[Vision: Train pulling into station - passengers paying and entering station - drivers at counter waiting to speak with Sophie]

Sophie Bovell – Driver Sign-On Officer, Metro Trains

I’m the direct person that drivers come to first at the start of their shift.

The whole network runs from this room.

When it’s crazy busy in here, people are calling me saying, “I don’t know what to do”, which means I need to redirect them to the right people.

Peter Blair – customer Service Officer, Metro Trains

[Vision: Peter working at station - Peter speaking]

My wife, we retired.

We did a bit of travelling, but then my wife went back to work and it actually gets quite lonely and quite boring.

And my wife said, “Well, get a job!”

[Vision: Peter at turnstiles waiting to help customers]

I actually said to my wife, “Well, who’s going to employ somebody at 72? It’s just not going to happen.”

[Vision: Peter speaking]

But she said, “Well you don’t know if you don’t try.”

[Vision: Sophie working in the office - Sophie speaking]

So I know first-hand how hard high school can be.

Didn’t know what direction I wanted to go in or anything, so one day I just knew that I had to turn it around because you can’t get by in life without working and I realised that.

So I sought the help of Whitelion, which combines with Jobs Victoria.

[Vision: Sophie liaising with staff in office]

Went there, they got my skills and my values up a lot.

[Vision: Sophie speaking]

They also helped me so much to build confidence in myself that I actually can go out and get a job.

Judy Ruck – Station Master, Metro Trains

You’ve got to want to do it, and you’ve got to want to have that enthusiasm and that work ethic.

[Vision: Metro train leaving station - Peter helping customers - Judy speaking]

Metro, who are embracing diversity and opening up their doors to people that perhaps have had a struggle for whatever reason prior to this, Jobs Victoria is giving them the opportunity, and from what I can see these candidates have all that.

[Vision: Sophie working on phone and checking schedules – So far Metro Trains has partnered with Jobs Victoria to employ 15 diverse jobseekers into a range of roles – Peter helping customers - Peter speaking]

I thought that once you got sort of in your 60s you really had to do it yourself.

But it doesn’t work that way.

There are people out there that can help you.

[Vision: Judy speaking]

We often hear people saying, you know, they’re not successful because they lack experience.

Well, this is actually a platform so to speak, for them to gain that experience and who knows where to from here?

[Vision: Sophie speaking]

Before coming here I didn’t realise how much you actually needed to put the work in to get results, but since being here and having a job, like, I’ve realised in myself that when you do put the hard work in you do get the results.

[Vision: Sophie smiling for camera]

Having this job has just changed the way that I look at everything.

[Looking for work? We can help. Visit jobs.vic.gov.au for information and support]

[Jobs Victoria / Working for all Victorians]

[Victoria State Government - Speaker:  Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne]

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