Having lived through some of the toughest times in Greece’s economic history, in 2018 with a heavy heart a then 23-year-old Panagiotis decided to leave his family and friends behind in his hometown of Athens and make the journey Down Under in search of bigger and better opportunities.
During his first two years in Australia, Panagiotis successfully found work independently; however, it wasn't easy. With English as his second language, he struggled to find employers willing to hire him, and when they did, it was always short term and casual work.
"I was trying really hard to find a job," said Panagiotis.
With dreams of finding security and stability in Australia, Panagiotis’ was having trouble obtaining the kind of work he wanted, and unfortunately for him, things were about to get worse.
When covid-19 hit in 2020, Panagiotis found himself out of a job.
"With coronavirus, it was very hard, and I was sad because it was difficult."
Unemployed and homesick, Centrelink referred him to Asuria, where he joined our jobactive services in Kogarah. It was there that Panagiotis met then Job Coach, Sarah.
After their first meeting, Sarah and Panagiotis discussed his desire to find a full-time job that would offer him training and new skills.
“Considering Panagiotis didn’t have any qualifications in Australia, he didn’t let that dampen his spirit when taking chances. To help him grab an employer’s attention, I worked on reformatting his resume, so it was clear, and I updated it with a variety of skills that he didn’t even realise he had.”
Sarah was able to get Panagiotis into work during the pandemic, but without a driver's license, and limited hours available due to lockdowns, it remained short term.
Sarah reassured Panagiotis that even though he hadn't found a permanent workplace yet, all the experience he'd accumulated would strengthen his chances of finding an employer that would meet his needs.
Remaining patient, and trusting his job coach Sarah, it wasn't long before an opportunity for full-time employment presented itself.
Reaching out to her co-worker and Asuria Employment Consultant Evan, Sarah and Evan marketed Panagiotis to the manager at Tempe Tyres.
Having previously placed non-native English speaking job seekers with the company, Evan knew Tempe Tyres could provide Panagiotis with the sense of belonging he'd been looking for.
Joining the team as a Warehouse Worker, Panagiotis' day-to-day involves helping to keep the warehouse running smoothly and making sure everything is exactly where the technicians and engineers need it to be; something which he truly enjoys.
Panagiotis is exceptionally grateful for the opportunity to be working full-time in Australia, and it shows in his impeccable work ethic. His dedication to getting the job done has not gone unnoticed at Tempe, as he recently received a promotion.
"They seem satisfied with me, and they are wonderful people; they treat me like family. Now, everything is fine and beautiful,” said Panagiotis.
Asuria is beyond proud to see Panagiotis carving out a new life for himself here in Australia, and we’re looking forward to seeing him progress his career with Tempe Tyres once he returns from visiting his loved ones back home in Greece.