It’s been a long journey from a Thai refugee camp to a rewarding career in aged care, but Eh Mu Taw couldn’t be happier.

“I absolutely love spending my days caring for older people,” says Eh Mu, who recently completed her Cert III in Aged Care and started in a permanent position as a Personal Care Worker (PCW) at Uniting AgeWell Strath-Haven Community in Bendigo.

Eh Mu worked as a cleaner at Bendigo Hospital and was part of a second wave of trainees for our flagship traineeship program at Strath-Haven Community. The program was initially launched in conjunction with WomenCan and assists women to reconnect with the workforce by helping them build confidence, connections and work capability.

Strath-Haven Community Residential Services Manager Kate Jackson says the trainees studied while working there for a year. It operates much like a traditional apprenticeship scheme, but Kate has also implemented a buddy system where full time PCWs buddy up with the trainees and mentor them for the first six weeks. “The trainees gain confidence and learn on the job while the PCWs take huge pride in their work and thoroughly enjoy teaching them,” explains Kate.

Kate is also thrilled with the calibre of the trainees. “They come from different backgrounds and are different ages, but they all share a passion for aged care and want a career that has meaning for them. I am very proud of them.”

It has taken both grit and determination to get where she is. Eh Mu is justifiably proud of what she has achieved. Her mother fled from the ongoing civil war in Burma to Thailand and was relocated to a refugee camp where Eh Mu was born. “Life was very hard,’ says Eh Mu matter-of-factly. Fourteen years ago, Eh Mu and her family relocated to Victoria and the 24-year-old is now proudly an Australian citizen.

Eh Mu is thrilled with how her career has progressed and enjoys all aspects of her role. The hands-on personal care and chatting to residents. “I love listening to their stories and getting to know about their lives,” she says. She also appreciates how supportive the staff are and the way the organisation celebrates diversity and inclusion.