Navigating Employment Pathways Forum & Expo - Forum Report

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Navigating Employment Pathways Forum & Expo - Forum Report
Navigating
Employment
Pathways
Forum
& Expo
Forum Report

A partnership project between the Australian Migrant Resource Centre and the Department of Employment
Navigating Employment Pathways Forum & Expo - Forum Report
Supported by
Navigating Employment Pathways Forum & Expo - Forum Report
Adelaide Festival Centre, September 2016

Executive Summary
The Navigating Employment Pathways Expo and Forum
was held on 30 September 2016 at the Adelaide Festival
Centre as a follow up to the ‘Working Together on Pathways
to Employment’ April 2016 recommendation to strengthen
linkages between employment services, the education
sector and local communities in order to build sustainable
employment across refugee settlement communities.

The Navigating Employment Pathways          The Forum session with questions and         Job seekers of refugee background
Expo and Forum brought together             feedback from job seekers highlighted        identified the need for pathway programs
relevant employment pathway                 a common barrier experienced across          to facilitate the recognition of trade skills
stakeholders as well as a cross section     all job seekers of refugee background        as part of English language training, in
of refugee and migrant job seeker           attending the event. The common              particular job seekers with trade based
communites in South Australia.              issue, whether overseas qualified or         skills from their country of origin with
                                            those job seekers seeking entry level        no formal trade qualifications. Work
The Forum panel presentations, and
                                            employment, was the pressing need for        experience or voluntary work placement
the Expo of services demonstrated
                                            cultural understanding and knowledge         programs for job seekers to fully utilise
the scope of employment services and
                                            of the Australian job market including       their work skills were recommended
training provision available to refugee
                                            viable employment opportunities              to develop work skills in the Australian
job seekers, although employment
                                            to guide job seekers of refugee              context.
service provider feedback noted that a
                                            background in their job search activities.
few job seekers attending did not have
                                            At the same time employment service
visa entitlement for government services.
                                            providers highlighted the importance
Refugee participants interacted with Expo
                                            of increasing their cultural competence
stalls and in some cases were supported
                                            in communicating with clients, and
by interpreters. There were registrations
                                            consistently highlighted the positive
for employment with the employers
                                            gains of interacting with the 200 job
attending the event.
                                            seekers of refugee background who
                                            attended the event.
Navigating Employment Pathways Forum & Expo - Forum Report
Forum and Expo Aims
The Navigating Employment Pathways Forum and Expo aimed           The objectives were measured and analysed using the
to further facilitating employment pathways for newly arrived     following tools;
communities in South Australia. The aims of the event included:
                                                                  Aim 1, 2
                                                                  • Refugee participant and stakeholder registration numbers (1)
  1       The event is well attended by a range of stake-
          holders who participate in forum discussion             • Services and employer panel and expo presenters recruited
                                                                    and attend (1)
                                                                  • Expo providers attended and interacted with each other
  2       Increased job active provider capability
          to service refugee job seekers
                                                                    and learn about pathways (2)
                                                                  • Follow up feedback from Job Active and employment
          Best practice pathways to get refugee                     services providers. (2)

  3       job seekers into sustainable employment
          are identified and shared                               Aim 3, 4, 5, 6
                                                                  • Participant Feedback Survey (3)

  4       Job seekers have a greater awareness of
          the assistance available to them and access             • Job seekers of refugee background interacted and collected
                                                                    information from Expo session stalls (4, 5 )

                                                                  • Documentation and summary of refugee participant
  5       Job seekers connect with employers and some job
          outcomes are achieved                                     questions at the forum discussion (3)

                                                                  • Attending employer feedback on employment and job
                                                                    registrations (5)
  6       To foster improved stakeholder collaboration.
                                                                  • Summary report of findings sent to all stakeholders. (3)
Navigating Employment Pathways Forum & Expo - Forum Report
Summary of Findings
The Navigating Employment Pathways Forum and Expo                              Increased job active provider
facilitated job seekers of refugee background and stakeholders
to share success stories and to raise their concerns for
                                                                      2        capability to service refugee
                                                                               job seekers
improving refugee employment outcomes in South Australia.
                                                                    A range of Employment Service Providers attended the event
The outcomes of the event reflect the benefits of bringing          with the panel presentation for that sector represented by
service providers and job seeker clients together to inform and     Workskil Australia. Job Active providers attending the Expo
improve engagement between employment service providers             were able to communicate with refugee job seekers face to
and job seekers of refugee background as they navigate the          face and to note the range of concerns raised as opportunities
employment pathway together.                                        for further discussion in their workplaces.

                                                                    Expo providers included the following;
           The event is well attended by a range
   1       of stakeholders who participate in                       • Workskil Australia
           forum discussion                                         • SYC
                                                                    • Status Employment
The Forum and Expo was attended by jobseeker cohorts
and employment and training service providers as well as            • Maxima
government agencies and support services. Over 200 newly            • Match works
arrived job seekers of refugee background were registered for       • BRACE - Education and Training Centre (New enterprise
the event, and participation reflected the full range of ethnic       incentive scheme – Job active)
diversity, age and gender representation across Humanitarian
                                                                    • Community Bridging Services.
and other visa clients.
                                                                    Feedback from Job Active providers focused on the benefit of
Thirty Employment Pathway stakeholders from state and
                                                                    (1) collaborating with the range of jobseeker services provided
federal government, community and NGO sector services and
                                                                    and (2) gaining further understanding about the settlement
programs had stalls at the Expo including;
                                                                    and employment needs of job seekers of refugee background,
• Settlement Services and Centrelink                                including meeting and talking with them and understanding
• Employment Services providers                                     the complexity of visa entitlements in accessing government
                                                                    services.
• AMEP and training pathway providers
• Specialist migrant services for qualifications and skills         Job Active provider evaluation identified the need to
  recognition                                                       complement and support employment services roles and
                                                                    highlighted the need to maintain the dialogue to increase
• Two main employers with demonstrated success and
                                                                    their cross cultural understanding of settler groups in
  track record in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD)
                                                                    supporting their employment needs.
  workforce recruitment and development
                                                                    • One Job Active stall provider reported that a significant
Six Panel presentations provided a concise and informative            number of queries and requests were from other visa
illustration of services and training available to job seekers        clients with work rights but with no access to government
of refugee background and demonstrated pathway links                  employment services, highlighting their need for orientation
between programs from Job Active, English language                    to the employment market. This issue was also raised in the
training to qualifications recognition and employee rights and        open discussion and written evaluation from some of the job
entitlements. Each presenter also gave an outline of the level of     seeker cohorts represented.
entitlement for different Visa groups across jobseeker cohorts.
The Forum was followed by the Expo and Open Discussion              AMRC also had two requests for Cultural Awareness Training
from job seeker participants.                                       following the event which showed the increasing awareness of
                                                                    the need for Job Active provider staff to continuously update
See appendix 1 and 2 for stakeholder services forum pathway         their cultural knowledge and understanding of on arrival
presentations and expo services attendees.                          refugee cohorts.
Navigating Employment Pathways Forum & Expo - Forum Report
Best practice pathways to get
  3       refugee job seekers into sustainable
          employment are identified and shared
Best practice to get job seekers of refugee background            Analysis of job seeker participant table seating for the open
into sustainable employment were presented in the panel           discussion and their group/table questions to the Panel
presentations providing a very comprehensive outline of the       highlighted the following;
pathway in action. Workskil and the Fair Work Ombudsman
                                                                  • Jobseekers gravitated to peers with common levels of
presentations included power point slides to support the
                                                                    English and or levels of education and qualification
English language oral presentation delivered while other
presenters relied on oral communication. Audience levels of       • The group table questions reflected the broad range of
English language competence were diverse, ranging from low          concerns arising from the particular barriers to participation
level speakers attending with community support to higher           and employment experienced by each of the main job
level more established refugee representation.                      seeker groups;
Refugee understanding and ability to gain from the                   - On arrival job seekers of refugee background seeking entry
presentations was accessible only for those who were at                level semi- skilled, work with little or no understanding of
Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) level 3 and above and          the South Australian job market, “Any job, how do I do it
it was apparent on the day that not all refugees attending were        online application?”
able to fully comprehend the detail of information presented.        - Post arrival job seekers in AMEP and SEE training to build
Job seekers were seated at tables with access to interpreters          English language skills who have confused or are unclear
which was supportive.                                                  about where they can get a job in the future, “What are the
                                                                       jobs? How do I get work?”
The oral presentations would have further engaged with the
multilingual audience if visual supports and language use had        - Overseas tertiary qualified job seekers with medium levels
supported the key points to make meaning more accessible to            of English (ACSF Level 2) and high levels of frustration
the audience as well as supporting the role of the interpreter         who would need to build their English language levels for
where it was required.                                                 an average of 5 years in order to work at the level of their
                                                                       overseas qualifications “I am a nurse in my country. How
A visual summary chart showing refugee job seeker challenge            can I be a nurse?”
points with steps in ‘Navigating Employment Pathways’ would
be a valuable tool for both service provider and job seeker       • Suggested actions to address these concerns and to align
communication.                                                      with refugee job seekers learning needs and employment
                                                                    goals are discussed in the Recommendations.
Navigating Employment Pathways Forum & Expo - Forum Report
Job seekers connect with employers
     4       and some job outcomes are achieved

The Employer Panel presentations and Expo aimed to illustrate;       JBS currently employ 415 workers including a significant proportion
                                                                     of Afghani workers. The main points for job seekers included;
• What employers are looking for
• Challenges in employment and how they have been overcome           • The continuing demand for workers in the meat processing
                                                                       industry
• Examples of success stories.
                                                                     • Willingness of the employer, JBS, to partner with the
 The panel presentations gave job seekers of refugee                   settlement provider AMRC in aligning housing and services to
background insight into two different points of view; One              support and link new arrival workers to the community
employer currently employs refugee job seekers in regional
                                                                     • Example of an employer who with support from AMRC
South Australia with opportunities for both entry level and
                                                                       provide interpreters in employment induction and provide
skilled employment. The other employer presented a personal
                                                                       English language training linked to the workplace.
refugee success story from settlement with low levels of English
through English language and tertiary study to current work as       The JBS presentation illustrated a way that medium to large
an employment services manager.                                      companies with job opportunities can work closely with
                                                                     settlement providers and local community groups to (1)
Panel presenters were;
                                                                     communicate the job opportunities in their industry or local
• Cathy McEnroe Workforce Manager from JBS Meat                      area and (2) support on arrival job seekers from refugee
  processors in Bordertown south eastern regional                    backgrounds to settle in regional areas.
  South Australia
                                                                     The third employer, represented by Spotless National
• Aldina Krneta, Area Manager Sureway employment services            Recruitment who have employees across national Australia,
  who shared her refugee learning experience to achieve her          was also an Expo stall holder who offered an immediate
  current goal.                                                      connect to the jobseekers;
Job seekers of refugee background were able to hear two
                                                                     The Spotless National Recruitment Manager fielded enquiries
employer perspectives;
                                                                     from over 60 job seekers;
• To share in a real life success story, learning about the length
                                                                     • There were 20 actual registrations for employment across
  of time to increase English proficiency for work; a personal
                                                                       a wide range of industry sector contracts held by Spotless
  story that could be applied to travelling the vocational and or
  tertiary study pathway                                             • Spotless also made appointments to meet with African
                                                                       Communities representatives seeking to provide information
• The success story of an employer in regional south Australia
                                                                       for community members seeking work in community and
  with work opportunities;
                                                                       health services, hospitality and food administration
                                                                       and trades.
To foster improved stakeholder                                    The stakeholder evaluation including face to face feedback
collaboration                                                     raised the following summary points;

The learning arising from the stakeholder interaction at the      The stakeholder survey feedback and the job seekers of
Navigating Employment Pathways Forum and Expo clearly             refugee background open forum questions highlighted
showed that services and training are available and that          the frustration felt by job seekers when the cross cultural
sectors are engaged with job seekers of refugee background        understanding needed to identify personal job suitability for
within the terms of their government contracts and or service     employment opportunities and or potential employers was not
assistance intervention.                                          understood by job seekers;

All the expo stalls were well staffed and resourced to provide    • Stakeholder feedback stressed the fact that employment
face to face support for job seekers. The ATO and Centrelink        services and training providers both experience low
stall provided Best Practice in both the range of multilingual      English levels as the main barrier for a job seeker gaining
information and assisted services offered to both stakeholders      employment
and job seeker groups.                                            • The job seeker group table discussions and the group
                                                                    devised questions to the panel also highlighted the cross
The event highlighted the benefit of providing the scene for
                                                                    cultural learning job seekers of refugee background require
informal discussion and liaising across stakeholder groups and
                                                                    to negotiate employment pathway challenges even when
programs.
                                                                    English language and relevant training and qualifications
• Many sector employees attending the expo were known               have been achieved in Australia.
  to each other while other staff were new to the sector/         Stakeholder findings, including the intersect between job
  employer and welcomed the opportunity to become part of         seekers and services, include the following;
  the network;
                                                                  • The need to recognise and respond to the cultural
   - The event demonstrated that stakeholder involvement
                                                                    adjustment learning needed for job seekers of refugee
     and commitment was high and that their often demanding
                                                                    background to understand and negotiate the Australian job
     work environments need support to maintain cross sector
                                                                    market in their occupational area
     collaboration in the ‘Navigation of the Employment
     Services Pathway’                                            • The need for different job seekers of refugee background
                                                                    cohorts to understand and access the right services at the
   - Stakeholders at the expo stalls were engaged in the panel      right time in their individual pathway
     and employer presentations
                                                                  • Steps through the Employment Pathway can be articulated
   - Stall providers and service agency staff, some of whom         using visuals to support job seekers who rely on country of
     know each other from networks such as the Centrelink           origin networks / interpreters for understanding
     Region meetings, were able to link job seekers to services   • The crucial importance for job seekers of refugee
     such as Skills for Education and Employment.                   background to use the Employment Pathway as a means of
                                                                    developing agency as part of their settlement in planning for
                                                                    and, reaching their employment goals.
Recommendations
The Navigating Employment Pathways Forum and Expo
highlighted the complexity and the changing nature
of issues arising in the interface between the key human
and employment services, training providers and the
refugee job seekers themselves.

Cross sector project management                               Refugee learning
      That future cross sector events include project                    That government programs and stakeholders
 1    management roles with clearly defined roles for input
      and evaluation across the required time frames.
                                                                 5       recognise and articulate refugee job seeker
                                                                         challenges to navigating and using the employment
                                                                         pathway.
Public and cultural context
                                                                         That services and training facilitate refugee clients’
      That project management for future events provide
                                                                 6       learning about culturally determined ways of
 2    cross cultural communication guidelines for
      presenters including intended audience English
                                                                         identifying suitable occupational areas and securing
                                                                         employment in Australia.
      language levels, first languages spoken to model
      best practice in communication for the intended                    That overseas qualified job seekers access services to
      audience and sub groups.                                   7       have overseas qualifications recognised in Australia
                                                                         and are supported to understand the professional
      That multilingual inputs for diverse groups modelled               requirements for practice in Australia.
 3    by AMRC in providing interpreters and community
      support for refugee jobseekers be included in the       Optimising existing skills
      above guidelines as best practice standard for
      multicultural forum/discussion events.                  Refugee job seeker feedback included the need for three
                                                              facilitations for refugee cohorts to utilise existing work skills
                                                              in their future employment;
Responding to refugee job seeker
                                                                         That trades and Para Professional Bridging Courses
cohort needs and capabilities
      That diverse job seeker cohort needs are articulated
                                                                 8       are linked to Recognition of Current Competencies
                                                                         for Trades and other Certificate level qualifications
 4    and information and Navigation Steps provided in
      future forum events:
                                                                         to build employability in occupational areas.

                                                                         That targeted Work Experience for applied
      • Country of origin experienced trade and
        small business workers with no qualifications            9       English language learning in the job seeker’s
                                                                         occupational workplace is implemented in the
      • Country of origin trade workers with                             relevant program/service.
        overseas qualifications
                                                                         That computing and online job application
      • Refugee youth with emerging occupational
        goals for future employment                            10        training for job seekers with low ICT skills is
                                                                         offered in the relevant services/programs.
      • Entry level job seekers with no previous country
        of origin qualifications/experience
      • Overseas qualified professionals with emerging
        English language skills that do not meet
        professional registration requirements
      • Status Resolution Support and other Visa
        jobseeker non eligible government services;
        supports available.
Appendix 1
Proceedings
Event participation
Proceedings

Appendix 2
Stakeholder attendees
List of attendees
Appendix 1
Overview of Proceedings
Event participation included the following
stakeholder groups;

Employers                                    Training Providers
• Spotless National Recruitment              • TAFE SA (Skills for Education and
• JBS Meat Processing South East               Employment (SEE), Adult Migrant
  South Australia                              English Program (AMEP)
                                             • Barton College (Employment Pathways
Employment Service Providers                   Program - skills training)

• Workskil Australia                         • Multicultural Youth SA (Job training
                                               and work experience program)
• SYC
                                             • Interskills SEE
• Status Employment
                                             • MTC SEE
• Maxima
                                             • MRC Works-Employment Hub, Training
• Match works
                                               and Work Experience
• BRACE - Education and Training Centre
                                             • Overseas Chinese Association
  (New enterprise incentive scheme –
                                               (Community education)
  Job active)
• Community Bridging Services

Agencies and Services
• ASIC (Information on establishing
  a small business)
• Centrelink
• ATO (Helping small business)
• Women’s Legal Service
• Fair Work Ombudsman - work rights
• Parents Next (Support for parents
  re-entering workforce / training)
• Sureway (Jobseekers information /
  ready to work Inclusion Program)
• Sarina Russo (Job active self-
  employment initiative)
• Specialist Migrant Services
  - SA Government
Proceedings 9.00 – 1.00                   Ms Leanne Hill from the Department           2. New Enterprise
followed by lunch.                        of Employment then spoke about                  Incentive Scheme (NEIS)
                                          the importance of ensuring that new
Part 1                                    arrivals are linked to services so that         Kerry Simpson
                                          individual needs can be addressed in            National NEIS Program Manager,
Welcome                                                                                   Sarena Russo Employment
                                          identifying employment pathways.
and Introductions                         Ms Hill highlighted the following;           Key points covered in this presentation
Attendees were welcomed by Ms             • The importance of linking refugees         included:
Eugenia Tsoulis, CEO of the Australian      with relevant employment services
Migrant Resource Centre. Ms Tsoulis                                                      • Delivery of the NEIS Program
                                          • Refugee employment needs are                   (New Enterprise Incentive Scheme)
highlighted:
                                            different for each individual                • Have funded over 100,000 successful
• the need for all stakeholders to        • The employment market is challenging           small businesses
  contribute so that we can achieve
                                          • Services and support are available           • Have helped people set up
  a sense of belonging and active
                                            but it is not always easy to know              small business
  citizenship through employment
                                            where to begin.                              • Twelve month mentoring programs
• that collaborative efforts and
                                                                                         • Support with financial assistance and
  partnerships are needed to ensure       Part 2                                           rent while establishing a business
  work opportunities for new arrival
  communities.                            Panel Presentations                            • Examples of a range of highly
Ms Tsoulis then introduced the forum
                                          – Support Services                               successful businesses that have come
facilitator, Mr Abselom Nega, CEO of      The first panel of presenters included           out of NEIS
iEMpower.                                 representatives from a range of
                                          employment support agencies
                                                                                       3. Adult Migrant English
Mr Nega outlined the forum context
                                          attending the forum. A summary of each          Program (AMEP)
which included the following background
to the forum:
                                          presentation is set out below.                  Peter Begg,
                                                                                          TAFESA
• That key stakeholders initially
                                          1. Jobactive
                                                                                       Key points covered in this presentation
  came together to look at gaps in           Melissa Adamuszek
                                                                                       included:
  employment for new arrivals                Regional Manager, Workskil
• Key gaps stakeholders identified                                                       • A commonwealth funded program to
                                          Key points made by Ms Adamuszek
  included pathways to employment,                                                         assist in developing English language
                                          included that Workskil is a national
  qualification recognition, a lack of                                                     skills
                                          network who provide employment
  networks in the employment sector       services to jobseeker and employers at         • Available to humanitarian / skilled /
• The Expo and Forum would bring          no cost. The range of services provided          family streams entrants
  together all the stakeholders needed    may include:                                   • Offer 510 hours of language classes
  to support refugees into employment                                                    • Additional 410 hours for survivors of
                                            • Assistance with preparing high quality
Mr Nega spoke of his own experience           resumes                                      trauma and other learning barriers
arriving as a refugee and being a job       • Counselling for employment                 • Home tuition programs
seeker. He commended the unique                                                          • Work experience placements
                                            • 26 weeks of support once in
initiative which saw employers, job                                                        program
                                              workforce to ensure retention
seekers, government, community leaders
                                            • Job seeking facilities to assist           • Some work ready programs are
and community members all coming
                                              jobseekers to find employment                attached to qualifications through
together to enhance employment
                                                                                           TAFESA partnerships - up to 50%
pathways for new arrival communities.       • Interpreter services
                                                                                           of participants end up in full time
                                            • Pre- screening for employers - police        employment
                                              checks, reference checks, licenses,
                                                                                         • AMEP program for refugee youth
                                              uniform support, transport support
                                                                                           education pathways at Thebarton
                                              etc.
                                                                                           Senior College.
                                            • Wage subsidies - restart / youth /
                                              parents / long term unemployed
                                            • Work for the dole requirements
                                            • Transition to Work program
4. Skills for Education                      6. Fair Work Ombudsman
   and Employment (SEE)                         (FWO)
   Kolin Finlay                                 Kristopher Pronk
   SEE Program                                  and Andrew Alexander
   (Department of Employment)                   Fair Work Ombudsman

Key points covered in this presentation      Key points covered in this presentation
included:                                    included:

  • English and numeracy                       • Role of the FWO is to promote
    education programs                           compliance with Australia’s work
                                                 place laws
  • Face to face or distance
    learning options                           • Dedicated teams work to ensure
                                                 employee needs are understood
  • SEE contributes to job seeker
                                                 and accounted for
    mutual obligation requirements
                                               • Free tools and services are available
  • SEE increases confidence in
                                                 on the FWO website in multiple
    further study and employment
                                                 languages
5. Skills Recognition Service                  • Small business best practice guide
                                                 - fairwork.gov.au/small business
   Dianne Casale,
                                               • The FWO provide a pay and
   (Overseas Qualifications Unit)
                                                 conditions tool with workplace
Key points covered in this presentation          basics information
included:
                                               • The My account service allows
  • Service offers overseas qualifications       individuals to store and receive
    recognition for employment                   personalized information
  • Qualifications are assessed on             • The FWO provide an online learning
    UNESCO principles                            centre for employers in multiple
  • Organisations that have licensing            languages (for managing employees)
    / registration requirements are            • Assistance with having difficult
    involved in assessing qualifications         conversations
  • For those roles that do not need           • Email updates and employer
    licensing the Department undertakes          newsletters that can accessed online
    alignment to Australian Qualifications       and include up to date information
    based on the Australian                      as it changes
    Qualifications Framework                   • Undertake wage reviews
  • Specialist Migrant Services also           • Encourage all to be proactive in
    provide employment support over              recognizing entitlements in workplace
    and above job active - specifically
                                               • Templates for employment contracts
    for professionals and trade qualified
    migrants and refugees including;
  • Overseas qualifications recognition
    on line and face to face interview
    support
  • Workshops for overseas qualified
    trades recognition processes
  • Tertiary graduate information on
   professional employment sectors
   and processes
  • Improved access to overseas tertiary
    qualification recognition processes
    for humanitarian intakes is being
    implemented.
Part 3                                         1. Cathy McEnroe                              2. Aldina Krneta
                                                  JBS (meat processing provider),               Area Manager, SUREWAY
Expo Stalls session
                                                  Bordertown
                                                                                             Key points covered in this presentation
Following the panel presentation
                                               Key points covered in this presentation       included:
participants were invited to have morning
tea and visit the range of stalls to connect   included:
                                                                                               • That it is crucial to go to English
with employment support services.                • There are currently 418 staff working         language classes and learn English
                                                   on site with more required in the             to be successful in employment
Over 200 community members visited
                                                   near future.                                  in Australia
the 30 stalls collecting information and
discussing their needs face to face with         • Largest employer in the south east          • Personal experiences as a refugee
specialist services. Services and programs         of SA with a large multicultural              and entering workforce
took registrations and client follow up            workforce                                   • Encouraged people to take up the
details for future referrals.                    • They have a significant focus on              opportunity to use services available
                                                   safety as an employer                         to access job opportunities
Part 4                                           • Their ultimate goal is to ensure
Employer Session                                   there are no workplace injuries
– Opportunities                                  • Focus on engaging and close
for employment                                     collaboration with staff
                                                 • Huge capital investment in improving
This session aimed to cover:
                                                   safety and minimizing injury
  • What employers are looking for               • Collaboration with the Bordertown
  • Challenges in employment and                   settlement service multicultural sector
    how they have been overcome                    has significantly improved sustainable
  • Examples of success stories                    employment and workforce satisfaction
                                                   with huge increases in continued
Two employers presented on the                     employment because of this.
range of initiatives their businesses            • Staff are trained and continuously
are undertaking around employment.                 up-skilled
A summary of each presentation is set
                                                 • Work with a range of stakeholders
out below.
                                                   to attract and retain staff
                                                 • AMRC provides valuable support –
                                                   they help communities settle in and
                                                   provide support which creates the
                                                   community that is needed to keep
                                                   people locally as well as assisting
                                                   with induction.
                                                 • JBS fund English language classes
                                                   and local community initiatives
Good Practice Employment Case Study

JBS Bordertown, Australian Migrant Resource Centre
and Tatiara Council Partnership

A highlight of the forum involved            The Australian Migrant Resource Centre
the presentation by JBS which                (AMRC) provides invaluable support to
showcased a partnership approach             JBS and Tatiara’s immigrant employees
for local employment. This case study        to settle in the town. Their partnership
demonstrated how partnerships that           has resulted in the facility’s expansion
involve employers, settlement services       providing activities and social meeting
and local government can collaborate         places. The AMRC is able to link suitable
to minimize confusion around navigating      new arrivals to the jobs available by
employment within the Australian             taking them to the work site and being
context and lead to sustainable              present at inductions for new employees.
employment outcomes and                      They also provide English language
community capacity building.                 classes for employees.

JBS Bordertown is the largest employer       Working in partnership has ensured that
in the SE of South Australia and             employees are settling well in the area
contribute significant economic benefits     and contributing to a growing community.
to the Tatiara districts community and       JBS works with AMRC and providers
beyond, injecting $200M+ livestock,          such as TAFESA AMEP to link employees
$29M wages, $3.1M utilities to the region.   to English language classes and other
                                             community services for housing, transport
JBS currently employ 418 staff with the
                                             and family needs. Employees are also
aim to expand to 440 employees in the
                                             rostered so that their training and family
next month. Their workforce represents
                                             obligations can be met.
over 30 nationalities of which 60% are
immigrant employees.
Part 5
Open Forum Discussion
Following the panel presentations, participants were invited
to identify a key learning, question or recommendation as a
result of the forum.

The areas of concern raised in the forum questions
and feedback surveys have been addressed in the
Recommendations.

 Refugee job seeker summary of questions                       Area of concerns raised

 Where do we start to get a job?
                                                               Cultural dimensions of work competence
 English, education or work?
                                                               Australian and local employment market across
 I will do any job!
                                                               levels of qualification and skill
 Where are the jobs?

                                                               Orientation to Australian workplace

 Access to information and interpreters to explain the
 market to us

 Need for work experience to get networks and referees

 Problems for Trades people with no overseas
                                                               Recognition for trades with no qualifications from
 qualifications and lower level English.
                                                               country of origin
 How do we get recognition for our skills?

 On line applications- how do we do it properly?
                                                               Computing for applications and work
 Need for computing training with English

 Older workers with work skills but low English -              Mature age job seeker participation and local
 will we be permanently unemployed?                            community belonging
Appendix 2
Expo Participants
Aspire SYC Parents Next                PeoplePlus
At Work Australia                      Parents Next Plus

Australian Migrant Resource Centre     Persian Cultural Association of SA
Australian Securities and Investment   Sarina Russo Job Access
Commission                             Spotless
Australian Taxation Office             Status Employment Services
Community Bridging Services            Sureway Employment & Training
Department of Human Services           TAFE SA
Department of Social Services          TAFE SA
Fairwork Ombudsman                     Skills for Education and Employment
Immigration SA -                       Thebarton Senior College
Department of State Development
                                       Uniting Care Wesley Port Adelaide
JBS Bordertown                         ParentsNext
MatchWorks- Job Active Oaklands Park   Wise Training Interskills,
Maxima                                 Wise Employment
MTC Australia                          Women’s Legal Service of SA
Multicultural Youth SA                 Workskil Australia
Overseas Chinese Association SA Inc    Yourtown
Forum Participants                            Carlos Carrodeguas                       Sue Gray TAFE SA
                                              Sunshine Carumba                         Ezzatullah Gulistarui
Mohammad Abdul Salam
                                              Australian Migrant Resource Centre       Muhibullah Habibi
Ahmad Abdul Salam
                                              Dianne Casale                            Mohammad Dawood Haidari
Blur Abdulla                                  Immigration SA, Department of State
Australian Red Cross                                                                   Giorgio Hailemariam
                                              Development - Presenter
Priscila Abonge                                                                        Tania Hamze
                                              Xiaoli Chen
Workskil Australia                            Flinders University                      Yasin Hassanyar
Melissa Adamuszek                             Bokyeong Choi                            Leanne Hill
Workskil (Jobactive, Transition to work and   TAFE SA                                  Department of Employment - Presenter
DES provider) - Presenter                                                              Nick Hume-Phillips
                                              Lian Bil Chuntei
Ahana Adrika                                                                           Department of Social Services
                                              Sang Cuai Men Tial Cin Zah
Australian Migrant Resource Centre                                                     Asif Husaini
                                              Melanie Cureton
James Ainslie                                                                          Iqbal Hussain
                                              Finding Workable Solutions (FWS Inc)
Your Employment Success
                                              Issac Daniel                             Mohammad Idaian
Vrej Aki Akijian
                                              Alik Dardarian                           Farzana Islam
Abdul Alef
                                              Antranik Dardarian                       Jawad Jafari
Andrew Alexander
                                              Phil Davies                              Meysam Jahanabadi
Fairwork Ombudsman - Presenter
                                              Thebarton Senior College                 Zhila Jamalreza
Wajahat Ali
                                              Martin Dean                              Raed Jdean
Saiga Ali
                                              Julia Dempster                           Rateb Jdean
Ghulam Ali
                                              Yourtown                                 Michael Johnson
Australian Migrant Resource Centre
                                              Vanik Derharoution                       Australian Taxation Office
Sara Al-Kufish
Australian Migrant Resource Centre            Christian Dewar                          Chris Jones
                                              Australian Refugee Association Inc       Australian Taxation Office
Faisal Al-Sigar
                                              Michelle Dieu                            Kugan Kaganaratnam
Ana Amirkhanyan
                                              Australian Migrant Resource Centre       Australian Migrant Resource Centre
Australian Migrant Resource Centre
                                              Tessa Doets                              George Kalaji
Araxi Arakil
                                              Sifan Dokryan                            Yogananthan Kalanithi
Hrtioun Aroushian
                                              Kayla Donghue                            Mohammed Karim
Alfred Asirvadham
                                              Workskil Australia                       Ghulam Karimi
Youth Employment Partnership
                                              Kefayeh Doraghi Ahmadi                   Tawfiqullah Karimi
Simrath Athwal
Australian Migrant Resource Centre            Iwanka Drew Maxima                       Juna Karki
Talin Atokian                                 Mustafa El Sayed                         ARA Jobs

Mohammad Kazem Azizi                          Ahamid Eskanian                          Mazen Kasem

Khadim Bahrami                                Mirna Farah                              Nadarajah Katnhiravelu
                                              Matchworks                               Vreg Kazanjian
Kristen Bailey
Status Employment Services                    Nilcoofar Fasihi                         Gohar Khachatryan
Peter Begg                                    Preslinishantha Fernando                 Jo-Anne Khan
TAFE SA- Presenter                            Stanley Ruwan Fernando                   Madan Kumari Khapangi
Mohan Bhattarai                               Mayomi Fernando                          Ngun Sang King Bawl
James Bonner                                  Kolin Finlay                             Peter Komsta
Department of Social Services                 Department of Education and Training -   Australian Migrant Resource Centre
Geeta Bonsal                                  Presenter
                                                                                       Mounir Korasi
Australian Securities and                     Thavarajah Frances Xavier
                                                                                       Aldina Krneta
Investement Commission                        Pabita Gautam                            Sureway Employment and Training
Mirsia Bunjaku                                Rezaee Ghavamabadi                       (DES and jobactive provider) - Presenter
Australian Migrant Resource Centre
                                              Lorena Gomez
Hana Butros
                                              Abbas Gorjifar
Holly Byrne
                                              Kylie Gough
MatchWorks- Jobactive Oaklands Park
                                              Status Employment Services
Forum Participants                           Abeselom Nega                                Farid Shah
                                             iEmpower - Presenter                         Mohammad Dawaud Sharifi Australian
Continued                                    Didi Ngor Wome’s Legal Service of SA         Migrant Resource Centre
Vrey Kzanjian                                Estinelle Nieckissa                          Kerry Simpson
Marisa La Falce                              Omid Nikooeighamsari                         Sarina Russo Job Access
Multicultural SA                                                                          (NEIS provider) - Presenter
                                             Jingqian Nong
Melisa Lenz                                                                               Giorgio Solomon
                                             Ibrahim Nouruzi
Ming Oi Leom                                 Australian Migrant Resource Centre           Matti Spellacy
                                                                                          Australian Migrant Resource Centre
Margaret Liddell                             Nuraiziah Ossman
Uniting Care Wesley Port Adelaide            TAFE SA                                      Yadu Subedi
ParentsNext                                  Joyce Paliza-Benda                           Gopal Tamang

Iris Liu Overseas                            Wise Training Interskills, Wise Employment   Mongali Maya Tamang
Chinese Association SA Inc                   Ann Podzuweit                                Naira Tandilyan
Krishna Luitel                               Vesna Poljak                                 Anna Theodore
Kamal Prasad Luitel                          Disability Employment Services               TAFE SA
                                             Department of Social Services                Joe Thilakan
Purdy Lynch
Department of Social Services                Mechele Potter                               Australian Red Cross
                                             Thebarton Senior College                     Issac Thok
Yu Ma
                                             Georgia Prattis                              Linda Thornton
Mary Madorajah
                                             Keith Preston                                Your Employment Success
Lalbahadur Magarati                          Australian Migrant Resource Centre           Eugenia Tsoulis
Michaela Maguran                             Anita Priadko                                Australian Migrant Resource Centre
Community Bridging Services                  TAFE SA                                      Mary Udayakumar
Chhali Mainali                               Kristopher Pronk                             Fong Ung
Australian Migrant Resource Centre           Fairwork Ombudsman - Presenter               Overseas Chinese Association SA Inc
Dianne Malbut                                Hashem Qanndian                              Juleen Vial
Aspire SYC ParentsNext
                                             Gholam Reza Qorbani                          Amalia Vosnakis
Wendy Malycha
                                             Aram Rafaat                                  Department of Human Services
St. John’s Youth Services
                                             Gopal Singh Rai                              Sisika Warnakulasuriya
Wendy Malychays
                                             Asha Maya Rai                                Nilanga Somal Warnakulasuriya Fernando
Reoberto Manin
                                             Maya Raj                                     Amy Webb
Rafii Araxia Mardiros                        Australian Red Cross                         Jobs Statewide
Uthayakumar Marimuthu                        Dawood Rasooli                               Scott Whitmore
Chloe Matthews                               Australian Migrant Resource Centre           Job Prospect
Moana Matthews                               Sarah Rezaee                                 Yvette Wijayasekera
Spotless                                     Mel Richards                                 Wise Training Interskills, Wise Employment
Cathy McEnroe                                Sarina Russo Job Access                      Dilky Wijeyekoon
JBS Bordertown - Presenter                   Troy Roberts                                 Australian Migrant Resource Centre

Jo Mcleod                                    Status Employment Services                   Desma Wingeatt
TAFE SA                                      Zungkhar Rualhleng                           Sureway Employment & Training

Julian Miller                                Ahmed Safar                                  Daniel Woldemariam
MTC Australia                                Ghazaleh Saffarzadeh                         Yoke Chin Yam
John Ming                                    Nazifa Safi                                  Ibrahim Yhya
Diane Minnis                                 Abdul Sammi Samim                            Tamara Young
Brace Education and Training                                                              MSP Employment Services
                                             Mogamat Sulaiman Samsodien
Ali Mohamed                                                                               Mohammad Sami Zafari
                                             Dunya Sardar
Mohammad Jan                                                                              Gholamreza Zendehdel
                                             Leah Sarkanj
Hanieh Mousavi                               Multicultural Youth SA                       Analal Zhao
Australian Migrant Resource Centre           Michael Schultz                              Hongie Zhou
Lan Ju Mu                                    Australian Red Cross                         Samuel Zing
Trent Murch                                  Sayed Sha                                    Kyawnaymyokhant
Wise Training Interskills, Wise Employment   Australian Migrant Resource Centre
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