How Toni rebuilt her confidence and found her career

Nineteen years is a long time to be away from paid work.

For Toni, those years were spent doing something equally demanding: raising her children as their principal carer in Salisbury, South Australia.

When she was ready to return to work, she knew she needed support.

Toni joined APM's Salisbury office through the Workforce Australia program, and from the start, she was upfront about the challenges ahead.

She needed hours that worked around school, had little support around her, and worried that the gap in her resume would count against her.

Her APM Employment Consultant Hayley didn't skip past any of that.

Together, they rebuilt Toni's resume, identified her strengths, and mapped out a clear path forward.

Toni earned her Responsible Service of Alcohol certification, began studying toward a Certificate III in Business Administration, connected with the Dress for Success program and engaged with interview coaching and presentation support.

When early applications went unanswered and motivation dipped, Hayley encouraged Toni to stay focused on her upskilling and keep showing up.

Toni then took on the Skills and Jobs Australia program, three weeks of daily sessions covering resumes, interview practice, job searching and building transferable skills.

She did the work, and it paid off.

Toni secured a housekeeping role with Universal Clean, working six shifts a week.

APM made sure nothing got in the way of her keeping it, helping with work clothing, regular check-ins, and MetroCard recharges so she could get to every shift.

After 19 years, Toni is back in paid work, and she built this herself.

If you are looking for work and could use support getting started, APM is here to help.

Visit Workforce Australia to learn more, or share Toni's story with someone who needs to hear it today.