My Path: Rehanie Perera
Our diversity is our greatest strength at Keypath. Our My Path series shines a light on Keypathers from diverse backgrounds, as we learn about their life experience, values, and what led them to Keypath.
In this My Path edition, we speak to Rehanie Perera, Student Success Advisor, based in Keypath's Melbourne office.
What aspirations did you have when you joined Keypath?
I was not sure what to expect from Keypath when I first joined just over a year ago. I was at a turning point where I had just graduated from my masters, and I wanted to achieve more from my learning. I wanted a change that contributed to a growth mindset.
To see a business grow and thrive during a pandemic is astonishing on its own. But having been a part of the Keypath family and seeing how innovation comes to play every day makes it unsurprising. Being part of a business that puts its theory into practice is an aspiration on its own for me.
What do you love most about Keypath?
I particularly enjoy how much Keypath invests in their people. The mindfulness sessions, leadership sessions and training have been such a great experience as an employee because Keypath invests in not only career growth but also personal growth. Specifically, how open-minded the company has been about promoting mental health and wellbeing. It was not something I had experienced before in a workplace, and it wasn't a concept that I was completely at ease with as an individual either.
When I moved to Australia, I had just left a civil war behind at home (Sri Lanka), which I grew up in for 19 years. So, this positive outlook of self-care and mental health has been life-changing for myself and my career. Keypath has created a safe environment for me to grow in all aspects of my life, and I feel like I have gained so much from being a part of this company.
I work in an environment where people are celebrated for their individuality and what they bring to the team. Keypath is like the idea I once had in mind of what Australia would be like when I first moved here in 2008 – multicultural, diverse, and completely at ease with those terms. But more ideal than when I imagined it.
Which Keypath core value resonates with you most?
One of the main reasons I was attracted to Keypath is because of their core values; I felt that they resonated with my own. I had decided that these values were something that had to be at the top of my list when it came to my next role. I think that mindset is what brought me here to Keypath.
It's hard to pick one core value, but if I had to pick one it would be 'Be a Lifelong Learner'. I had just graduated from my third degree at university, and I knew that I wanted to continue being a part of a learning environment and promote learning because it's something I really enjoy. So, when I joined Keypath, I felt that I was involved in making a positive impact on people's lives and most importantly, I loved what I did. I felt that my years of learning had a purpose, and it fit in so perfectly in this environment at Keypath.
How has your path helped you develop at Keypath?
Being a Student Success Advisor has been one of the most rewarding and challenging roles in my career.
Every student requires an individual solution, and that means getting to know them at an individual level. It takes a lot of patience, listening and asking the right questions. All this had to be communicated through writing or over the phone. It's great when you speak to a student for the first time, and they are excited to hear from you, and then there are times where you have to learn to earn their trust.
What we do as Success Advisors is such an important job because to a lot of students studying can be an emotional investment or a life-altering journey. I think I have learnt to appreciate my ten years as a student because of it and simultaneously it's an experience where I get to give back.
How has Keypath helped your career progression?
When I started my career at Keypath, I knew I wanted to get to a point where I was involved in making positive change in students' lives. I started as an Enrolment Advisor working with this wonderful team, and I had students asking me if it was ok to keep speaking to me once they started their program.
I knew that becoming a Success Advisor was a larger part of my journey, so after six months into my role as an Enrolment Advisor, I was given the opportunity to become a Student Success Advisor.