The pandemic has served as a reminder of the importance of lifelong learning. Overnight, employees across Ireland had no choice but to work out how to navigate new video conferencing platforms and the nuances of virtual meetings. Organisations and those with livelihoods that were affected by the pandemic needed to pivot entirely and master new skills to survive.
When I joined Fujitsu more than 23 years ago, I hadn’t considered lifelong learning and the benefits it could bring. This changed when one of my mentors saw my leadership potential and recommended me for the Fujitsu Global Organisational Leadership Development programme. I became such an advocate for learning that I was asked to return as an adjunct teaching fellow for Trinity College to coach teams of six executive MBA students through a year-long consulting project with an Irish company, using the skills they learned in the programme. Without the support of my employer, this newfound passion for coaching would not have been unearthed.