It’s not trains, planes and automobiles, but it is trains, STEPS and nursing: My journey to arrive at a career destination

As a high school student, some would say I only went to school to socialize and play hockey. I was definitely not academic nor did I have any interest in further study on completion of Grade 12. I had no direction or passion for a certain career. I always struggled to understand and adapt to the way of learning in high school. I saw myself as ‘dumb’ and just stopped trying as it was ‘too hard’. I was the odd one out in my friendship group with many continuing on after high school to university. I completed school in 2003 with a very poor OP score1 and no aspiration to even use it or ever attend university. At the age of 21, after doing administration roles for a few years, I had a once in a lifetime job opportunity—I became a Locomotive Driver in Central Queensland. Driving coal trains, 10,000 tonne and two kilometres long, was and still is one of the biggest achievements in my life. I loved my job, I made lifelong friends and gained experiences I’ll carry with me forever. My job as a female train driver was certainly unique and as a profession, more generally, requires pretty resilient people; the rostering is awful and not family friendly at all, 12 hour shifts 24/7 with unpredictable start times with two days’ notice, and one weekend off a month. After five years in the role, I finally fell pregnant with my daughter Cadence following a long road of infertility issues and IVF treatment.