Pictured (L to R): Karen, Boban and Monique.
- Boban felt uncertain about his next step, and reached out to APM Employment Services for support
- Monique and Karen recognised Boban’s passion for food and encouraged him to pursue it.
Experiencing unemployment can cause feelings of insecurity, anxiety and uncertainty.
When 51-year-old Boban was going through a difficult period of unemployment and began avoiding contact with the outside world as much as possible.
This left him with low confidence, and he froze up during interviews.
"I was at home doing nothing" Boban said.
"I don't like doing nothing. It makes me nervous and frustrated."
In an effort to change his circumstances, Boban visited the APM Elizabeth office in Adelaide’s northern suburbs.
Shortly after meeting employment consultant Jamie, Boban was given the opportunity to participate in the Career Transition Assistance (CTA) program through APM Employment Services.
"Suddenly I had purpose to get up in the morning" Boban said.
"The program gave me something to do."
The Career Transition Assistance program helps participants aged 45 years and over build their skills and confidence to become more competitive in their local labour market.
Facilitated by APM, each course runs for approximately eight weeks and is delivered both online and face to face.
CTA Facilitators Monique and Karen embraced Boban with open arms, giving him the space to be himself.
Their patience and support allowed Boban to feel that he could be vulnerable and share his story.
"Monique and Karen are heroes," Boban said.
"There’s reasons why we do things, and Monique and Karen are meant to be teachers. The way they interact with people shows me that they're meant to do these jobs."
Monique recalls that Boban was incredibly switched-on from the beginning of his journey within the program.
All he required was a push in the right direction – encouragement, motivation, and support to build his confidence.
Feeling at home within the CTA program, Boban would regularly make treats for the team to share.
It was clear to everyone that food was Boban’s passion.
With a team of APM staff backing him, Boban took his passion for food to the next level and enrolled in a Certificate III in Food Processing.
Facilitator Monique says that APM’s CTA program is never a one-size-fits-all approach, and that’s why participants like Boban can thrive.
“Everyone’s journey is unique,” Monique said.
“Our facilitating really depends on individual needs.”
“We don’t just support participants on job-related matters, we also help to motivate participants and to get them back on track.”
Boban recently completed his qualification and has now embarked on his job search journey, with dreams of ultimately opening his own pub or becoming a hospitality facilitator.
Whilst acknowledging that his journey is far from over, Boban proudly reflects on the progress he has made since commencing with APM.
"Confidence is the biggest challenge I've been able to overcome," Boban said.
"Overall, APM has changed my mindset towards employment. I feel more positive about working in the future now."
Jamie has utilised the employment fund to pay for transport so that Boban can travel to and from job interviews.
The whole team are behind Boban and look forward to continuing to support him on his quest to landing the perfect role.
“We are so proud of Boban and how hard he is working to reach his goals” Monique said.
What is Career Transition Assistance?
We understand the thought of finding a new job can feel daunting.
Career Transition Assistance supports people aged 45 and over on their path to employment.
Delivered face-to-face or online by an experienced facilitator, it is designed to build your pre-employment skills and help you gain a competitive advantage in the job market.
Your training aims to give you increased confidence and motivation, a better understanding of the local job market, increased digital literacy, and a tailored Career Pathway Plan.
To find out more visit apm.net.au/cta or call 1300 276 282.