The building blocks for a career in the construction industry

Meet Hadi, an Employment Empowers participant who recently landed a job in the construction industry. Hadi was carefully matched with his mentor, Tim, in December 2019 and the pair dove straight into trying to find Hadi employment.

Tim & Hadi, Employment Empowers mentor and mentee.

Despite having completed a Bachelor of Architecture, Hadi had so far been unsuccessful in his job search. He applied to various roles at Melbourne-based Architecture firms but he felt that he wasn’t equipped with the skills to stand out in his applications.

“When I was applying for jobs, I didn’t even know how to write professional emails,” Hadi said.

“Tim is a recruiter so he taught me how to write a resume and cover letter, and he helped me build connections. He also told me about the different companies out there and advised me to apply to builders,” Hadi said.

Hadi would meet Tim every fortnight to practice interview questions and when Melbourne went into lockdown, they emailed each other with interview questions and answers to each other.

After changing his tactic and applying to the building industry in regional Victoria, Hadi eventually successfully gained employment close to home and at a company where he feels well supported and comfortable to ask for help when needed.

“This program has opened my eyes and I now look at the industry in a more professional way, I learnt how to portray myself as a professional and how to fit into the industry, skills you don’t pick up at university,” Hadi said.

“Working in the field and studying is completely different and you learn a lot on the job,” Hadi says. Besides his written skills, Hadi says his communication skills have also improved, thanks to his mentor.

Hadi is also appreciative that his mentor still checks up on him and is always available if he has any questions. He hopes to be able to catch up in person post-lockdown to thank Tim for his help.

When asked about what advice he would give to other young people like him, Hadi says “I would one hundred per cent recommend this program to other young people. No job is too small, just apply for everything, don’t be shy, ask questions, take the mentor’s advice and go for it!”

If you’re looking for employment, interested in being a volunteer mentor, or looking to get involved as an employer, click here.