Medhi awarded Employee of the Year
Medhi’s journey to work is an inspiring story about a migrant who worked hard to overcome barriers to employment – and was rewarded for his efforts.
After moving to Australia from Pakistan in 2015, Medhi spent more than two years learning English and applying for jobs. Each knockback chipped away at the Melbourne job seeker’s confidence, and these experiences left Medhi feeling reluctant to put himself forward for other roles.
Medhi, centre, receiving his award from the Serenity Bedding team including Simon Cowen, right.
“Medhi was very shy and low in confidence when we first met him and initially struggled to commit to interviews,” MatchWorks Employment Consultant, Nigel Carter said.
“We persuaded him to give our City at Work employment program a go, and with great support from Dave [City at Work trainer], Medhi’s confidence grew.”
The team at MatchWorks continued to work with Medhi on his job searching and interview skills. They also encouraged him to take part in Destination Work, a follow-up program supporting job seekers until they find and settle into work.
Finding the right employer
The turning point came in January 2019, when Medhi started a role as a casual process worker with Serenity Bedding. The partnership was a success. With ongoing support from the employer and MatchWorks, Medhi worked his way up to work 76 hours a fortnight.
Showing great determination and an impressive work ethic, Medhi’s efforts were recognised. He was recently promoted to a full-time role and awarded ‘Casual of the Year’ by his manager, Simon Cowen.
“We are so proud of Medhi’s achievement,” Simon said.
“Medhi has shown exceptional commitment and demonstrated significant improvement in developing the skills required to meet the demands of the role. This award recognises what a great job he has done.”
For more information about how MatchWorks can help you find employment, contact us or call 1300 13 23 63.