Louise Nobes is on a mission to unearth young people who think differently and give them a chance to shine.
She’s built a career working with people; helping others reach their goals and using her voice to make an impact where it's needed most: “My perfect day is coming to work, and being surrounded by like-minded, passionate people,” Louise shares.
WiseTech's new Head of Education, Louise brings a bold vision grounded in her belief that while potential is universal, opportunity often is not. Reflecting on her career, she says: “I was seen as a troublemaker at school as I was always super curious, asked why all the time, never accepted the status quo.”
Louise was drawn to a career in social work, where she collaborated with “amazing young people and families” from disadvantaged backgrounds. However, she grew frustrated by the lack of emphasis on education and highly skilled career opportunities for those from low-income communities. Louise questioned, “Why should we focus only on managing someone's welfare and social payments? It seemed that education was considered less important for people from disadvantaged backgrounds than for those with privilege.”
This frustration fueled Louise to find a solution. “I really wanted to look at disruptive education models, advancing education, providing employment pathways,” she shares.
Disrupting education models to unearth talent
In 2015, Louise established KIK Innovation, a social impact organization dedicated to equipping young people from disadvantaged backgrounds with entrepreneurship skills and opportunities for job creation. In its initial years, KIK Innovation engaged individuals who had disengaged from education and were often perceived as 'troublemakers' by society.
The program successfully trained over 100 participants in entrepreneurship, developed several profitable businesses from the ground up, and facilitated tangible employment outcomes.
Louise and her team began researching and testing disruptive learning approaches focused on purpose and impact. They researched globally for examples of successful learning models that could bridge KIK Innovation’s purpose and the future of work.
The Eureka moment: 42 Network
When Louise encountered the 42 Network, she had a “Eureka” moment. Founded in Paris, the 42 Network is the world’s largest free global IT school. All partner campuses follow the same rules and use peer-to-peer training to teach tech skills and develop digital talent.
Recognizing the alignment between 42's ethos and KIK's mission, KIK obtained the one and only license in Australia. In 2021, Louise and KIK launched 42 Adelaide, encouraging year 10, 11 and 12 students to apply.
The premise for 42 Adelaide was simple and based on meritocratic principles: "everyone got the chance to come into 42 as long as you can demonstrate the skills that were required,” Louise says.
Across the five years that KIK operated 42 Adelaide, more than 1,000 students completed the program, with half of those students having no prior coding experience. KIK awarded over 400 full scholarships and through the establishment of an earn and learn program, enabled more than half of its students to secure employment in tech before completion.
At the end of 2024, KIK Innovation acquired Grok Academy, a leading tech education platform to broaden access to coding education for students in schools. Already, the number of teachers and students using the platform has grown by over 35% since coming under the KIK umbrella, with the aim for that growth to continue enabling students across Australia and New Zealand to build programming skills and shape their future careers.
Scaling disruption at WiseTech: practical pathways, real work
Today, Louise is taking her mission to the next level in her new role as Head of Education at WiseTech Global. Through initiatives like the Earn & Learn program, she’s scaling practical, inclusive education models within the tech industry: “It doesn't actually matter what school you come from. If you've got the skills and the passion, you can apply to come in at a very young age to a company that will reward that difference,” she shares.
In 2026, the Earn & Learn Program will enter its fourth year, and Louise is eager to take it even further, identifying young people from all backgrounds who “think differently” and have a passion for coding beyond what’s taught at school, to join next year’s cohort.
“As we've learnt over the years… it's about finding those kids that are the tinkerers, the curious… You won't just get the coding experience at school,” Louise shares.
A family adventure interstate
Louise and her family are enjoying their new home in Sydney, after moving from Adelaide for this exciting new chapter: “I have two amazing kids. I have a 20-year-old and a 13-year-old. We've made the big adventure from Adelaide to Sydney, so we're enjoying Sydney life at the moment.”
Simple rituals help Louise to reset when she’s at home, such as “a lazy walk with the kids down to the coffee shop. We also take the dogs,” she says. Louise is becoming a fan of exercising outside as her form of meditation, and her daily commute: “I love a little bit of running into work when I can try, and just that allows me to balance my mind.”
Shaping a bright future for Education at WiseTech
Louise has built an impressive career championing those who don’t fit traditional education models. She’s proven how peer-led, merit-based learning can turn curiosity into a successful career, paving the way for global impact in her new role at WiseTech Global.
We can’t wait to see what she will achieve next.