Restoring my soul.

Phew, it’s rough out there. As a woman of a mature age, changing careers for her last swan song. Trying to find meaning and fulfillment in her job satisfaction. Changing Careers comes with all types of hoops and jumps, new qualifications, security checks, police checks, NDIS certifications etc. All of these necessary things of course come with some very hefty price tags.

To be able to work in the Public Health Sector or for the Department of Human Services a person must obtain 5 separate security checks and certifications including but not limited to a Working with Children’s Check. These checks cost in total including GST a sum total of $566.

Now for some people this may not be a stretch, however for many jobseekers the cost is prohibitive. When unemployment benefits barely cover the cost of rent and petrol, how is anyone supposed to be able to better their chances of employment? Or if like me, married with a husband on a fixed income that is pretty much taken before it hits the bank account from basic Mortgage repayments and bills; where do we find that extra money?

Whilst I agree these safety checks are necessary in this world of unsavoury characters who are wolves in sheep’s clothing; perhaps it would behoove the Government to actually subsidise or remove the costs of them to be more affordable and therefore accessible for the majority of people on the breadline.

At least this payment adjustment may bring some equity to the job market that is already bias toward the upper middle class and Tertiary educated.