By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
‘ALY’ is the sort of asylum seeker success story that people don’t hear enough about.
He’s the 100th client trained up and job-ready at Asylum Seekers Resource Centre’s Dandenong office that has since found work.
He’s also the fourth client taken on by Dingley manufacturer Rylock Windows and Doors in recent months.
‘Aly’ has been on a bridging visa since he arrived by boat from Pakistan.
Before he got work rights he was struggling on 80 per cent of the dole allowance in a crowded share-house and couldn’t afford to study IT.
Under the ASRC’s tutelage he honed his English, resume, job interview and job-seeking skills.
The centre helped ‘Aly’ gain a work placement with Rylock as a frame assembler a month ago.
‘Aly’ said he’s just excited to be working and keen to do whatever on-the-job training is required. He wants to please his employer.
Rylock operations manager Mark Dunham said all four recruits, each from different nationalities, have impressed with their reliable attendance, attitude and endeavour.
Surprisingly, it’s generally hard to find employees.
Mr Dunham tells of Australian-born people they’ve interviewed and offered work to who have not even shown up for the first day.
Others haven’t shown up for interviews. The firm’s been lucky to fill one in two advertised vacancies in recent months.
“We hope these four (ASRC former clients) will inspire others,” Mr Dunham said.
“They show they are more than willing to work.”
Mr Dunham has no fears of taking on new arrivals.
He’s seen an Ethiopian-born worker with little English flourish with perseverance. Within a few years that worker broke down language barriers and became a supervisor.
Another new-arrival worker has kicked on to start their own business.
ASRC employer partnerships manager Sonia Mackie said often new arrivals’ English skills soar with the chance to practice them in a workplace.
New employers are nervous taking on asylum seekers and are not sure how the visa system works but are soon won over, Ms Mackie said.
“I say to employers that I or any worker can just get up and leave within three months.”
As Mr Dunham has found, Aly and other clients have shown far more sticking power.
