FORMER Penrhos College student Yvette Manolas has come a long way since her days in the classroom.
The 28-year-old Penrhosian was recently crowned WA Telstra and Marie Claire Young Business Woman of the Year.
After completing university at the age of 22, Ms Manolas joined Woodside Energy and later received a secondment to Shell International Exploration and Production.
She was appointed Perforating Subject Matter Expert and developed a Shell software package which enables perforating technology to be assessed by petroleum engineers.
Adding to her credentials, Ms Manolas retains a position on the American Petroleum Institute Task Group on Perforating Committee, which develops international standards.
She said she appreciated working for a company pro equality in the workplace.
“One of the reasons I am so passionate about the Telstra Business Women Awards is that they encourage women to look beyond current boundaries, follow their heart and find, if not create, their own niche in the workplace,” Ms Manolas said.
“I believe that if you truly love what you do, believe in yourself and have a willingness to learn anything is attainable,” she said.
She encouraged people to step out of their comfort zone and strive for success.