Stephen’s journey from knock-backs to new beginnings

For Stephen, navigating the employment landscape felt more like a maze than a straight road – but all he needed was a little guidance.  

Stephen, at 62, has a wealth of experience in various industries, including traffic control, park maintenance, labouring, commercial cleaning, and warehousing, just to name a few. 

Despite Stephen’s stacked resume, and clear examples of experience, he still struggled to land a job in the fast-paced modern employment landscape, and after over ten years of knock-backs, his confidence and self-esteem were beginning to falter. 

In July 2025, he attended the Career Transition Assistance (CTA) course, a government initiative designed for people aged 45 and over, seeing a chance to upskill, explore new opportunities, and learn how to navigate the job market. 

Additionally, he expressed interest in the disability support industry and was looking forward to learning how to break into and explore opportunities in this industry. 

Mervyn, the CTA facilitator, observed that despite Stephen’s lack of confidence and apprehensiveness to new technologies at the start, his determination to complete the course far outweighed any doubts or fears he had.  

While completing the course, Stephen reached several personal and professional milestones.  

He began to see the value in his transferable skills and learned how to present them confidently, both on paper and in person. As a result, his confidence in himself and his prospects skyrocketed. 

He has also fully embraced technology, not just as a tool for job searching and applications, but as an application in his daily life. 

However, the biggest and most significant milestone; Stephen landed a job in the disability support industry before the course had even wrapped up. 

He secured a role transporting people with disability, a perfect stepping stone into the field he was passionate about beginning. 

Even after getting the job, Stephen continued attending every class, committed to finishing what he started and soaking up as much knowledge as he could.  

Mervyn, seeing his progression from day one to where he is now in just under a month, couldn’t be prouder of Stephen. 

“I’m so proud of him. He can type a resume and a cover letter on the computer now, which might not seem like much to some, but it’s a massive achievement to him. He persevered and never gave up,” Mervyn said. 

Stephen is proof that with a little direction and determination, your goals are always within reach. 

About Workforce Australia – Career Transition Assistance    

Bamara is a Workforce Australia provider of Career Transition Assistance, a government initiative designed for people aged 45 and over. 

Career Transition Assistance will help you identify the right career pathway to work, whether you are returning to work, looking for a new opportunity, or wanting to change your career.