By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
DANDENONG’S Zulfiqar Ali, a welder who hadn’t touched a welding device only a year ago, fits the mould of a model employee, according to his boss.
Mr Ali arrived in Australia on boat as a Pakistani refugee two years ago with about “3 per cent English”.
And he’s not deterred by language barriers.
His employer Russell Moore of AIS Maintenance Services said the important thing is Mr Ali is willing to learn.
The protege has taken up a welding engineering course and quickly picked up the trade’s craft.
Mr Moore, who said he’s had “a lot of bad experience” with recruits, wants to keep Mr Ali on for a possible fabrication apprenticeship.
“He’s the happiest person,” Mr Moore said.
“His quality of welding is exceptional and his attitude is terrific.
“He works hard, sends off money to his family overseas… I’m not letting him go.”
Mr Ali was helped on his feet by Dandenong settlement agency AMES’s youth program.
The aim of the program is to keep young migrants and refugees in school and help them to get jobs.
The program taught its clients English through an informal classroom, sport, camps and social activities and Mr Ali continues to hone his English at his workplace lunch room.
An AMES-commissioned report found the program gave clients a taste of what children growing up in Australia experience at school – such as work experience, sport, camps and clubs.
“A lot of kids would have had part time jobs while they’re still at school,” researcher Jan McFeeter said.
“Refugee kids and their families often don’t have the contacts to get part-time jobs, so the program helps them with that.”
The program also gave young people a chance to spend time with other people of their own age, she said.
“We find they are more relaxed and more open and they respond well to very active learning – and to learning by doing.
“When they are in classes with older people we find that young people are less engaged, they’re much quieter.”
