Talent Pathways Program superstar Tessa wins ARC Training’s Student of the Month!
Propelled by our Talent Pathways Program with partner ARC Training, Tessa has launched a whole new career as a Community Support Worker and was recently recognised as ARC’s Student of the Month. She’s absolutely loving her new career – and has never been happier.
As the Retail Operations Specialist for a national jewellery retailer, Tessa Fenby should have been filled with pride at the successful career she’d carved out for herself.
Over the previous eight years, she’d worked herself to the bone and climbed the ranks from in-store retail assistant to corporate-office bigwig. But instead of feeling a sense of accomplishment, Tessa felt empty and dissatisfied.
“My job felt shallow and no longer meaningful,” she explains. “I was looking for something more fulfilling where I could connect with people and help them.”
Little did Tessa know that a chance meeting with an aged care support worker in 2024 paired with the Talent Pathways Program would change her life forever.
“We were chatting about our jobs and I was telling her that I was ready for a change,” says Tessa. “She asked me what I wanted to do, and I said I really wanted to help people. That’s when she told me she worked in aged care and absolutely loved her job.
“She explained that Feros Care is a great company to work for because they’re very understanding that you have a life outside of work and they give you all the training and support you need because they really want you to do well in your job.”
Tessa takes the plunge into a rewarding new career path
The day after that fortuitous conversation, Tessa scoured the internet for job opportunities with Feros Care. When she found a recruitment officer’s name and phone number, she immediately picked up the phone.
“I called the recruitment officer and said, ‘I have absolutely no qualifications, but when it comes to people, I know I’ll be fine.’ She responded, ‘Well, we need to get you in for an interview then!’ By the end of that week, I was signing a contract with Feros Care.”
While Tessa had a lot to learn in her new role as a Care Support Worker providing in-home care to a wide variety of clients, she immediately fell in love with the job.
Our Talent Pathways Program takes Tessa to the next level
A few months after she’d started with Feros Care, Tessa started receiving emails from the head office about the Talent Pathways Program.
“I found out that I could work and study at the same time,” she says. “The program was funded by the government, so I didn’t have to pay for it, and it was well-supported by Feros. It sounded like the perfect stepping stone to further my career, so I decided to go for it.”
Tessa signed up for the Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing) Traineeship through ARC Training, one of Feros’ Talent Pathways Program partners. She’s now halfway through her training and looking forward to what lies ahead.
“The online course is only two hours a week and I put in a couple more hours a week for studying and assessments,” says Tessa. “It really hasn’t been too demanding and I’ve learnt a lot.”
She continues; “The Talent Pathways Program has allowed me the opportunity to develop my skills as a Community Support Worker. Working at Feros Care has been an incredible journey and it’s clear they genuinely value their team members, which empowers us to deliver exceptional care to our wonderful clients. I’m excited to continue growing my skill sets and exploring new opportunities!”
When she finishes her certificate in a few months, Tessa will have higher qualifications as a Community Support Worker and be able to provide personal care.
“I think the information I’ve learnt about how to care for people with dementia will be the most useful,” she says.
Winners are grinners! ARC Training celebrates Tessa – and so do we!
With her deep commitment to her own learning journey and helping other students in the program succeed, Tessa was recently recognised as ARC Training’s Student of the Month.
“The word got around so fast about that!” beams Tessa. “I was really touched by how much of a big deal Feros made out of it. They’re so good at recognising and celebrating our accomplishments.
“But honestly, I’m happy to help others in the program. I’ve recently been connected with a new student who’s just starting the course and I’ve been helping her get set up.”
For Tessa, obtaining her Certificate III through Talent Pathways and ARC Training is just the beginning of her career progression in aged care.
“I’ve met a few people at head office that have piqued my interest in what they do,” she says. “The customer experience team at Feros goes out into the community to collect information and take it back to head office to make things better. That communication between corporate and the support workers to improve systems and how services are delivered really interests me. I’ll see what happens…”.
We have no doubt that Tessa’s future is as bright as her sunny disposition and passion for what she does.
Your path to a rewarding future begins here.
For more information about traineeships, vocational or university placements, work experience, qualifications, university scholarships and general support through our Talent Pathways Program, click here or phone 1300 090 256.