Geoffrey had maintained the same routine for most of his adult life. Having been a machinist at Oliver’s Shoe Manufacturing Company for 30 years, working there was all he knew.
So, when Geoffrey was made redundant after such a long tenure at the company, he was shocked and beside himself. Unsure of his future, Geffrey started to miss the stability of work, and it began to take a toll on his mental health.
To get back on his feet, Geoffrey became an Asuria participant in 2019 under our former jobactive services (now Workforce Australia).
Although keen to work, Geoffrey hadn't needed to look for a job in three decades, so he had no experience applying for jobs in the current labour market. It wasn't long before Geoffrey realised that a lot had changed in 30 years, and his self-doubt began to creep in.
Alongside his barrier of long-term unemployment, Geoffrey wasn't one for socialising and would sometimes refuse support. Still, the Asuria Ballarat team were confident they could help him find a happy ending.
Asuria's Ballarat team decided the best way to support Geoffrey would be to strip everything back to the fundamental basics of job seeking, as it's what he was most familiar with.
It was essential to ensure that Geoffrey felt comfortable, so Asuria started with one-on-one weekly appointments. Geoffrey and Asuria Mentor Carollyn, would spend this time building his resume and practising his computer skills together.
From there, it was time to tackle Geoffrey's social barriers. Transitioning from individual appointments, Carollyn encouraged and assisted Geoffrey in attending group sessions to help him find confidence and build friendships with others.
Over time, Geoffrey's trust, and confidence in his Mentor, Carollyn, began to blossom and his knowledge and interest in different employment opportunities grew.
Taking the next step in his job-seeking journey, Geoffrey was referred to interviews, which sadly didn't result in placements but did result in experience. Eventually, Geoffrey commenced some casual placements, but they needed to be a better fit for Geoffrey in the long term.
Despite the setbacks, Geoffrey's appointments and the support from the Asuria Ballarat Team helped him develop resilience. With every placement that didn't work out, Geoffrey saw it as an opportunity to find something better.
Then, Geoffrey's persistence began to pay off, because in June 2022, Geoffrey was referred to a Traffic Management Course through Go Training. Through the improvements in his confidence, computer and social skills, Geoffrey was capable and ready to be successful, and in August, he was offered a placement.
Now three months into his role as Traffic Controller at Go Traffic, Geoffrey loves his new job and is currently on a part-time work exemption. From once feeling too shy to chat, to now enjoying coming into the office to say hello, Geoffrey has developed a great relationship with Asuria's Ballarat Team.
Asuria is extremely proud of Geoffrey for overcoming his barriers and pushing himself outside his comfort zone. Geoffrey has indeed come a long way, and while he may be holding stop signs on our roads, there seems to be no slowing down for Geoffrey and his future.
If you would like support in finding and keeping a job, then click here to check out Asuria's Workforce Australia Services.
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