Top apprentice is on a mission

By Melissa Meehan
DANDENONG’S Matter Machar was named Apprentice of the Year at the 2008 Australian Training Awards in Darwin last week.
Mr Machar was awarded for his dedication and hardwork while completing his Certificate IV in Youth Work and Protective Care.
The former Sudanese refugee arrived in Australia from a Kenyan refugee camp on a refugee scholarship in 2002. He completed a Bachelor of Applied Science (Fisheries) in Tasmania before moving to Melbourne in 2005.
After finding it difficult to get a job, Mr Machar began volunteering with the City of Greater Dandenong’s Youth Services.
“I couldn’t find a job, so I thought working with young people would be a good thing to get into,” he said.
“And through that I was offered a traineeship through LINK Employment and Training with the council.”
Mr Machar said he enjoyed working with young people and felt it was important to offer them direction, something he said he missed as a young boy.
“In my previous life I never had any parents to do that for me,” he said. “I don’t want other people to have the same experience.”
He said his Sudanese background had helped him work with youth in Greater Dandenong.
“I think that because Dandenong is so multicultural, being Sudanese helps the kids relate to me and what I have gone through,” said Mr Machar.
He is now completing his Graduate Diploma of Education at the Australian Catholic University.
“I want to work as a teacher, in vocational training – I just want to help people,” he said.
“I hope that in the future I can help Third World countries and their people get back on track.”