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Overcoming Barriers to Employment
Lynette has been out of the workforce and approached Mai-Wel LabourForce Solutions (MWLFS) to gain confidence and skills to get back to work. Her last role was 20 years ago but with the help of MWLFS staff, Lynette was able to work on her employability skills and gain work experience before landing a job.
“I have been assisted and supported to undertake work experience at a local café. Through the past few years I worked closely with Mai-Wel, improving my employment goals as well as my skillset by attending in-house workshops. Through Mai-Wel I have been supported with enrolling and achieving a Certificate II in Preparation for Work and Training and I received my First Aid certification.”
Once Lynette knew the industry that she wanted to work in, our staff assisted her to gain some work trials. Lynette experiences anxiety when it comes to driving to new places, so to support her overcome this MWLFS staff would drive her to and from every work trial, so she understood how to get to work.
Lynette said, “this (being supported to and from work) carried on for a week whilst I was on my job trial, after I had been offered employment, my Case Manager called me before every shift to make sure I knew the way and was okay with getting there. The Business Development Representative, Amy from Mai-Wel, organised for every shift of mine to be at a location that I had gone to during my trial, so I knew the way and was comfortable getting there.”
After some time, Lynette was able to get to know her co-workers and was able to go to different locations for work and take on more hours.
We asked Lynette how important this was to her in relation to getting a job and she said, “this is important to me because of the sense of independence work gives me, I am now able to do things I did not think I would be able to. It has been 20 years since I last worked, I never imagined this would be possible.”
“I would love to work for as long as possible, I am happy with my employer and the work I do.”
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Pictured: Lynette is really enjoying her new role.
