Get Back to Work After Time Away

For any number of reasons, whether it be parenthood, other big life events or burnout, some end up disconnecting from their professions.

It doesn't mean that that particular bridge has been burned, but it often takes a bit of help for people to get up to speed and return to working in their field after time away.

The teaching profession is wont to force people away, at least for sabbatical, it’s hard and there are challenges aplenty.

Take Jack, a single father from Kogarah, NSW, who came to Australia in 2006 and built a career in teaching English to adult migrants. But during COVID-19, that work dried up. He faced immense financial pressure and struggled to find stable employment that fit his parenting responsibilities.

Jack connected with atWork Australia and was paired with a job coach, Viviana, who worked closely with him to rebuild confidence, support his career planning and secure a meaningful role in teaching. What made the difference was the ongoing support, even after he landed the job.

Now, Jack is doing work he loves and is able to care for his kid, knowing he has the flexibility and stability he needs.

atWork Australia is currently supporting more than 8,500 parents on their employment journey across a number of programs. Often, parents are required to take time out of the workforce to care for children and may also require greater flexibility in their employment. While this is beneficial as a parent or caregiver, it can also create additional barriers to enter the workplace. Upskilling can help parents remove these barriers.

The organisation has helped place over 2,600 parents into new jobs over the last 12 months which equates to close to 15% of all clients they have assisted. By connecting parents to suitable employment options, they are able to work around school schedules and remain employed.

Shaun Pianta, atWork Australia Brand Ambassador says, “The cost of skilled people not participating in the workforce is significant - both economically and socially. When skilled people are left out of the workforce, we lose not only their productivity, but their potential to help businesses and communities thrive. This underutilisation leads to talent shortages in key sectors, increased demand on welfare systems, and lost opportunities for innovation and growth.

“For the individuals themselves, it can also mean a loss of purpose, confidence, and financial independence. atWork Australia believes that everyone has the right to thrive in employment - and that includes tapping into the skills and experience of people no matter the barriers they might be facing.”

Employers have a huge role to play in reducing barriers and enabling participation. This means offering flexible hours, being open to part-time or job-share roles, and creating inclusive environments where employees feel safe, supported and understood.

It also means actively working to remove unconscious bias in hiring processes and investing in upskilling or on-the-job training.

“Our focus is on flexibility, not rigidity. While returning to the office can be valuable, particularly in roles that benefit from in-person collaboration, we’ve seen that flexibility is one of the biggest enablers for people returning to work. At atWork Australia we advocate for clients to move into roles that are flexible and suit their personal needs as well as that of the employer. 

“Many people, particularly parents or individuals living with disability, tell us they need work that can fit around school hours or personal responsibilities. Lack of flexible options, concerns around health or caregiving needs, and confidence gaps are often reasons they remain out of work. The more employers can offer genuine flexibility, the more likely we are to see skilled people re-enter the workforce,” Pianta says.

Image by Ekaterina Belinskaya