Andrew learns that age doesn’t have to be a barrier to finding work

When Andrew first met with the team at Ability Options Castle Hill, he believed that no-one would want to hire him because of his age, but all he needed was an opportunity to show a potential employer what he was capable of.  

When Andrew, age 60, signed up with Ability Options in Castle Hill, he had never been on a Government payment before. Andrew had worked most of his life and for the first time found himself without work, in financial crisis, and unsure of how to fix things. Andrew believed that no-one would want to hire him because of his age. He was timid, lacking confidence and afraid that if he didn’t find work he would lose his rental property.  

Andrew was teamed up with mentor Jason:  

“When I first met Andrew, he was very scared about the new processes he was facing. He had never been on a payment before and with every question I asked he became more nervous, fearing he would lose his payment if he answered the question wrong. He really lacked confidence in himself, and didn’t believe anyone would want to hire him”. – Jason, Ability Options, Castle Hill   

Jason could see that underneath Andrew’s fear, he was a hardworking and conscientious man and he knew that with the right coaching he’d be a great asset to an employer.  

Jason helped Andrew with improving his resume, worked with him to sharpen his interview skills and helped him gain some confidence so that he could see that his age wasn’t going to be a barrier to getting a job.  

When Jason saw that there was a position advertised for a kitchen hand to work at The Hills Lodge in Castle Hill he contacted the employer to obtain more information about the role in the hope of referring Andrew for the job.  

I sent in Andrew’s resume and arranged for him to have a work trial. Andrew arrived on time – as he always does – and worked hard to impress his potential employer. It was Andrew’s hard work that secured him the position. Reverse marketing Andrew allowed us to move past the perceived barrier of his age and secure him an opportunity to show the employer what he was capable of. 

Despite the fast-paced environment of the kitchen, Andrew is flourishing in the new role. He is coming out of his shell, fitting in well, keeping up with the younger people he works with, and even picking up extra shifts to cover colleagues who are on leave. His employer is really impressed with his work.  

Andrew’s confidence is soaring now that he is working again. He is clearly in a happier state of mind. Even just talking to him on the phone you can hear that he has a more positive outlook on life. It turns out age wasn’t his biggest barrier; self doubt was.

Andrew’s story shows us that if you have the bravery to put yourself out there you’ll find success.. and that there’s nothing wrong with asking someone for a little help along the way.  

At CoAct we believe deeply in the power of diverse workforces, and that includes mature workers. If you are a mature age worker in search of meaningful and sustainable employment and need a little help, contact our team today.  

(Disability Employment Services Australia (DES) has now been replaced by Inclusive Employment Australia (IEA).