In early 2025, Dianne Mae Pribhdas, a seasoned people and operations leader, quietly enrolled in the Certified Human Resource Professional (CHRP) program. At the time, she didn’t announce it to her team or even her mentor. It wasn’t about accolades or external validation—it was a personal promise.
“I had been thinking about it since 2024, even signed up for the newsletter to stay updated,” Dianne shared with Financial Adviser PH. “But when I finally enrolled, it was a gift to myself. A sign that I was ready to invest in my own growth, no matter how busy life was.”
Already leading people, designing systems, and managing culture initiatives at her company, Dianne wasn’t lacking in responsibility. But despite her success, she felt the need to strengthen the technical foundation behind her daily work in HR.
“I’ve always been confident in my intuition and leadership, but I knew there were hard skills I hadn’t formally studied. I wanted to fill in those gaps—not because anyone questioned me, but because I wanted to lead from a place of clarity and credibility,” she said.
Throughout the CHRP journey, Dianne didn’t tell anyone she was taking the course. She studied between leading a remote team, managing internal operations, and homeschooling her three kids. It was a deeply personal pursuit, done with focus and humility.
“It was my own quiet process. No pressure, no expectations. Just a desire to keep growing,” she said.
When she finally passed the exam and shared the news with her team, the moment became unexpectedly emotional.
“They were so proud. Many of them knew I’d been taking on a lot, but they didn’t know I was also studying. Their support made it feel even more meaningful,” she said.
What Dianne didn’t expect was the ripple effect the certification would have—not just on her own mindset, but on her team’s energy. “It reminded all of us that no matter your title or stage in life, learning is always possible. Growth is always within reach.”
Since becoming a CHRP, Dianne has taken bold steps forward—applying to pursue a degree in Human Resource Management through the Polytechnic University of the Philippines’ ETEEAP program. She’s also become more proactive in areas like succession planning, employee development, and training design.
“CHRP wasn’t the finish line. It was the spark that reminded me there’s always more to learn, more to share, more to become,” she said.
Now, she regularly attends webinars, explores new certification tracks, and mentors others through their own leadership journeys. More than anything, the course helped her reconnect with something vital—her belief in her own voice.
“Sometimes, the most important confidence doesn’t come from external praise—it comes from knowing you showed up for yourself,” Dianne said.
