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Welfare overhaul: even the educated and experienced are vulnerable Welfare overhaul: even the experienced and educated are vulnerable
(about 17 hours later)
Jennifer Meyers-Smith has a law degree, decades of experience in the education sector and is on Newstart.Jennifer Meyers-Smith has a law degree, decades of experience in the education sector and is on Newstart.
The 56-year-old is one of the people left feeling “nervous” after the social services minister, Kevin Andrews, signalled an overhaul of the welfare system with a focus on Newstart and the disability support pension.The 56-year-old is one of the people left feeling “nervous” after the social services minister, Kevin Andrews, signalled an overhaul of the welfare system with a focus on Newstart and the disability support pension.
She has been on Newstart “on and off” for five years since she left her job in the education sector to study for a masters degree in law, which she completed in 2011.She has been on Newstart “on and off” for five years since she left her job in the education sector to study for a masters degree in law, which she completed in 2011.
Meyers-Smith said Andrews’s announcement made her nervous that money would be pulled out of welfare and that the savings made would not be invested back into the people who needed it.Meyers-Smith said Andrews’s announcement made her nervous that money would be pulled out of welfare and that the savings made would not be invested back into the people who needed it.
“I’m finding that despite my best efforts and my many, many skills – and they’re adaptable skills – they are often overlooked or often not given the opportunity of being used by prospective employers because I believe it is my maturity that often gets in my way,” she said.“I’m finding that despite my best efforts and my many, many skills – and they’re adaptable skills – they are often overlooked or often not given the opportunity of being used by prospective employers because I believe it is my maturity that often gets in my way,” she said.
“I’m proud to say I’m 56 and plan to keep working for the next 20 years if given the opportunity.”“I’m proud to say I’m 56 and plan to keep working for the next 20 years if given the opportunity.”
After sending out hundreds of applications for paralegal work, among other jobs, and hearing nothing back, Meyers-Smith recently set up Senior Success to promote employment opportunities for mature people who are unemployed or underemployed.After sending out hundreds of applications for paralegal work, among other jobs, and hearing nothing back, Meyers-Smith recently set up Senior Success to promote employment opportunities for mature people who are unemployed or underemployed.
She is holding meetings with whoever will sit down with her and is also hoping to form partnerships to help mature people – defined by her as people older than 50 – find work.She is holding meetings with whoever will sit down with her and is also hoping to form partnerships to help mature people – defined by her as people older than 50 – find work.
“I get lots of alerts from recruitment agencies representing legal practices that are looking for paralegals,” she said.“I get lots of alerts from recruitment agencies representing legal practices that are looking for paralegals,” she said.
“I just find despite the many, many applications I’ve put forward for appropriate paralegal work that represent my law degree and my experience, I seem to not get the opportunity. It actually concerns me that even though I’ve got this law degree I’m not getting those opportunities and I’m of the suspicion that my maturity and my desire to change careers works against me.“I just find despite the many, many applications I’ve put forward for appropriate paralegal work that represent my law degree and my experience, I seem to not get the opportunity. It actually concerns me that even though I’ve got this law degree I’m not getting those opportunities and I’m of the suspicion that my maturity and my desire to change careers works against me.
“There are not enough incentives for employers, in my case law firms, or even government agencies, there’s not enough encouragement for employers to give people like me those jobs.”“There are not enough incentives for employers, in my case law firms, or even government agencies, there’s not enough encouragement for employers to give people like me those jobs.”
She said Newstart payments were so low it made looking for a job difficult as the cost of getting to and from interviews ate away at payments.She said Newstart payments were so low it made looking for a job difficult as the cost of getting to and from interviews ate away at payments.
“I’m highly skilled and highly educated and have a desperate desire to offer those skills to the wider community,” she said.“I’m highly skilled and highly educated and have a desperate desire to offer those skills to the wider community,” she said.
Meyers-Smith said she would be calling on Andrews to offer incentives to employers to hire mature workers and said it was important to emphasise that people in their mid-50s were willing to work another 20 years.Meyers-Smith said she would be calling on Andrews to offer incentives to employers to hire mature workers and said it was important to emphasise that people in their mid-50s were willing to work another 20 years.
“I want to see unemployed, mature-aged people getting specific incentives and financial incentives and not just the promise of something so we’re encouraged to get worthwhile opportunities,” she said.“I want to see unemployed, mature-aged people getting specific incentives and financial incentives and not just the promise of something so we’re encouraged to get worthwhile opportunities,” she said.
“At the moment, on Newstart for instance, every dollar they earn they lose X number of parts of that dollar, so what incentive is the government offering for people to go out and get a job if at the end of the day it’s going to be less money? They should be encouraged to go and supplement their Newstart.”“At the moment, on Newstart for instance, every dollar they earn they lose X number of parts of that dollar, so what incentive is the government offering for people to go out and get a job if at the end of the day it’s going to be less money? They should be encouraged to go and supplement their Newstart.”