Good for you for going through training, regardless of whether it was a personal choice or a work requirement.

Like others, just carrying one of those little pouches with a mask and gloves become inconvenient. I don't carry one of those little kits. I would not say that your training is useless since information is generally more critical than equipment. Whether you want to "go hands on" on a real emergency, with or without protective gear, is a choice that you will have to make for yourself. But beyond that simple choice, being able to remember what you were taught is the most important thing. If you don't periodically refresh your memory, it becomes very easy to forget.

I was recently re-certified using a different protocol from what I had last been taught, and just now, I'm embarrassed to say that I couldn't immediately remember the new protocol until I thought about it for a minute. During the extreme stress of a real emergency, I imagine that it would've been even harder for me to recall the information. I need to pull out the materials from that class again...

One step to take is to find out where the first aid kit and AED are located in places where you regularly spend time, like the gym, at work, or the supermarket. Obviously, every situation is different, but if you want protective equipment, then you may be able to retrieve them from those resources.

Although this outcome is the exception rather than the rule, here's a very recent "save" of someone by a regular person using CPR and an AED, as inspiration to keep mentally refreshing that first aid and CPR information. This guy is a hero in my book.

CPR Saves Fallen Tennis Player