Balancing Family, Work and a Career Transition: Kathleen O'Meara's PACE Story

Kathleen O'Meara's life was already full when she decided to go back to school. A career in child welfare, a family, and a schedule packed with the kind of responsibilities that do not pause for anyone. What she needed was a program that understood that. She found it at PACE. 

Today, Kathleen is a Social Worker at Child and Family Services with HR credentials that are already positioning her for a future transition into a human resources role within her organization. 

Fitting Education Into a Full Life 

For Kathleen, the ability to choose her own courses and complete them on her own schedule was not a nice feature. It was the reason she was able to enrol at all. 

PACE's part-time HR Management diploma gave her that control. Online courses with flexible pacing meant she could study after the kids were in bed, during a quiet weekend morning, or whenever her schedule allowed. The course load was real and required genuine effort, but the timing was always hers. 

"It was flexible. I was able to fit it into my lifestyle." 

She also appreciated that online did not mean disconnected. Instructors were accessible, and the learning environment still felt supported even without a physical classroom. 

More Than a Credential 

Kathleen is candid about what she gained beyond the formal education. Returning to study as an adult with a family is its own kind of skill. Learning how to manage reading loads, assignments, and deadlines alongside a full personal and professional life was something she had to relearn, and PACE's structure made that possible. 

She also found connection in unexpected places. Studying online alongside students from around the world gave her a perspective she did not anticipate when she first enrolled. 

"I was able to connect with a lot of people from different places in the world. I liked that a lot." 

A Career Transition Already in Motion 

The most tangible measure of Kathleen's program is what is already happening at work. Her organization is going through significant change, and the people around her know she completed an HR Management diploma. That knowledge has already put her in a position to contribute in new ways, and a formal transition into a human resources role within the same organization is on the horizon. 

She did not have to leave her workplace to grow. The program came to her, and now her career is catching up. 

Advice for Future Students 

If your life is busy and the timing never feels quite right, Kathleen's experience is worth paying attention to. The program is designed to work around a full life, not replace it. The flexibility is real, the connections are real, and the outcomes follow. 

Explore the HR Management diploma at PACE and take the next step in your career. Book a meeting with our recruitment coach today: https://bookings.cloud.microsoft/book/UPACERecruitment@webmailuwinnipeg.onmicrosoft.com/?ismsaljsauthenabled=true 

Kathleen O'Meara

Social Worker,

Child and Family Services