PETA Moxon remembers a time when she looked to her future and was riddled with fear due to the challenges of being unemployed.
The Melton resident is now in full-time employment and grateful for all the people who helped her along the way.
She can’t praise WISE Employment in Melton enough for its support during her challenging period of unemployment.
“I couldn’t make the bills and rent. The money I was earning from casual jobs wasn’t stretching far enough,” Ms Moxon said.
“WISE made me feel like it was OK to be unemployed and that they were going to help me. They really picked me up when I was at my lowest.”
WISE’s Melton program manager, Kim Bowes, said demand for services was increasing.
Last week, the Melton office was helping 193 jobseekers.
This comes after federal figures showed the electorate’s jobless rate rose by 0.5 per cent between September 2008 and December 2011.
In the neighbouring Tarneit electorate, unemployment was up 2.5 per cent.
The figures, released by the state opposition, detail increases in unemployment in Victorian electorates with jobless rates higher than 6per cent.
WISE empowers people from diverse backgrounds and has been helping Melton and Bacchus Marsh residents gain employment. It has recently started to work with workers made redundant due to cuts in the manufacturing industry.
Darley’s Doris and Randolf Ignatius said WISE had “bent over backwards” to help them find work.
Mr Ignatius, who came to Australia from India, had completed a course in welding but had not had any relevant experience until WISE intervened.
Similarly Mrs Ignatius, who came from Fiji, had completed a certificate in children’s services but couldn’t find a job due to lack of experience.
She completed a placement
with a childcare centre and was this year offered a permanent position.
“I’m very grateful for what they have done for me and my wife,” Mr Ignatius said.
Ms Moxon urged unemployed residents not to give up.
“Take the advice the employment agencies give; it is their job to get you back out there. Take the assistance you’re offered and run with it.”
