A Quiet Brag About Lifelong Learning

After weeks of intensive job applications, I’m tired of talking myself up. Tired of trying to convince recruiters and organisations I admire that I’m good enough and that I have the skills, the experience, and the mindset to be a valuable addition to their team.

I’ve never been someone who brags about her knowledge or achievements. It’s just not in my nature, and it’s never felt comfortable. I do things because they feel right. I let my actions and decisions speak for themselves.

But today, this is a small moment of bragging about something I’m incredibly proud of (and, yes, still a bit uncomfortable sharing).

In these recent weeks of reflection, I realised that since I began my schooling journey back in the early '90s, 2024 was the only year I didn’t complete a formal course. Sure, I took part in several professional development workshops, all very valuable, but for me, if it doesn’t last at least a month, I don’t count it as a "real course."

This image was created with AI, but the story behind it is 100% mine.

So here’s a little glimpse into my learning journey:

📚 After high school, I studied Mechanical Engineering, where I gained not only technical skills but also resilience. Being the only woman in many of my classes shaped how I speak up, how I listen, and how I lead.

📚 I then completed a 3-month Project Management course, which introduced me to the world of structured planning and execution.

📚 In 2016, I moved to Australia and studied English (ESL). It wasn’t just about the language. It was a cultural immersion that taught me about Australia, and about the many people from around the world I shared that classroom with.

📚 I followed that with a Diploma in Project Management, and later, a Dual Master’s in Project Management and Business Administration, completed in 2019.

📚 During the pandemic in 2020, I took a course called "Doing Gender and Why It Matters", where I explored intersectionality, identity, and systemic inequality. It opened my eyes to the power dynamics embedded in our everyday lives, lessons I carry with me into every workplace and conversation.

📚 In the years that followed, I completed short courses in Psychology and Theology, simply out of personal interest. I didn’t add them to my CV because they weren’t career moves, they were heart moves.

📚 As I began to focus more on HR in my professional life, I completed an Introduction to Human Resources course in 2023. I even studied while on holiday, visiting my family for the first time in eight years. Yes, I was that person doing homework at the airport and during the 14+ hours of the flight.

There have been pauses in between, but never as long as 2024. That year, I didn’t complete any short- or long-term courses. And while that pause was necessary, it also felt unfamiliar.

That break is now over.

I’ve recently enrolled in a Diploma of Human Resource Management, aligning with my hands-on experience and deepening my knowledge in the field I want to continue growing in.

I’ve always believed that education is something no one can take away from you. I’ve said this in interviews, in conversations with friends, and in quiet moments with myself. When everything else is uncertain, your knowledge remains. I will always stand by this, and I will always prioritise learning, in any form it comes.

All this learning has shaped the way I think and see the world. I’ve reinvented myself more than once. I’ve drifted away from the person I once pretended to be, and I’ve found a way to integrate all those experiences into the woman and professional I am today. I hope that this new course gives me more tools to grow and to discover an even better version of myself