.
[Vision: Douglas standing in an office and speaking directly to the camera; he is then shown side on as he continues to speak]
Douglas
For rocky to be nominated as woman manufacturer of the year is…is very special and to see the success of a woman in what we would consider normally as a male-dominated manufacturing world is outstanding.
[Vision: Rochelle wearing her blue lab coat walking past cubicles and colleagues]
[Vision: Rochelle standing in an office and speaking directly to the camera]
Rochelle
I'd like to think that if people do hear my story that they can be inspired to go for roles that perhaps they didn’t think that they were suited for.
I'd love people to think that they have transferable skills - that they can offer it anywhere.
[Vision: close up of Rochelle smiling]
[Vision: image stating Woman Manufacturer of the Year: Rochelle Avinu, Manufacturing Manager – Leica Biosystems]
[Vision: image stating “sponsored by Bank of Melbourne” with the Bank of Melbourne logo]
[Vision: image showing 2019 Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards with the Victorian State logo underneath]
Back to the article; Meet Victoria's 2019 Woman Manufacturer of the Year.
