PaTH – Intern Experience (Molly Fairbairn)

Molly Fairbairn is an experienced Barista who found herself in the right place at the right time recently.

“I was meeting with my Jobs Advisor at ETC and Pete from Taffy’s Coffee Shop next door just lost a staff member and needed a replacement. He had heard of me through someone he knew and came into the ETC offices on the day of my appointment looking for me. I was very lucky,” Molly said.

ETC introduced the two of them and Molly was placed into the Youth Jobs PaTH program.

“I completed a four week internship at Taffy’s coffee shop and then I was successful in getting a job at the end,” she said.

“The internship was great and it didn’t feel any different to a normal job. I was taught everything I needed to know. It gives you the opportunity to see what the workplace is going to be like, to see if you would actually enjoy working there just as much as they like having you there.”

Molly said it was also a great way for unemployed people to test out a certain type of job or industry.

“Sometimes you don’t know if you’re going to like a job until you actually start working there. So this is a perfect opportunity if you don’t know what type of work you want to do.”

Molly thanked ETC for their support when she was unemployed.

“I only have good things to say about ETC. They have organised a lot of the courses I have completed, put me forward for jobs, helped me with my resume and helped me get my job here at Taffy’s. Tammy my advisor at ETC is awesome, she’s always been a really good help.”

Youth Jobs PaTH is an Australian Government initiative to support young people to gain the skills and work experience they need to get and keep a job. Job seekers also get an extra $200 per fortnight on top of their income support payment.

Employers benefit because you get to see firsthand how a potential new recruit is going to fit in your workplace, during a 4-12 week internship placement. You may also receive up to $10,000 in financial assistance when you hire an eligible young person.

Find out more about Youth Jobs PaTH