In the beginning: corporate to creative
As a younger version of myself, I would often say; ‘I’m just not cut out to work in a corporate office all day – it’s too serious and lacks freedom‘…
I was fortunate to have been raised on a cropping and grazing property in the Upper South East of South Australia where the air is clean, the space uninhibited and the limestone, mallee landscape disarms your senses. Why would a girl work indoors all day when she felt exhilarated after every moment spent in her natural environment? My heart and soul belonged to the land and I knew I would work either on the family farm or become a park ranger and save the elephants in Africa (David Attenborough was very influential when I was a kid).
During high school I took advice from my family and their adult friends regarding my subject choices based on my interest in park ranging. I was informed that there were minimal opportunities in the field and would be wasting my time going to university. Yes, I was disheartened, but without knowing better back then, I took the advice on board thinking perhaps the family farm was where I belonged. My thoughts were muddled when faced with my high school subject and career selections. Accompanying me feeling at one with nature I also enjoyed writing, being active, uplifting music, drawing, cartoons, commerce and good textile design.
My high school teachers advised me to think of additional career options outside of farming, suggesting I had ‘potential’ and should at least attend university to extend my education. I discussed graphic design, a field in which I believed would provide creative freedom and fun, as a potential career path, with my family. Once more, my choice was not met with an abundance of enthusiasm. Year 12 was complete and I was faced with ‘the real world’. I decided that along with helping on the family farm, I would go out and find myself a ‘real job’ to extract some experience outside of the family business.
The South Australian government hired me as an administrative trainee at the local country hospital where my Mum had given agonising birth to me. The job was a 12-month contract consisting of 3-days working in the hospital office and 2-days studying office administration at TAFE. I thought I was being a responsible young adult; I was learning some real world work stuff, earning a little pocket money and gaining a qualification. And it was only for one year – I had convinced myself that this was a sensible decision.
Author note: This is my first ‘corporate to creative’ post. Watch this space for more to follow and a continuation of my story.