Alumni Stories
A second chance at her first dream
When Belinda Muir enrolled in the University of Canberra's Graduate Certificate in Cultural Materials Conservation during the COVID-19 pandemic, she wasn't simply returning to study – she was finally saying yes to a dream she had put on hold for decades.
Today, the UC alumna is helping to preserve Australia's cultural heritage at the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA).
For most of her professional life, Belinda built a successful career spanning teaching, school leadership and education consultancy, while continually pursuing further study and developing expertise in project management and work health and safety (WHS).
Yet despite a rewarding career, there was one ambition she had never quite let go.
"When I finished school, my first preference had actually been to study conservation at the University of Canberra," Belinda says.
"At the time, however, I had been encouraged to pursue a more stable and predictable career path in teaching."
Conserving artworks and other forms of cultural heritage was always where Belinda's heart lay. Photo: provided.
It would take decades – and two life-changing moments – for her to return to that dream.
During the COVID-19 lockdowns, Belinda experienced the loss of a close family member at just 40 years of age, prompting her to reflect on how short and unpredictable life can be.
Then, while watching Secrets of the Museum with her husband – a behind-the-scenes documentary series that follows the experts, curators, and conservators working at London's world-famous Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum, she mentioned that conservation had always been the career she wished she had pursued.
"As we watched the program, I found myself saying that I wished I could go back and study my real passion – cultural heritage conservation," she recalls.
"Five minutes later, I had Googled conservation courses, discovered that the University of Canberra still offered the program and started enrolling online."
That spontaneous decision would change the course of her career.
Rediscovering a passion
Returning to UC as a mature-aged student, Belinda immersed herself in the Graduate Certificate in Cultural Materials Conservation course, in which each unit combined theory with practical conservation projects.
Throughout the course, she developed technical skills by working on a diverse range of heritage objects – from cleaning and conserving a tin toy car and stabilising an embroidered textile, to restoring an 18th-century painting and preparing a preventative conservation plan for a local heritage museum.
The hands-on experience gave her the confidence to apply her learning in professional settings and helped prepare her for a career in conservation.
The hands-on nature of her course allowed Belinda to really immerse herself in every project, and gave her handy practical experience. Photo: provided.
Her interest in conservation stretched back to school, where an inspiring Ancient History teacher fostered her appreciation for the stories cultural objects can tell, while studying textiles developed the fine motor skills she would later draw upon as a conservator.
"It was the possibility of playing a small part in the care and conservation of these precious objects that drew me to conservation when I was finishing school," she says.
Belinda describes her time at UC as one of the happiest and most fulfilling periods of her life.
"The quality of the teaching and learning experiences was exceptional, and I felt incredibly well prepared for the workforce."
She credits lecturers Ian Batterham and Hakim Abdul Rahim for their generosity, practical teaching and commitment to helping students develop both technical skills and industry connections.
"The consistently high quality of teaching and the connections to subject matter experts from our National Cultural Institutions made the experience particularly valuable," she says.
"I am still in contact with many of my lecturers and fellow students, and that professional network continues to be an important source of advice, support and collaboration."
UC’s practical learning approach quickly translated into real-world opportunities.
By the end of her first semester, Belinda had secured part-time work as a Conservation Technician with International Conservation Services (ICS).
"It was a moment of pure excitement and joy," she says.
"Every time I drove to work, I would think, 'I can't believe I'm getting paid to do this.'"
That first role led to projects with ICS, the National Library of Australia and CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) before she eventually joined the NFSA.
Among the many objects she has worked on, one remains especially memorable – a 16th century tapestry.
"There is something incredibly special about working so closely with a textile of that age – placing my needle into fabric created centuries ago and making careful stitches that help stabilise and conserve it for future generations," she says.
The 16th century tapestry that remains one of Belinda's favourite conservation projects. Photo: provided.
Starting again in a new profession after years in senior leadership wasn't without its challenges.
"Moving from a senior salary to entry-level casual wages was challenging, and I was fortunate to have the support of my husband during that transition," Belinda says.
Rather than leaving her previous career behind, however, she soon realised her experience would become one of her greatest strengths.
The opportunity at CSIRO enabled her to combine her project management and WHS expertise with her conservation knowledge – a combination that ultimately led her to her current position as Manager, Work Health and Safety at the NFSA.
Today, she works across the organisation to strengthen systems for risk assessment and the management of physical and psychosocial hazards.
"People are often surprised to learn how relevant my conservation studies are to this work," she says.
"An understanding of collection materials and the agents of deterioration helps me identify hazards associated with the degradation of collection items and develop appropriate controls."
For Belinda, the most rewarding part of the role is working alongside people committed to preserving Australia's cultural heritage.
Looking back, she says that enrolling at UC gave her the knowledge, practical experience and professional network to pursue a career she had dreamed about for decades.
For anyone considering returning to study or following a long-held ambition later in life, her advice is simple: "Take the leap and do it”.
"The rewards of education and lifelong learning are profound. Returning to study can open doors, create opportunities and take you places you may never have imagined possible,” she says.
"It's never too late to pursue something you are passionate about."