Melanie Aslanidis, head of NGEN at the Media Federation of Australia (MFA), is a driving force behind one of the most influential programs, shaping more than 3,000 media professionals from all over the world. Since its inception in 2008, NGEN has empowered some 15,000 professionals, or as much as 70 per cent of today’s media workforce. Catching up with B&T after her win, Aslanidis said that while it is a tough time to be entering the industry, the state of young talent is strong. “There’s a lot of support out there and a lot of opportunities to be mentored”. NGENers get so much from chatting with their peers and understanding what opportunities are out there,” she explained.