As the old saying goes: ‘choose a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life’. Nothing can be more rewarding than finding a career path in life that truly fulfils you. For former chemist Rowena Myers, turning her passion for finance and property into a prosperous career seemed like a natural progression. Deciding to study with Kaplan Professional was the first step towards her new goal. “Initially completing the Certificate IV provided me with a lot of the guidance and support I needed to make the career transition.” she said. After being made redundant as a Perth-based chemist, Myers was looking to kick-start a new career journey with greater purpose. An enthusiastic and positive mindset led her to enrol in Kaplan Professional’s Certificate IV in Finance and Mortgage Broking. From there, she decided to expand on her newfound knowledge by upping her credentials with the Diploma of Finance and Mortgage Broking Management. “I wanted to study with a reputable education provider who could offer me the best solid learning foundation from the outset,” she says. “Kaplan Professional ticked all the boxes for their knowledge and dedicated student support, comprehensive course structure and material, and engaging learning portal”. The potential of sacrificing income to pursue further study is often considered the most intimidating aspect for professionals looking to change direction later in their career. For Rowena, finding an education provider that provided her with the flexibility to undertake a course while committing to full-time work was essential. “The flexibility Kaplan Professional provided through their online model was extremely beneficial for me as it allowed me attend to most of my work and life commitments while studying,” she said. On completion of their studies, Kaplan Professional students find they’ve learned a multitude of practical and relevant skills they can apply directly to their professional pursuits. Myers’ ardour and qualification assisted in making her dreams a reality. She landed her first role in the industry as a Finance and Mortgage Broker with Home Loan Connexion. Today, she’s a successful Finance Specialist with Mortgage and Finance Solutions Australia. “I’ve been exposed to finance and investment matters for over 15 years now both in a personal and professional capacity,” she says. “I’m at the point where I’m confident in my ability to provide clients with trusted insight.” Rowena’s tip for prospective mortgage brokers is to have a strategy and then take first step. “Breaking down your ultimate goal into small, manageable steps, is the best way to make progress while feeling like you’re actually achieving something,” she said. For Myers, no day’s the same with a broad range of tasks and new obstacles presenting themselves on a regular basis. Despite the dynamic routine, she believes managing compliance and keeping up with the rapidly changing nature of the profession remains the biggest challenge in her role. Making an active effort to refresh her knowledge and stay up-to-date with regulatory changes has been a crucial element of her success. “Brokers need to continue to work closely with industry bodies in order to remain compliant within a constantly changing regulatory environment,” Rowena says. In addition, she’s adamant it’s essential for brokers to continue their education. “My Certficate IV helped open the door to the industry for me because it provided me with the initial skills and knowledge I needed to be a broker,” she said. “However, I knew that to progress even further, I wanted to undertake the Diploma, so I could develop my knowledge base even further. It’s particularly helped me understand the commercial and business side of things much better too.” Kaplan Professional’s vast range of available courses provided Myers with the perfect jumpstart for her new career journey. With her success, Rowena hopes to inspire a future generation of mortgage brokers to leap into the industry with a proactive approach. “With the right strategy, you can set yourself on the right path. Just always know you can do it; maintaining that self-belief is so important,” she said.