Tarlia finds confidence and a fresh career path through Employability Skills Training

When Tarlia joined APM Employment Services for Employability Skills Training, she wasn’t quite sure what to expect.

She already had work experience and wondered whether the course would really add value.

What she didn’t expect was how much it would change the way she felt about herself and her future.

At the time, Tarlia was juggling a lot. She was learning to navigate adult ADHD and was still carrying the impact of previous workplace challenges that had knocked her confidence and made the idea of returning to work feel overwhelming.

She was also worried that doing a course might take time away from focusing on her own wellbeing.

Before the program even kicked off, APM Training and Industry Consultant Michael reached out to get to know Tarlia properly.

They talked through what support might help her stay focused, feel comfortable, and get the most out of the training. That early connection helped set the tone for everything that followed.

As the course went on, Tarlia started to surprise herself.

She became more confident speaking up during group conversations and found comfort in being around people who understood where she was coming from.

The group environment gave her a sense of belonging and reminded her that she didn’t have to figure everything out on her own.

One of the big turning points came during an industry awareness session.

It encouraged Tarlia to think differently about what kind of work might suit her. For the first time, she began to see new possibilities and imagine a career path she had never considered before.

Outside of course hours, Michael continued to check in with one-on-one mentoring. These sessions helped reinforce what Tarlia was learning and provided practical strategies around learning with ADHD and managing mental health at work.

That extra support helped her stay on track and build confidence step by step.

By the time Tarlia completed Employability Skills Training, she felt calmer, more confident, and clearer about what she wanted next.

After visiting her grandmother, she felt inspired to move into a role where she could support others.

She enrolled in a Certificate III in Individual Support focused on aged and disability care and is now preparing to begin her work placement after completing the academic side of the course.

Tarlia was especially excited to visit Michael in person to share her progress, after previously connecting online.

She still drops into the APM office to give updates as she works towards her new career and celebrates each milestone along the way.

“EST gave my mental health and confidence such a boost, it opened up a new career path and I highly recommend doing this course to anyone. I would never have thought that I could or would be able to do this without Michael and the EST course,” Tarlia said.

Michael said watching Tarlia grow had been incredibly rewarding.

“The EST program and the group environment we created supported her mental health in a positive way. She set SMART goals, is achieving them, and shares her wins along the way,” he said.

If you are looking for support to find work or are an employer keen to connect with motivated job seekers, Employability Skills Training could be a great place to start.

Feel free to share Tarlia’s story and visit our job seeker support page to learn more about how Employability Skills Training can help people take their next step toward work.