For Catherine Bailey, returning to study wasn’t about changing careers – it was about engaging in an ongoing learning experience that supported her life in and outside the classroom. With a desire to deepen her industry expertise and stay abreast of the latest technology and research within her field, she pursued her interests at the University of Sydney all while raising a young family and at times working full-time.
The decision to study a Master of Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations was born from Catherine’s curiosity – not just professional necessity. While she wasn’t seeking to pivot into a new field, she was looking to delve deeper into her industry. “I'd been working in HR for a very long time, but wanted to find an avenue by which I could further enrich my knowledge of the field,” she explains. “Having that work experience is invaluable but so is theoretical knowledge and that understanding of what best practice is, and what current research looks like.”
For Catherine, being in a classroom environment with other students and professionals, engaging in real-time discussions and building face-to-face connections added an extra dimension to her learning experience. “This course enabled physical presence in terms of the learning environment and that learning environment is so much more enriched when you're there in person,” she adds.
While Catherine was studying, she was also at times working full-time while balancing family life. Having had a small child when she started, and a second child by the time she finished, juggling work, study, and family was difficult but not impossible. “There's no doubt that it was quite a challenge – to be working and mothering a very small child and then two children towards the end of my studies but the biggest transition was going back to university after such a long period of time,” she says. “I found that transition quite challenging because the world of study had changed so dramatically from when I was at university.”
With this in mind, Catherine found the way the program balanced theory with practice particularly helpful – enabling her to bring years of real-world HR experience into the classroom while still learning along the way. “There’s more to learn these days, but when we take into consideration that all around us is constantly changing, and that the pace of that change is getting faster, I do believe there’s a requirement to continue learning, and being at the forefront of research and the evidence.”
One of the ways Catherine is continuing to do this is by also tutoring at the Business School. “It’s one way for me to continue to staying involved with current research,” she adds.
There’s more to learn these days, but when we take into consideration that all around us is constantly changing, and that the pace of that change is getting faster, I do believe there’s a requirement to continue learning, and being at the forefront of research and the evidence.
Catherine Bailey
Master of Human Resources Management and Industrial Relations graduate
In addition to this, Catherine is working within the not-for-profit sector for the first time, and has set up a HR consultancy. This in itself continues to be a learning experience. “In the past I've always worked within an organisation, not across multiple organisations, so for me, it's now about leveraging and adapting my knowledge through the skills that I have in those different environments to different cohorts,” she adds.
As a consultant, Catherine now works with different sized organisations and industry sectors – each with their own unique set of challenges. “They’re all different but at the same time there’s these common themes in terms of the difficulties and challenges they’re having – such as how to engage, motivate and retain their people.”
Ultimately, whether she’s studying, teaching, or consulting – Catherine’s goal is to be comfortable with the idea of a lifelong journey of learning. “It’s really about learning and digesting information and knowledge than just completing another course,” she says. “Which is why I also feel like it’s OK to take your time to complete your course – if it allows you to really digest the information and truly learn, then take your time.”
Ultimately, Catherine believes those considering a course like the Master of Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations might benefit from experiencing the working world first before embarking on a Master’s program. “I personally felt that I was able to gain so much more from that learning journey, being able to leverage my working experience and my knowledge and my insight and experience in the corporate world,” she says. “Having a little bit of knowledge and experience in the business world to be able to leverage and conceptualise your studies can really enrich that learning experience.”