For Peggy Olsson, education has never been a straight line it’s been a winding, rewarding journey marked by courage, commitment, and family support. Now a teacher at Beacon Primary School, Peggy recently completed her postgraduate degree with Curtin University, all while juggling her roles as a mother and full-time educator in regional Western Australia.

Just Start

Peggy’s mantra is simple but powerful: “Just start.” It’s advice she offers to anyone unsure of their future after school. “When you just start things, yeah, it sucks, it doesn’t work, but you just keep sort of reflecting on them, tweaking a few things… and you just start.”

Rather than jumping straight into university after high school, Peggy took a year off to work. She credits this time with helping her develop critical skills—like punctuality, meeting deadlines, and workplace professionalism that made a big difference when she later pursued her first degree. That gap year also gave her space to figure out what she really wanted to do.

A Family Affair

Though Peggy took the lead on her studies, she’s quick to say she didn’t do it alone. Her daughters, aged 13 and 14, were deeply involved—cheering her on, giving her space to study, and eventually insisting she walk across the stage in cap and gown at her graduation. “They posted all on their Instas and were really sweet about it,” she laughs. “I feel like it wasn’t just me who did this it was a whole family journey.”

She often reminded them, “I’m modelling to you that you can learn your whole life. You can do this when you’re 45.” And she did exactly that.

Study Skills That Worked

Organization was Peggy’s secret weapon. She chose Curtin’s postgraduate course partly because it offered two intense 13-week subjects at a time, rather than the typical semester format. “It was very intense… but only having two subjects helped me stay focused.”

Peggy planned everything. Her calendar was packed with deadlines and milestones, from word count targets to reading assignments. “My girls always knew that from 11:00 on Sundays, I wouldn’t be home I’d be studying,” she says. “Flexibility doesn’t really work for me ‘cause I just put it off.”

The Value of Regional Support

Living in the Central Wheatbelt, Peggy says distance was a major factor in her educational choices. Moving to the city was never an option. Access to initiatives like Lumen Wheatbelt Regional University Study Hubs provided a much-needed safety net. “I didn’t use it a lot,” she says, “but it was there. And that was important.”  I didn’t meet any of the study hub co-ordinators, but they made contact regularly.  It was nice to have stranger celebrating the small wins, offering their support, and just have a chat to. 

She’s passionate about the importance of regional programs that give young people hands-on experience whether through TAFE, horticulture programs, or community work. “They gain skills they can carry into something else, and it’s a good fallback if you need it.”

Words to Live By

Peggy’s story is proof that it’s never too late to study, grow, and chase new goals. Whether you’re 18 or 45, the path isn’t always clear—but every step taken builds toward something greater. “What worked for me when I was young doesn’t work for me at 45,” she reflects. “But I just started and I kept going.”