In our latest L&D Network Interview, Sam sat down with Shirley Brown, Principal Learning & Development at Sojitz Blue, to discuss her career journey, the challenges facing learning professionals, and why creating opportunities for people remains at the heart of great L&D.

From Hospitality to Learning & Development

Like many L&D professionals, Shirley didn’t set out to build a career in learning and development.

Originally studying hospitality, she found herself naturally drawn towards working with people. After moving into HR, she discovered a passion for the development side of the profession.

“I ended up in an HR capacity and somehow found myself getting into learning and development and loving that space of creating and shaping rather than the disciplinary side of things.”

Over the past 15 years, Shirley has built extensive experience in leadership development, culture, engagement and organisational development across heavy industry and mining, working with organisations including Dyno Nobel, Hastings Deering, Glencore and now Sojitz Blue.

The Joy of Creating and Shaping

As Principal L&D at Sojitz Blue, Shirley enjoys the rare opportunity to build capability initiatives from the ground up.

The company had never previously had a dedicated learning and development resource, giving her the opportunity to work closely with leaders and employees to identify needs and design solutions that genuinely support the business.

Whether it’s leadership development, communication, coaching, collaboration or onboarding, Shirley thrives on creating meaningful programs that make a difference.

“What I love is being able to shape and create what the organisation needs.”

A Career Highlight: Upskilling Nearly 600 Workers

One of Shirley’s proudest achievements came during her time at Dyno Nobel, where she led a major workforce capability uplift program.

The initiative saw approximately 592 operators complete nationally recognised qualifications, including Certificate III and Certificate IV programs in mining operations.

Beyond the qualifications themselves, Shirley successfully:

• Secured significant government funding
• Built a team of specialist trainers from experienced operational employees
• Established a sustainable internal training capability
• Strengthened the organisation’s employee value proposition

The impact was so significant that the program received industry recognition and resulted in award nominations for both the team and organisation.

Reflecting on the achievement, Shirley credits the success to the people involved and the willingness of subject matter experts to step into training and development roles.

Leading Across Cultures

As part of the Japanese-owned Sojitz Group, Shirley also works within a highly diverse cultural environment.

For her, successful learning and development means understanding how different cultures communicate, collaborate and learn.

One simple but effective initiative has been introducing a “Japanese Word of the Week” to help strengthen cultural awareness and connection between employees.

“It’s about being mindful of the different cultures we have and how they like to work.”

The Challenge of Change

When asked about the most challenging aspect of her role, Shirley was quick to acknowledge her own tendency to move fast.

While she enjoys driving change and innovation, she recognises the importance of bringing others on the journey.

In mining and other high-risk industries, safety is paramount, meaning organisations naturally tend to be more risk-aware and cautious when adopting new approaches.

“I operate at pace. I enjoy moving things quickly, but I need to remember that other people don’t always come on the journey straight away.”

For Shirley, effective L&D isn’t just about creating great solutions. It’s about influencing, communicating and helping people embrace change.

Looking Ahead: AI, Wellbeing and Talent Attraction

Like many learning professionals, Shirley sees Artificial Intelligence as one of the biggest forces shaping the future of capability development.

Alongside AI, she highlighted several key challenges that organisations will face over the next three to five years:

• Supporting psychosocial safety and employee wellbeing
• Developing stronger leaders
• Attracting talent into industries such as mining
• Retaining experienced employees
• Creating positive workplace cultures that encourage growth and engagement

Having recently spent time underground at one of Sojitz Blue’s mining operations, Shirley has a renewed appreciation for the realities of the work and the importance of supporting those who choose these demanding careers.

Building Better Onboarding and Leadership Capability

If given a magic wand, Shirley says she would focus on creating greater consistency in how organisations onboard and develop their people.

Her vision isn’t a rigid, one-size-fits-all framework. Instead, it’s a flexible structure that gives leaders and employees a consistent experience while allowing room for individual needs and organisational differences.

For Shirley, great capability development combines structure with adaptability.

Final Thoughts

Throughout the conversation, one theme remained constant: people.

Whether she’s building leadership programs, supporting cultural change, introducing new learning initiatives or helping employees gain formal qualifications, Shirley is passionate about creating environments where people can grow and succeed.

Her journey is a great reminder that many of the best learning and development professionals find their way into the profession unexpectedly, but stay because of the impact they can make.

As Shirley puts it:

“Nobody is the same. I get to create and shape. That’s what I love.”

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About the L&D Network Interviews

The L&D Network Interview Series showcases learning, development and people leaders from across Australia, sharing their experiences, insights and perspectives on the future of workforce capability development.

Question: “What’s one thing you’ve stopped doing in L&D that you once thought was essential?”

Our Sponsors:

The Australian Learning & Development Network’s events and resources are available free of charge to our members due to the generous support of our sponsors. As such, if you’re looking for any externally provided capability development services, we kindly ask that you contact them to discuss your needs.

• Frontline Management Training Australia – Purpose-Built Leadership and Management Training for Frontline Managers and Staff
• Australian Public Sector Training – Leadership and Management Training Specifically for People Working in Public Sector Organisations
• Executive Development Australia – Inspiring Executive Excellence