Melbourne-based Kevti Desai struggled to find work when she first arrived in 2013.
“I was doing great in India as an HR Manager with Reliance. I never thought I will have difficulty finding work,” she says.
But finding work proved to be an uphill task for her.
“I received so many rejections but none gave any feedback. I did not know where I was lacking. There was no platform available to ask questions or seek advice.
“I finally read in a local paper how the emphasis was on local experience and how migrants could gain a lot from networking and volunteering opportunities.
“I started out as a volunteer at a not for profit in Melbourne and two weeks later, I was offered a full-time permanent role,” she says.
Today, she works as a Learning and Development Specialist/Consultant with Coles and is giving back to the community by helping other migrants find their feet in Australia as a member of Indian Professionals in Victoria (IPV), an organisation formed specially to help Indian migrant professionals through various means such as mentoring, workshops, seminars, networking events, etc. to ensure that they establish a firm foothold in Australia and have a support system to rely on.
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Ms Desai serves as the vice-president of the organisation which regularly hosts workshops and sessions for their members to hone their 'soft' skills and learn about Australian work culture.
“When I arrived in Australia, I came with a completely different mindset. I was only looking at full-time opportunities.
“I gradually learned that in Australia one needs to start small and then grow big. There was no one to guide me when I arrived. We aim to help others now through our organization,” Kevti says.
IPV recently organised a session on ‘How to thrive in disruptive and uncertain times’.
“The idea was to share ideas and tips about how to build your skills in a way that you will stay relevant in coming years. Technology is making many jobs redundant. We discussed what impact technology will have on our careers and how to stand out when the competition gets tough in coming years,” Naishadh Gadani, the president of IPV told SBS Hindi.
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The organisation today has over 50 members and regularly organises workshop-style events with speakers.
“Anybody from the Indian community is welcome to be part of our network. We are here to help you develop your soft skills which are of utmost importance in the Australian market,” Gadani says.
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