AKG delivers integrated employment services – a model that combines health support, accredited skills training, and practical assistance rather than treating job placement as a standalone task. This is the story of Lucille, a proud Indigenous Australian and AKG customer in Devonport, whose path to employment required addressing recovery, transport, training, and licensing all at once.
Recovery First for Lucille
When Lucille first walked through the doors of our Devonport office, she was worried about one thing: staying on track after overcoming drug and alcohol dependence. That honesty shaped everything that followed.
Rather than pushing straight into job search, we started with stabilisation. Our Employment Health Services team — an in-house function that addresses health and wellbeing barriers alongside employment goals — worked with Lucille to build strategies that supported her recovery.
Rebuilding Confidence Through Short-Course Training
Once Lucille felt steady, we connected her with Duke Education, a registered training organisation, for a short course designed to rebuild confidence, reignite motivation, and sharpen her resume. The change was immediate. She left ready to chase real opportunities.
Solving Transport as a Long-Term Barrier
Barriers rarely come one at a time. Living in an area with limited public transport, Lucille needed reliable transport just to attend appointments.
We arranged support through Area Connect, a regional transport service powered by Community Transport Services Tasmania and funded by the Tasmanian Government, to get her to our Devonport office.
Then we went a step further and funded driving lessons — working toward long-term independence, not just a short-term fix.
The Making Tracks Program
When a place opened in Wilson Security’s Making Tracks Program, Lucille was ready to seize it. Making Tracks is a structured training initiative that funds and prepares Indigenous Australians and other underrepresented job seekers for long-term careers in the security industry. As a proud Indigenous Australian, this program was built for people just like her.
Clearing Every Practical Obstacle
The two-week training was two hours from home. We covered:
- Accommodation and food for the duration of the training
- A mobile phone with credit, so Lucille could stay connected and supported throughout
- Her police check
- Interview clothing
- Her provisional driver’s licence application
Every practical obstacle standing between Lucille and her goal was addressed.
An Offer from the Spirit of Tasmania
Lucille has now been offered a position on the Spirit of Tasmania.
Why Integrated Services Matter
At AKG, our employment services, health support, skills training, and practical assistance work together, not in isolation. We deliver this model because people facing intersecting barriers need intersecting solutions — and through it, we help individuals build the capacity to find and sustain work.
Congratulations, Lucille. This is only the beginning.
Note: Lucille’s name has been changed to protect her privacy. Lucille was a customer of AKG’s Workforce Australia program.
