Shivanee Bhavna Devi with her husband, Shamal Kumar and son Liyaan Kumar.

It is never too late to achieve your dreams, says Fiji National University (FNU) graduate and a gold medalist, Shivanee Bhavna Devi.

The 26-year-old mother of one child, graduated with a Certificate in Hairdressing (Level 3) during FNU’s graduation ceremony in Suva recently. She also attained the gold medal as the highest achiever in the programme.

Interestingly, Devi secured a Trade Diploma in Agroforestry with the College of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry at FNU in 2014 till she changed her mind to switch professions and join the beauty industry.

“I chose to change my profession and undertake the hairdressing programme in order to gain the endless opportunities the profession offers me,” she said. “I wanted to join the trade field in order to grow and earn good money.”

“Hairdressing is one of the happiest jobs in the world as it allows me to make my clients look and feel good, it offers a positive job opportunity whereby I can also invest in my own salon business after gaining adequate experience from the industry.”

Devi is currently the Assistant Hairdresser at The Hair and Beauty Lounge at Sports City in Suva.

She said although her journey to get to where she is today was tough, she did not compromise her studies.

“I always strived for the best in both my theory and practical work during my studies,” she said.

“To the freelancing hairdressers in the salon industry who have been working in salons for years, you can join the Hairdressing Programme with FNU and become a qualified hairdresser which will obviously allow you to gain more knowledge, technique and skills and at the same time provide you with more opportunities to grow locally and internationally.”

The former Vunimono High School student is originally from Lakena in Nausori.