Alumni Stories
GRADS 2025: Kalkidan Zeleke
Kalkidan Zeleke began her academic journey in computer engineering.
While she enjoyed the challenge, she yearned for something more personally rewarding. That’s when she discovered the world of Human Resources (HR).
After wrapping up her associate’s degree in computer engineering in the United States, it wasn’t long before Kalkidan moved to Wuhan, China, to study a Bachelor of Management in Human Resources Management.
“My whole life, I’ve always been passionate about people. In HR, you can have an impact on people, and an organisation as a whole. All your contributions are acknowledged, which makes it rewarding,” Kalkidan says.
But in December 2019 the COVID-19 pandemic halted the world…and Kalkidan’s student experience with it.
It wasn’t safe to stay in the epicentre of the pandemic, so Kalkidan moved back home to Ethiopia to complete her studies remotely. She worked for local non-profit organisations, where she got to see what HR looked like in different settings, and the diverse career pathways available in the field.
By the time 2022 rolled around, Kalkidan was ready to dive into postgraduate study, and selected Australia as her next home-away-from-home. She began a Master of Human Resource Management, at the Â鶹´å of Canberra with the wisdom of experience and strong resolve to make the most of her studies.
Throughout my degree I found ways to make my studies meaningful and practical; it means that today I'm saying confidently, ‘I have a master’s degree’ and I feel it, it’s not just a piece of paper.
And what Kalkidan found is that the more effort she put in, the more she got out, and the more supporters she met along the way.
“At UC, my professors were so helpful – I stepped out of my comfort zone to connect with them, and they challenged me in ways that helped me grow,” Kalkidan says.
She also joined the HR Industry Course Advisory Committee, providing feedback to help improve the course, with a focus on employability. She attended networking events, where she connected with members of the Australian Human Resource Institute (AHRI).
“They shared their experiences and helped me see the vision for my future long-term. That's where I found connections that have helped when it comes to my career growth,” Kalkidan says.
She also took up the opportunity of an internship – an experience she recommends whole-heartedly to students of all disciplines– through which she spent three months working in the Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council.
It's not about the money – you get a feel for the workplace. Your confidence in the workplace is built through experience.
Whether delivering training to upskill staff capability, or onboarding new staff to make them feel welcome, through a career in HR, she’s committed to make work a better place for everyone. Plus, with great opportunities for career progression and the mobility to swap between different interest areas, it’s a career she can see herself working for many years to come.
“The fulfilment I get from contributing to an organisational outcome – it’s what makes my work meaningful,” Kalkidan says.
Like many international students, Kalkidan came to study in Canberra without knowing anyone. But throughout her time here, she’s nurtured a community of great people – or as she calls them, her family.
“In Ethiopia, family doesn’t have to be blood. I come from a background where your community raises you – your neighbours, your family friends, your aunties and uncles,” Kalkidan says.
When I came to Australia, I had no immediate family, but I have since found a family here through the community around me.
“For one, family friends who had moved to Sydney took care of me – they drove me to Canberra, helped me move into my dorm and even stayed with me for a week to make sure I was settled.”
Now a proud UC graduate, Kalkidan is confident that she’s found the right career fit for her.
Securing a graduate job – at the Â鶹´å of Canberra no less – and settling in nicely to the next chapter of her life, she credits family, perseverance, and faith in God for guiding her along the way.
“I don't know what tomorrow will bring,” Kalkidan says. “I may go back home or I may stay here – but I am certain I'm safe in God's hands, and that gives me peace about the future .
“I've travelled to a few places – but Australia is the first that truly feels like a second home.”
Story by Kelly White, photos by Tyler Cherry