For many skilled migrants, building a career in Australia is about more than just finding a job. It involves navigating new industry expectations and rebuilding professional networks from scratch. This was the central theme of Sydney East Community College’s (SECC) recent Mentor Program Networking Night, which brought together over 100 industry professionals to foster connections within the engineering and construction sectors.
Among the speakers was Partridge Associate Casthuri Kamalaraj, who has been a dedicated mentor since 2018. Casthuri shared her personal connection to the migrant experience, reflecting on her family’s journey to Australia and and how her father’s perseverance influenced her contributions to the community. Beyond her mentorship, she has championed practical initiatives like mock interviews at Partridge and other workplaces to help job seekers gain direct industry engagement and confidence.
The evening also featured former mentee Mo Omer, who discussed his transition from Sudan to the Australian workforce. Mo highlighted the importance of persistence and the ongoing guidance he received from his mentor, Rob Kelly, which has supported him as he develops his own professional platform.
Events like these underscore that the engineering and construction industries are built on people as much as technical expertise. For Partridge, supporting the SECC Mentor Program is an essential part of contributing to a more inclusive industry and helping skilled professionals successfully integrate their global experience into the Australian landscape.
