From student to learning technology specialist: “I enable learning for employees.”

Growth, change, and community.

I grew not only academically, but personally too. Moving from Bahrain to the Netherlands was a big change. I had travelled before and done a three-month exchange programme in the US, but I had never stayed abroad for such a long time. Here, I had to get used to the educational system and culture, and even the public transport was new to me.

I used to be a school teacher there, and I managed a department for a year. Technology is changing learning, not only for students but also for staff. That’s why I wanted to get involved in this shift, and the Master’s at the University of Twente seemed like a perfect starting point, especially since I could tailor it to focus on either workplace learning or formal education.

Doing a pre-master's was stressful because if I didn’t pass, I couldn’t continue with the Master’s and had to go back to Bahrain. The moment I will never forget was the day I saw I had passed the statistics exam, which I was most worried about. I was over the moon and thought that if I could do this, I could achieve anything.

I am in the learning and development team within the human resources department, where I am responsible for enabling learning within the organisation. This is done mainly through our online learning platform, the Boskalis Academy. There, employees have access to diverse learning offerings to grow on a professional and personal level. My role is strategic: how do we provide learning opportunities to our employees, including crew at all locations? Among some of my tasks are analysing content creation tools, finding what is suitable for the needs of the company, and implementing it. I am also involved in the skills team, where we investigate what skills our employees need to succeed and grow in their roles in the future. Among those skills is AI: how do we train our employees on AI?

I like the saying, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.” But what if the horse doesn’t know there is water? This motivates me: making knowledge and growth opportunities accessible to everyone.

I saw the job opening "Learning Management System Administrator” on LinkedIn and decided to apply. During the interview, we had a very open conversation about the position, and it turned out to be much more than an administrative role. Together, we shaped it into a strategic one that suited both me and the company.

The research skills: I use them every single day. Before designing any e-learning environment, I need to understand the full picture: the goals of the company, the employees’ needs, and what technology fits best. I can't start implementing something without a careful investigation just because it looks good. That’s why I talk with many people, ask questions, and collect data: all skills I learned during the Master’s.

I am learning to initiate and lead projects, and that includes pitching an idea, creating a project plan, and managing stakeholders. I am also focusing on using storytelling to show the vision and impact of a project so that decision makers can see the value and support our initiatives.

I want to become a learning business partner who aligns employees’ growth with the mission and vision of the company. This is a higher level than enabling learning: it tackles questions like “What is learning?” and “How are employees acquiring knowledge and skills?”

Apply even if a job description doesn't look like your dream job, and have an honest conversation about it. Also, work on your elevator pitch: you should be able to explain what you do, why you do it, and what value you bring in three minutes or less. It is hard, but practice helps. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help during the process. I had a mentor who taught me how to apply for jobs and improve my CV, and that gave me the self-confidence I needed in my post-student life.