David Robertson

Visionary in Online Education

When David Robertson set out to reinvent his career, he wasn’t stepping away from education – he was stepping into its future. Trading the classroom for the cutting edge, he dove into the fast-evolving world of online learning design. Today, he’s widely recognised as one of Australia’s most visionary leaders in the field, shaping digital education experiences that empower thousands of students to thrive.

As Director of Learning Design at OES (Online Education Services) – a SEEK-owned powerhouse in global online education – David leads the charge in transforming how learning happens, one breakthrough at a time.

“Moving into the online learning design space was a leap of faith, as it wasn’t a large or particularly well-known industry at the time. But I had been really inspired by my own experience studying my Master of Education online at Charles Sturt, particularly as a mature age student later diagnosed with autism and ADHD,” David says. “Knowing that there were other students like me out there was a huge motivating factor in my decision to take this career path. I wanted to help other non-traditional learners unlock the life-changing power of learning in a way that works for them, and this still inspires me every day.”

After a serious ankle ligament injury halted his professional rugby career trajectory at age 19, David built a successful career in the fitness industry. Segueing into Vocational Education and Training (VET) on relocating to Australia from Scotland, he began experimenting with blended learning models for his students. He applied for an entry-level role at OES as a Learning Design Assistant in August 2018, and within months had earned multiple promotions, facilitated the company’s first-ever learning design hackathon and secured OES’s first Learn X Award for learning design.

David was appointed Director of Learning Design in March 2023, just five years after his career switch. He now leads a diverse global team of more than 80 learning designers, digital designers and multimedia specialists spanning Australia, South Africa and the UK. Together, they have redefined innovation in online education, winning 21 industry awards – including Best Learning Design Team for two consecutive years – along the way.

He is living proof that leaning into passion and curiosity can open unexpected opportunities to build a satisfying career – and change the lives of others.

“I’m incredibly passionate about designing world-class learning experiences for students who historically may have been underrepresented, marginalised or fallen through the gaps,” says David.

“In a profession where the ultimate goal is to improve the outcome for another human, passion and purpose are far more important than anything else.”