Mariati’s Seamless Transition to Australian Life with Navitas’ support

Originally from Indonesia, Mariati’s relocation to Australia is a great example of the significant impact of educational support in learning English, for migrants on their arrival in Australia. Mariati had been working in human resources in Indonesia for ten years before emigrating to Australia in 2020 with a Permanent Partner visa.

She feels lucky to have discovered Navitas Skilled Futures, and the Australian Government funded AMEP, through a citizenship preparation class she attended at Fairfield library in Sydney in June 2023.

“I enrolled in the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) which was very beneficial for me,” Mariati said. 

The AMEP was pivotal in helping Mariati navigate the new linguistic and cultural landscape of Australia. After participating in the AMEP for some time, she then progressed to the Pathways to Work program, a part of the Settlement Language Pathways to Employment and Training (SLPET) course, where trainers provide students with employment focussed classroom tuition and essential skills for work that are contextualised to meet their needs and goals.

“For me, the Pathways to Work course was so helpful. The best thing is all the benefits for students who have recently arrived in Australia, as the course helps people understand how things work here. It’s not just about learning the language but also the job; this course teaches them how to apply for a job and create a resume. The course also gives students a lot of information about how to fit in into the new environment and how to work in a new country; such as learning about the roles and regulations,” Mariati said.

“And another great thing about Navitas is there are many options for students; they can choose from different Pathway courses that might suit them. The courses include administration, customer service, computer course, digital-networks course, beautician course childcare course, and many others.”

“I felt lucky to have the support of the helpful trainers in the Pathways to Work course, particularly in practicing for job interviews and preparing resumes, which I rarely had the chance to develop back in Spain,” she said.

With improved communication skills, Mariati found it easier to make connections within the community.

“I made many new friends through Navitas; people from a variety of different countries with different backgrounds, cultures and languages. I also learned a lot about Australia through a citizenship class and the Pathways course.”  

Mariati, AMEP Fairfield

“Navitas helped me to get the job I am currently doing. I enjoyed the classes I attended; regular class, citizenship class, and pathways class.  I also enjoyed the teachers, they all are very kind and patients; they helped and taught us very patiently. I’m also thankful for the free childcare facility as I’m a mother of a one year old girl,” Mariati said.

Today, Mariati works in childcare, a role she finds both challenging and rewarding. “Working in childcare, it turns out it’s not as easy as it looked. However, I’m enjoying it!” she said.

Mariati has some great advice for new arrivals to Australia.

“Don’t worry and be confident! Australia is a country that supports its people to be more advanced and gives you the opportunity to adapt wherever you are and without discriminating against anyone,” Mariati said. 

“Australia provides free courses, like the AMEP, to help newcomers prepare for work and life here. All you need to do is enrol and join them, one of which is through Navitas Skilled Future. For me, they’re the best!”  

Mariati, AMEP Fairfield