Expo explores work options

BURMESE refugees gathered at Paddy O’Donoghue Centre last week to learn appropriate skills for finding work in Dandenong.
About 70 people attended the Employment Expo for New Arrivals last week, held by Centrelink in conjunction with AMES education and City of Greater Dandenong.
This was the first event of its kind offered in the City of Greater Dandenong, Centrelink’s multicultural service operator Rick Comfort said.
“The Burmese community is a fairly new and emerging community in Springvale and Dandenong area,” he said. “We invited Burmese and Karen speaking refugees that have settled in the area and had interpreters to help them.”
The expo featured a number of stalls showcasing a variety of services. Attendees were given personal tips on job interviews, advice about what employers look for in employees, and offered services that would improve future job prospects.
Mayor Pinar Yesil attended the event and spoke to the Burmese refugees about her personal experience of living and finding work in the City of Greater Dandenong.
“It was a great day, and it had a very community-minded atmosphere,” Mr Comfort said.
– Lia Bichel