By Sahar Foladi
CALD, gender and age are some of the priority cohorts in state government’s Jobs Victoria Engineering Project in the south-east.
This engineering project is estimated to place at least 100 Jobseekers in manufacturing workplaces across the south-east.
The program is open to people who have faced challenges entering the workforce, including women aged 45 and over, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CALD) and people with disability, as well as manufacturing businesses looking for workers in Victoria.
When Asif Afzali fled Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in 2021, he was on jobseeker despite being a qualified civil engineer and an electrician.
He completed his degree at a private University in Kabul, worked five years as a site engineer and three years as an electrician with TABS, a company which provided electricity all over Kabul.
“I searched too many jobs and applied.
“I don’t have local experience other things is maybe my English.”
An initiative like this would’ve benefited Mr Afzali tremendously, however as he struggled to find a job in his field, he opted out and decided to start an apprenticeship as an electrician.
Mr Afzali says most of his friends with a degree in IT and graphics were in the same situation as him and all had to leave their degrees and started work in construction instead.
While it may be too late for Mr Afzali, it may help others in similar situations that would benefit from the project’s ‘earn and learn’ method meaning they can earn as they gain hands-on engineering skills and training.
Chisholm Institute is taking the lead to bridge the gap in the industry and meet the increased demand for skills in the department.
Chisholm Institute’s Chief Commercial Officer, Damien Van Eyk, said “it’s exciting times” particularly at a time when strong growth in the manufacturing industry is resulting in a significant skills gap.
“The Jobs Victoria Engineering Project highlights the opportunities for job seekers to build real-world experience in fabrication and mechanical engineering, while also receiving hands-on training and on-going support.
“Throughout the Project, we’ll provide job seekers and potential employers with ongoing support via workplace buddy systems, professional development initiatives and post-placement assistance, ultimately creating sustainable employment for the long-term.
“We encourage Victorian jobseekers, or business looking for fabricators and mechanical engineering employees to get involved,” Mr Van Eyk said.
There’s an approximately 800 students across all engineering courses provided by Chisholm.
The project will run until April 2024 with majority of recruitment to be done this year and is supported by Victorian Government’s recent announcement of over 55,000 fee-free TAFE and vocational education places, including in manufacturing, in 2023.
