CareerSeekers

We are truly fortunate to collaborate with partners who champion continuous learning and professional development for our team. Today, we’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to three partners who’ve gone above and beyond: Macquarie Foundation & Macquarie Group Huge thanks to Anna Le Masurier, Wei Sheng, Harry Kellick, and Lucy Zhao for hosting the Human-Centred Design Workshop. The empathy-driven approach to problem-solving and innovative thinking we gained has been invaluable, inspiring us to better serve our participants and partners. LinkedIn Grateful to Tuan Pham and the LinkedIn Team (Gustavo Valencia and Danika Houghton) for the invitation to the Talent Connect Conference. Learning about the future of recruitment, L&D, and how AI is transforming talent goals has opened our eyes to new strategies for empowering people with refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds. Ghella ANZ Thank you for inviting our team to the International Women’s Day events hosted by the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC). The Great Debate in Sydney at Doltone House sparked thought-provoking discussions, and we loved meeting the Ghella team, including Maurizio Marchionni, Anna Dacanay, Saskia Northam, Sladjana Lazarevic, Samantha Kurth, Hedie Masanga, and Catia De Cunha Silva. Special thanks to Daniela Tibau Figueiredo for hosting us. The High Tea at the Grand Hyatt in Melbourne was another fantastic opportunity to network with industry leaders. Thank you Paige Van Every for facilitating these connections, and a special shout-out to Cathryn Greville, CEO of NAWIC, for her warm welcome. These partnerships help our team expand their skills, spark new collaborations, and open doors to further impact. We’re proud to stand alongside organisations that share our vision of empowering individuals and driving positive change in the workforce. #Gratitude #Partnerships #LearningAndDevelopment #CareerGrowth #Empowerment #Networking #HumanCentredDesign #TalentConnect #IWD2025 #DiverseTalent #MacquarieGroup #LinkedIn #NAWIC #CareerSeekers

For us, lived experience is at the heart of what we do. It’s more than a concept—it’s the foundation of our work. The individuals we support bring valuable perspectives, resilience, and insights that go beyond what any textbook can teach. Their experiences shape them, and in turn, they help shape the future of the workplace. We believe in fostering workplaces where people from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds feel valued and supported—not just as part of a diversity initiative, but as an ongoing commitment. This Harmony Week and Culturally Diversity Week, our focus remains the same as always: 🟣 Career pathways should remove barriers, not just open doors. 🟣 Lived experience brings depth to conversations and drives meaningful change. 🟣 True inclusion goes beyond metrics—it creates lasting impact. How does your organisation embed diversity into its everyday work? #HarmonyWeek #CulturalDiversityWeek #IDERD #DiversityEveryDay #LivedExperience #Inclusion #CareerSeekers #Empowerment #Diversity

We are honoured to work alongside John Holland, whose commitment to inclusion goes beyond words and into action. By creating career pathways for participants in our program (alongside other skilled professionals with refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds) they’re not just hiring talent; they’re actively building a stronger, more inclusive workforce. #CareerSeekers #JohnHolland #DiverseTalent #Inclusion #Empowerment #ProfessionalPathways #BuildingCareers #HarmonyWeek #HarmonyWeek #WesternSydney

Meet Bwe Thay ✨ A community leader, advocate, father, and proud CareerSeekers Board Member. His journey, passion, and leadership embody the power of lived experience in shaping a more inclusive Australia. At CareerSeekers, we know that representation matters—not just in workplaces, but in leadership. That’s why having people with lived refugee and asylum seeking experience on our Board and in our team is not just important—it’s essential. Their voices bring firsthand insight, deep understanding, and a powerful commitment to breaking down barriers. Bwe’s story reminds us that diversity is not just about numbers—it’s about creating spaces where everyone belongs, where backgrounds are valued, and where people can thrive. This Diversity Week we’ll be sharing stories that highlight the talent of CareerSeekers’ participants and the positive impact of diversity in workplaces. 🎥 Watch Bwe’s story and join the conversation: What does real inclusion mean to you? #RealInclusion #LivedExperienceMatters #DiversityWeek #CareerSeekers #DiverseTalent #Diversity #Representation #Inclusion

CareerSeekers x Optus: Celebrating Our Interns’ Success CareerSeekers is proud to celebrate three outstanding participants who recently completed their internships at Optus: Shamsia Haidari – Enterprise & Business Delivery Fatima Sohrabi – Network Engineering (Service DevOps) Saman Soltani – IP Network Engineering (Fixed Devices) Over the summer, they tackled real-world projects in cybersecurity, networking, and change management—contributing meaningful work that strengthened Optus’s operations while honing their own expertise. More than just technical skills, they built lasting connections with their teams, gaining invaluable mentorship and friendships along the way. Special mentions to their managers Steen Cummings, Bernadette Lahood, Michael Welchman, Robert Harrild and Early Careers Program Specialist Vidhi Soni. These internships go beyond “just a job.” They highlight the strategic value of diversity, equity, and inclusion showcasing how Optus fosters an environment where talent thrives. Thank you, Optus, for championing inclusion and empowering our participants! #CareerSeekers #Optus #InternshipSuccess #DiverseTalent #Inclusion #ProfessionalPathways

Fazila Ali joined carsales through CareerSeekers while pursuing her double degrees in Computer & Network Engineering and Computer Science at RMIT. In her own words: “Coming to Australia, a country that values education and diversity, was life changing... Being an intern at Carsales has been transformative. From day one, I was welcomed into an innovative and collaborative team where learning and growth are valued.” With guidance from Julia Harper (Delivery Lead) and the entire team, Fazila sharpened her skills in RAID management, workflow facilitation, and team coordination - all while using tools like Miro and Jira to build her documentation expertise. A big thank you to Natalie Phillips for making this opportunity possible and to Carsales for fostering a supportive environment. Read more below about Fazila’s journey, which is an inspiring testament to how passion and an inclusive workplace culture can turn ambitions into reality! #CareerSeekers #ProfessionalPathways #DiverseTalent #InclusiveWorkplace #Carsales #InternshipSuccess #BuildingCareers

Another exciting milestone as our CareerSeekers wrapped up their summer placements at Macquarie Group, sharing their experiences in insightful end-of-internship presentations. Our interns have integrated their academic learning by tackling real-world projects and contributed to their team goals across Financial Management, People and Engagement, Corporate Operations Group, Macquarie Asset Management, Risk Management Group, Banking and Financial Services, and Macquarie Group Foundation. Congratulations to Anas Nounou, Asma Mohammad Zada, Ephraim Ngabonziza, Fadi Gorges, Hussen Karimi, Maksym Bui, Maria Alhalabi, Morees Asranika, Murat Muhaciroglu, Noble Kamurasi, Nooria Alizada, Pouya Mousavi, Qudrat Abbasi, Rose Sanhir, Shahreza Mirzaie, Soghra Yari who have embraced this opportunity—gaining skills, confidence, and a clearer vision for their careers! A huge thank you to Macquarie Group for fostering an environment where these talented individuals can thrive. Special appreciation to: - HR and Early Careers team: Saskia Riedel, Sophie Lumsden, Megan Chillari, Sijia Dong and Sasha Gold for your guidance and support in making this experience truly impactful. - Dedicated managers and buddies, especially: Alexandra Murrin, Anu Kachhwaha, Aurika Goutama, Carly Harrison, Donovan Rea, Edward Tran, Euan Lyall, Greg Weller, Iman Etemad Shahidi, Keit Tan, Paula Whelan, Peter Milston, Pratyusha Namballa, Ravi Meesala, Sophia Katsinas, Sylvia Morris, William Leung. We would also like to sincerely thank the Macquarie Group Foundation (Anna Le Masurier and Lauren Tuck) for your philanthropic support, which has enabled us to achieve life-changing outcomes sustainably built through the power of careers. One of our interns shared how impactful this experience has been: "This internship has completely reshaped my attitude, and I am even more excited for what the future holds. Thank you for believing in my potential and providing mentorship that I will carry with me throughout my career." We’re incredibly proud of what this cohort has achieved and can’t wait to see where their careers take them next! 🚀 #CareerSeekers #DiverseTalent #MacquarieGroup #InternshipSuccess #FutureLeaders #MacquarieCareers

🚧 Breaking Ground on Successful Internships with BESIX Watpac! 🚧 We're excited to celebrate our first CareerSeekers interns at Besix Watpac, a new partnership already making a real impact! 🔹 Eili Alsayegh – Bachelor of Civil Engineering, Western Sydney University 📍 Eastern Creek major complex industrial facility in Sydney. 🔹 Rony Estanboli – Bachelor of Construction Management, Western Sydney University 📍 Moore Park Precinct Village and Car Park. Both interns stepped onto their sites eager but nervous, quickly growing in confidence as they applied their theoretical knowledge to real-world projects. They gained hands-on experience in construction and engineering, learning firsthand about the scale and complexity of the industry. A huge thank you to BESIX Watpac for your investment in these talented students. Their teams provided incredible support, fostering a space where they could learn, contribute, and truly thrive. We’re excited to continue building this partnership! 💪 Chelsea Warren, Dylan Screpis, Mike Kilcar and Nicholas Papanikolaou. #InternshipSuccess #CareerSeekers #BESIXWatpac #Engineering #Construction #DiverseTalent #InclusiveWorkplaces #Mentorship

This International Women’s Day, we honour the strength of women—the women who rebuild their lives, the women who uplift others, and the women who lead the way forward. 💜 To the women in our CareerSeekers program—you are not just participants (or alumni); you are engineers, analysts, consultants, and leaders in the making. You don’t just restart careers, you rebuild entire futures. Many of you carry immense responsibility, not just for yourselves but for your families and communities, all while navigating a new country, workforce, and culture. Your strength, resilience, and determination inspire us daily. 💜 To the women in our Employment Partners—managers, colleagues, mentors, and allies—your support changes lives. Strength isn’t just about overcoming challenges; it’s about lifting others along the way. You help create workplaces where women from refugee backgrounds are valued for their skills, experience, and potential. 💜 To the women leading CareerSeekers—your strength drives our mission forward. A special acknowledgment to: 🔹 Penny Graham, our Chair, whose leadership and vision shape our path. 🔹 Our Board Member: Chantal Mousad, who champion equity at every level. 🔹 The women in our CareerSeekers team (Aditi Medhekar Angelica Tavares Anne Shimada Balquees (Bel) Momani Carolyn Sykes Dana Bragina Dung Tran Haley Eagle Jessica Lay Judith (Juju) Marie Ortiz Kati Regan Laalanne Rind Victoria Hills) who pour their dedication into supporting participants—doing work that is as challenging as it is rewarding. Strength is more than resilience—it’s the ability to uplift, to advocate, and to create lasting change. This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the power of women who do exactly that. #IWD25 #WomenAreStrong #StrengthInWomen #CareerSeekers #WomenOfCareerSeekers #Women

🎉 Celebrating Success at the Department of Parliamentary Services! 🎉 Another milestone for CareerSeekers as Zia Jalali and Rama Kaorma complete their internships. 🌟 Zia’s Journey in Finance & Risk Zia embraced every challenge, from mastering financial processes to navigating Parliament House (and Melbourne’s public transport!). He sharpened his technical skills, earned a SharePoint Online certificate, and highlighted the power of networking in his final presentation. 🚨 Fun fact: Zia made CareerSeekers history by becoming a lawn bowls champion just two weeks into his internship! 🏆 A huge thanks to Will McConchie for his mentorship! 💻 Rama’s Impact in IT Rama thrived in the IT team, contributing to key projects like Technical Recovery Planning and System Administration. Her biggest takeaways? Attention to detail and asking the right questions. Beyond work, she built strong connections over coffee catch-ups and Parliament House tours. A special shoutout to Chris Prasad for his guidance and support! 👏 Thanks to Nicholas Evans and the Department of Parliamentary Services for creating such a valuable experience. We can’t wait to see what’s next for Zia and Rama! 🚀 #InclusiveWorkplace #DiverseTalent #DepartmentofParliamentaryServices #Internships #Networking #InternshipSuccess #Mentorship #ProcurementTeam #CareerSeekers #ITTeam Parliament of Victoria