Instead of having to worry where her next pay cheque would come from, or how she would get the on-the-job experience necessary to impress future employers, Working for Victoria (WfV) saw her get work in her area of study and expertise.Having started WfV at the City of Greater Geelong, Jenifer now works at Benalla Rural City Council as a project officer (landscape architecture).“I’m using my qualifications in landscape architecture and learning so much from the people I work with,” Jenifer said.“As a result of this experience, I would like to be a town planner and plan towns on a bigger scale and develop places for community.”
*** Kylie a finalist in AusMumpreneur awards
Jenifer said joining the WfV scheme lifted her career prospects, introduced mentors in her chosen profession and has provided the experience needed to impress future employers, in local government and the private sector.For the first time in years, Jenifer – who worked at an architecture firm before coming to Australia to study and work – said she had found a work-life balance.“Working in a rural city council is really cool,” she said.
“It lets me balance my life and has given me the practical experience and the mentoring I will need for the next phase.
An independent report, commissioned by Rural Councils Victoria, found the $500 million WfV program benefitted individuals, councils and communities across the state.
Rural Councils Victoria chair Mary-Ann Brown said hundreds of people like Jenifer, who would otherwise never have considered a job in local government, were employed in councils across rural Victoria under the WfV program, which was rolled out in record time by the state government in response to the global pandemic.
*** Benalla Yarnbombed
“The Working for Victoria program allowed councils to hire young people, those who had never previously considered working for a council, people from other regions and people from Melbourne,” Cr Brown said.
“The majority had never applied for a job in local government before and some had never even considered working with a council.
“This saw an influx of new blood, new ideas and new energy into councils across rural Victoria.
“Unlike many state-local government funding arrangements, which are tied to schemes that are not appropriate for rural communities, the WfV scheme allowed councils to appoint people into roles using their specialised skills and knowledge that were beneficial to local communities and were responsive to local needs.”
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