With a long-term goal of working in civil engineering, Raghad was looking for a way to turn her qualifications and practical experience into a career opportunity. Through Employability Skills Training (EST), she refined her job applications, built her confidence and secured a role that moved her closer to achieving that goal.
Laying the foundations
Raghad had a strong academic foundation and practical industry experience, with a bachelor’s degree in architecture, ongoing civil engineering studies and hands-on experience in site support, quality inspections, requests for information and project team collaboration.
Despite her qualifications and experience, Raghad found it challenging to secure a graduate or early-career engineering role after completing her undergraduate placement. While she continued applying for roles in the civil construction and infrastructure sector, limited employer feedback made it difficult for her to understand how to improve her applications or position herself competitively.
Determined to progress into a role aligned with her career goals, Raghad enrolled in EST.
Preparing for the next opportunity
Through EST, Raghad received tailored guidance from her trainer who focused on helping her prepare for engineering roles. Together, they refined her resume and cover letters, so they better highlighted her site experience, technical skills and readiness to contribute to major infrastructure projects. Raghad also received support to address selection criteria, tailor applications for major contractors and present her experience in a clear, professional way.
“Before joining the program, I was applying for roles without really understanding where I was going wrong. The support helped me improve how I presented my experience and gave me confidence going into interviews.”
Raghad
Interview preparation was also a key part of the support. Raghad practised responding to behavioural and technical questions, helping her explain her background, problem-solving approach and willingness to learn with more confidence.
“The interview preparation made a big difference. I felt more prepared, more confident, and clearer in how I explained my background and skills."
Raghad
Turning support into success
With her commitment and the support she received through EST, Raghad progressed through multiple stages of a competitive recruitment process and secured an undergraduate/graduate engineering role with a construction engineering company.
The role aligns with Raghad’s qualifications, experience and long-term ambition to build a career in civil engineering within major infrastructure projects.
Raghad’s journey shows how EST can provide participants with clarity, confidence and industry-aligned support to overcome employment barriers and transition into meaningful roles.
Get started with 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:
- 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 Employability Skills Training.