‘My story wasn’t over.’ How at 38, I completely reset my career.

I have always trusted that hard work makes the dream work. And for the past 25 years, that’s exactly what I have done.

I left high school feeling completely lost. After not getting the best results in the HSC and having no real direction or guidance on where I wanted to go or what I wanted to do, I accepted the fact that I might just ‘be’ for the rest of my life.

That was until I got a job at my local newspaper. At 19, I realised that news, advertising and the media had been my calling ever since I was a pre-teen sneaking Dolly magazines into my bag for school camp.

What started as a supporting role at the paper became a move to Sydney to work for one of the biggest publishing companies in the country. I then expanded my skill set at a boutique advertising agency, mastered this crazy new thing called digital with a small online publisher to then, reaching my crescendo – Direct Sales Manager with the largest online content publisher and podcast producer for women in the world. 

I very happily worked at this publisher for over six years but I couldn’t help feeling the little lights flickering inside of my head and belly telling me that this wasn’t how my career story ended.

University was something I had always considered, but I never trusted my ability to start and most universities seemed to only offer full-time degrees which didn’t work for my family and I. Victoria University’s (VU) Block Model however would have been perfect, as it offers the ultimate in flexibility, allowing undergraduate and postgraduate students to complete one unit of a degree at a time across 4-week blocks, alleviating any sense of overwhelm or doubt.

Through small, collaborative classes, VU’s Block Model allows for deep, focused learning and while studying, you'll build industry connections to graduate with established professional networks which is a huge benefit for people entering a completely new industry or who want to expand on their connections within their current one.

For me, I thought that advertising and media was all I was meant to do – that is why I spent so many years building on my knowledge and skill set to meet the way the market was going. My interests were seemingly so in line with where I had ‘ended up’ that any thought of me being something or somewhere else just felt out of place. But that’s exactly what my heart was telling me, so I started exploring my interests a bit deeper, trying to figure out where exactly these little nudges were trying to drive me.

And it drove me to crime (not literally of course). 

With no idea about what I wanted to do with this realisation, but with a heap of support from my husband, I became a uni student for the first time in my life. Armed with little more than keen interest and a passion to learn, I started a Bachelor of Criminology degree. I can safely say that hand on heart, my mind had never been blown on so many separate occasions. 

I don’t know if it was the fact that I was satiating a dormant yearning to learn or that the crime-obsessed corner of my heart was giggling like a girl, but every single unit I studied had me glued to the content. And as a result, I was passing each and every assignment and exam with flying colours. 

Image: Supplied.

But then it all stopped. Thanks to the much longed-for birth of our second baby girl. My focus needed to change and becoming a mum for the second time after many years of heartbreak felt like nothing short of a miracle. I needed to nurture this new chapter in my and my family’s lives, and this meant, that my studies needed to wait. 

I never finished my degree; the workload was way too much with a young family (VU’s Block Model would have been the perfect way for me to manage it all). It still saddens me to this day, almost three years later, but I knew that I made the right decision. I also knew that chapter of my life wasn’t quite done just yet. 

One balmy February evening just 10 months ago, I could feel that little flickering light reignite. I was back working part-time at the job and my role led me into the world of eSafety. Every day I was exposed to crimes that had been committed against young people online and I immediately knew that this was something that I needed to know more about. 

I dug deeper into the stories of children affected by online predators, cyberbullying, sextortion and image-based abuse and learnt that there was a real lack of education and support around it all. I had two young girls, this was their world now and I not only wanted to protect them from all the dangers that it can bring, but I wanted to be part of the reason why families could sleep well at night knowing that they are armed with the best tools available to navigate their digital lives safely. 

I was closing the biggest chapter of my life to dive into a new one completely blind.

Leaving the place I called home for six years was scary. I not only loved the work I did and believed in the purpose of the business with all my heart, but I adored the incredibly talented people that I was so fortunate to not just call my colleagues, but my friends too. We had such a beautiful sisterhood that the prospect of losing that and never finding it again literally made my heart hurt.

But the yearning was just too strong. I knew that I was meant for something else. So, I dove in headfirst without a snorkel.

And where am I now? Well, I am pleased to share, that now at 39, just 10 months after changing the biggest constant in my life, I can genuinely say that I am making a difference to the lives of young people all over the world, working with Australia’s largest provider of online safety education. I won’t lie though; it has been a journey. 

I had to learn A LOT to be confident in what I was talking about and even though I spent many nights awake worried that my decision was going to render my family bankrupt and homeless, I’ve come out the other side. Every day I wake up excited at the prospect of playing even a small part in seeking justice for a young person’s experience. I mentor a group of school kids with stories to tell; I am part of the reason why your kids might come home after school and say thank you for keeping them off social media just that little bit longer.

And as for my studies, I still want that degree. And I’m going to get it. 

Making a change can feel a little daunting however, with support, the right preparation, and a little guidance, you can make a successful career change.

Making a list can help you decide whether it’s right for you. List out what you like about your current job and what motivates you to get up and go to work every day. Then write down your interests, hobbies and passions and aligning jobs that you have thought might be a good fit for you. 

It's also important to consider your current financial situation and lifestyle to make sure that a change is career is a viable option for you (and your family). If it all feels good, I say go and explore how you can make it happen. This could include upskilling, volunteering and networking, all of which are hugely beneficial.

As I tell my girls every time something in their world changes, be brave, be bold and be bloody amazing. You are the main character in your story: choose your own adventure, be your own North Star. I promise you; the risk will be worth it.

It's never too late to embark on a new career. Explore Victoria University's extensive range of Undergraduate & Postgraduate courses today. Applications for 2023 are now open.

Feature Image: Supplied.