Supporting mature age workers into meaningful employment
Mature age workers are people who bring years of life experience, practical skills and workplace knowledge to the labour market. Despite this, they can sometimes face additional barriers when looking for employment, including age-related self-doubt, concerns about fitting into a younger team, health considerations, changing industry expectations or a lack of recent interview experience.
AKG delivers Workforce Australia – the Australian Government’s employment services program, designed to support eligible job seekers to prepare for, find and maintain work. Through personalised employment support, training pathways and connections with employers, AKG helps people build confidence and move toward sustainable employment.
For Amal, one of our Workforce Australia customers, the job market felt like it had been built for someone else. She worried her age was working against her and feared that, even if she secured a role, she might not fit in alongside younger colleagues. That self-doubt made finding employment feel almost out of reach.
Building confidence through practical support
Our team began by focusing on Amal’s confidence, readiness and wellbeing. Returning to work after time away can feel daunting, so the right preparation was an important part of helping her take the next step.
We supported Amal through:
- Mock interviews to sharpen her interview skills and help her feel more confident answering employer questions
- First Aid training to increase her workplace readiness and help her feel prepared for a new role
- Health and wellbeing support from our Health Services Officer to help her physically prepare for returning to work
Connecting Amal with the right opportunity
Employer partnerships play a vital role in helping job seekers access real opportunities. Through our strong partnership with Compass Group, a leading provider of hospitality and food services, we have placed more than 500 individuals into hospitality and food services roles since 2020.
Drawing on this partnership, our team arranged an interview for Amal. Although she felt nervous, she arrived prepared, drew on the confidence she had built through her training and interview practice, and impressed the employer.
She nailed it.
Supporting the transition back into work
Securing a job is a major milestone, but the transition into a new workplace can be just as important. Onboarding support helps new employees settle into their role, understand workplace expectations and build confidence during the early stages of employment.
Knowing this, we continued to support Amal after she accepted the role. Our team helped her through the onboarding process and stayed connected as she adjusted to being back in the workforce.
Six months on, Amal is thriving
Six months later, Amal is still in the role and continuing to build confidence in her workplace. According to Heena, our AKG Business Manager, Amal is absolutely thriving.
Mature age workers have valuable skills, experience and resilience to offer. AKG provides mature workers with the right preparation, health and wellbeing support, employer connections and post-placement guidance, so that returning to work can become a realistic and rewarding step forward.
