At Winslow, our involvement in the communities within which we work is to enhance them and to create opportunities for its residents.
Winslow continues to open the door for people wanting a career in this exciting industry.
Working with our partner Prace – Adult Community Education, which conducts the Employability Skills: Civil Construction Labourer program, we have employed graduates including Jasper.
Jasper, who had struggled to find employment after arriving from New Zealand, has been working with Winslow’s electrical crew on projects across Melbourne’s north after completing the program in May.
His work ethic and enthusiasm has impressed everyone within the team.
“He is everything we want,” said Electrical Operations Manager Glenn Shallard.
Jasper said he gained a lot of knowledge, which helped him to be ready for work when he started at Winslow.
“The course covered various topics, which was awesome,” Jasper said.
“Health and safety awareness was a very important topic, this being the number one priority for me when working in this industry.
“My dream job is to become a civil engineer and I am now on my way to reaching my ultimate goal.”
Winslow is also proud to be a part of the Engineering Pathways Industry Cadetship (EPIC) program with our partners Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV) and Swinburne University, which provides employment and training outcomes for refugee and asylum seekers.
Participants come from a diverse range of backgrounds, with a majority coming from countries throughout the Middle East.
The aim is to support the individuals to work and study at the same time, thereby gaining experience, Australian qualifications, and access to industry opportunities.
Winslow currently has two employees in the program, including Tariq who arrived in Australia from Afghanistan on a humanitarian visa.
Working as a civil engineer for the Afghan government had made him a target of attacks by extremists forcing him to leave the country.
He arrived in Australia hoping to restart his career, only to find his qualifications and experience were dismissed.
The EPIC program has enabled Tariq to continue working as an engineer while obtaining Australian qualifications.
He says the biggest difference between working in Australia and Afghanistan is the safety precautions.
“I had never worn safety boots before coming here,” Tariq said.
“Here everything starts with safety and ends with safety, to make sure everyone is safe, happy, and at the end of the day, goes back to their homes.”