Why I ended up going to Uni in my forties

This is the story of why I chose to study at this stage in my life…

Just over two years ago, I returned to work after the birth of my second child.

My early to mid-thirties had been a time when I’d set aside any further career development to focus on creating a family.  During this time, I’d resigned to the fact that this was it for me– I would forever be at the bottom of the corporate ladder, categorised as a part-time working mum.

While on maternity leave, I began to reflect upon my achievements to date and let’s face it – my children are my greatest accomplishment, but I realised that maybe my career and any career-defining moments could indeed be yet to come!  After all, I’d only been in the workforce for twenty years.  The average retirement age in Australia these days is about 65, so I’ve got another twenty years to focus on what I want to do and where I want to be!  This revelation was a game-changer for me.  It gave me focus, and like the little organiser I am, I busily set about planning what the next chapter might look like.

My marketing and communication skills developed early on in my career when customer segmentation, buyer personas, a unique selling point and catchy phrases were the things that would get you over the line.  When glossy brochures told the story and not having a website wasn’t a deal-breaker.  Internet existed, but it was “dial-up”, and it took forever to load a single page.  I learned what I needed in order to do my job through real-life experience.

While my work experience has laid the foundations and can still be considered relevant today, I’m missing a BIG chunk of knowledge.  This big chunk was going on right before my eyes when my focus had been on making a family.  The communication environment is evolving.  Social media has cemented itself as a viable communication tool, and the digital world is now at the forefront of how we communicate. 

I’ve accepted that we live in an ever-changing world these days; what we set out to do yesterday has already changed today, and the key is to keep up with what will happen tomorrow.

I am lucky that in my current role as a Content Specialist I have been able to create content that drives engagement and results in advocacy.  I am passionate about delivering purposeful communication activities.  I truly believe that my passion and work experience together with a Graduate Diploma of Public Relations will put me on the right path to success.

Tumbling into my forties benchmarked the need to get up to speed, and 2022 is the year I finally begin my university journey.  I am excited to enter these unchartered waters and push my comfort zone to propel my career forward.