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“Find something that gives you hope for the future, then find people who will sit with you, guide you, and help you. We need help in the right way. I found this at Macquarie Community College, and it made all the difference.” The answer to improving everything in a new country, Ayana has found, is study. Correction: the right kind of study. Ayana was even offered a job during her work placement – before she graduated! Nowadays, Ayana is a successful worker in the Aged Care industry who enjoys heart-warming interactions with clients every day. However, Aged Care is a different industry from the one Ayana thought she’d be working in when she first migrated to Australia from Ethiopia.

“I want migrant women to know that they should not stop going after their dreams,” says Olga. Her career in Aged Care fits perfectly with her personal interests and love for people, and her flexible work hours fit neatly with her responsibilities to her family of five. Added to this, both work and training have introduced her to people from diverse cultures, giving her lifelong friends and a supportive community. SKILLS4You, a new program launched last month by Macquarie Community College, offers a program designed for migrant women wanting to work in aged care, disability care and child care.

Facing many disadvantages, Noura was able to find a new path to empowerment and employment through Macquarie Community College. Noura is now in high demand as a care worker, with several employers offering her work. SKILLS4You is a new program for migrant women to help people like Noura get into careers in Aged Care, Disability Care and Child Care - industries in high demand of workers. This new fee-free program for eligible students provides wrap around support services combined with formal training in English language, job readiness and formal qualification training.

Macquarie Community College is pleased to announce the launch of its SKILLS4You program, specially designed to train and support migrant women seeking careers in the care sector. SKILLS4You is tailored to increase opportunities for migrant women to gain skills for life and work in Australia, increasing their participation in employment pathways and connecting them with others in their local communities.

8 out of 11 students who recently completed their CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support, received job offers in the Aged Care and Disability industry. Some of these job offers were as a direct result from their work placements during their studies at Macquarie Community College. Work placements are organised for students to gain real life work experience whilst studying.

Olga and Aziza stood in the close knit, supportive group of about a dozen women. They congratulated each other as each received a statement of attainment for their CareerPathways course in aged and disability care from Macquarie Community College. This NSW Government-funded part qualification holds the key to a career they are all excited about.