Building confidence and presenting your skills effectively can make a big difference when looking for work. For Mary, Employability Skills Training (EST) helped strengthen her applications and supported her towards long-term career goals.
Turning experience into something new
Mary had extensive experience working in medical and dental reception roles, mainly in private practice settings. Despite holding a higher qualification, she felt she had “reached a professional plateau” and wanted to move into a larger corporate healthcare environment.
“My challenge was finding a role that served as a bridge between clinical front-desk work and the large-scale practice management environments I am qualified for.” - Mary
Through EST, Mary received support from her trainer, Jerome, who helped her map her healthcare management experience to larger corporate roles and strengthen the way she presented herself to employers.
“The coaching was practical, not one-size-fits-all. I was given exercises, templates and direct feedback that I could use immediately.” - Mary
The support also included refining her professional story, improving her resume and online job applications, and practising interview responses. This helped Mary better articulate the value of her clinical operations experience and apply for roles in a more confident and strategic way.
“I gained confidence using digital job platforms and honed how I present myself in applications. I learnt to adapt my CV for each role and to speak more effectively at interviews.” - Mary
Opening new doors in healthcare
With the support she received through EST, Mary secured a position as a Dental Receptionist within a large healthcare fund. While the role builds on her previous experience, Mary said the move into the healthcare fund was “a major step forward.”
“This move provides the professional ‘foot in the door’ I was looking for. My next steps will be to transition into operational leadership roles that utilise my postgraduate qualifications.” - Mary
The opportunity has given Mary a clearer pathway towards her long-term career goals and helped her feel more confident about the next stage of her professional journey.
“This experience has not only improved my job prospects but also changed how I see myself professionally. I now approach opportunities with both confidence and strategy.” - Mary
Learn more about EST
The Employability Skills Training (EST) program helps eligible participants develop the skills employers want, explore career options, and build job search, workplace, and industry-specific skills.
Do you need help getting started? Individuals self-managing through Workforce Australia Online can sign up for EST by:
- Directly accessing Workforce Australia Online for courses that:
- boost your job search and workplace skills
- build industry-specific knowledge and skills
- Contacting the Digital Services Contact Centre on 1800 314 677 or email digitalservices@dewr.gov.au
If you have an employment services provider, you can ask them for a referral to a suitable course.
Learn more and find a course near you at dewr.gov.au/EST.