After many years of looking for work, mature age job seeker Louise had started to lose hope that she would find a job.
But little did she know, her luck was about to change.
Louise had worked with a few different job providers, but after an injury, she was referred to ETC’s Disability Employment Services (DES) Program, where she began working with local Recruitment Advisor Crystal.
“When I first met Louise, I saw that she had some volunteer retail experience,” said Crystal.
“So, I called her to see if she would be happy for a referral to a new employer I was hoping to work with (SUPA VALU IGA).”
“She said yes, so I referred her straight away.”
Within one week, Louise had been for the interview and called us to say, “I got the job!”
She was thrilled that someone had finally given her a shot, and she had finally secured her first job.
Louise said, “I struggled to find a job until I came into ETC, and they basically said – ‘it looks like nobody’s really given you a chance. We’ll give you a chance.”
“And I’m really thankful for that.”
ETC assisted Louise in completing the digital onboarding processes required for IGA, and also by purchasing clothing and shoes for her new position.
“As we were assisting Louise with her onboarding at IGA, she realised that she didn’t have a Tax File Number as she had never needed one until now,” said Crystal.
“This was my first realisation that this strong, capable and bright lady had never been paid for her efforts.”
But that was about to change because she was finally entering the workforce and being paid what she deserved.
Initially, the work took a physical toll on Louise and exacerbated some of her conditions.
However, as she worked toward strengthening her back, she has been able to overcome injuries to work more hours.
Despite having some long absences from work due to family illness and then her own illness, ETC have continued to offer support to Louise and the employer to stay connected. Resulting in her remaining employed and exceeding her benchmark hours.
Crystal said she is very proud of Louise – especially how much her confidence has grown and how much her stamina has improved to stand for long shifts.
Louise’s main tip for other job seekers is not to give up.
She said perseverance is key! And encourages others to have the confidence to keep getting out there.
“My advice is – If you don’t succeed, try again. Age doesn’t have anything to do with it,” said Louise.
“After 30-odd years of not working, I finally got my foot in the door, and here I am… And I love it!”
Call our friendly DES team on 1800 007 400 or fill out the Enquire Now form on this page.
ETC provides Disability Employment Services (DES) in QLD’s Gold Coast and the NSW regions of North Coast and Mid North Coast. To see if this service is delivered by ETC in your area, view our locations page – Find your closest ETC site >
You can also find a full list of providers across Australia on jobaccess.gov.au
Workforce Australia – Career Transition Assistance (CTA) delivered by ETC is a program to assist mature aged job seekers build their skills and confidence to be competitive in today’s job market
ETC understands that adults come with real-life experiences and the benefits of transferable skills. Our focus is to empower you to grow and develop through our interactive and supportive program.
The CTA training program features flexible delivery methods such as face-to-face delivery in small groups, or online delivery via Microsoft Teams.
Fill out this form and one of our team members will contact you.
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