Bobbie Willshire was born and bred in Berri, South Australia’s ‘fruit bowl’ in the Riverland region near the Victorian border. In this rural community, job opportunities are typically limited to seasonal or casual work in orchards and wineries – roles often filled by backpackers passing through. As Bobbie approached her mid-thirties, she was feeling the pressure to find more stable employment, but opportunities were limited.
“You don’t really want to be living hand to mouth at my age. It does take a toll on your self-confidence and your self-esteem. It can be difficult trying to keep yourself motivated. I really had to focus on keeping positive and looking for the next opportunity,” Bobbie said.
When Angela Hall, a Mobile Employment Consultant with IntoJobs (part of the IntoWork Group), first met Bobbie, she noticed her confidence had taken a hit, but she could also see a strong determination beneath the surface.
“We could see Bobbie was really employable. She’s really versatile. She’s very capable and competent and intelligent, and she really wasn’t deterred by anything. She just kept pushing through,” Angela said.
Angela encouraged Bobbie to get her forklift license and to enroll in a retail training program. True to form, Bobbie committed herself to both and said completing the courses helped keep her spirits up and her momentum moving forward. It wasn’t long before she was offered the opportunity at Bunnings that she’d been hoping for.
“Having permanent hours and knowing when I’m working and when I’m not working, it’s such a relief to have that balance,” Bobbie said. “It can be really hard to plan ahead when you can’t figure out how you’re paying for tomorrow. Having stable work takes a lot of stress off that you don’t realise you’re carrying.”
Having worked with a few employment agencies over the years, Bobbie said her experience with Angela and IntoJobs helped her feel less like a client and more like a person. “They understand that sometimes things don’t go quite right, and they’re happy to help you get back where you should be.”
In recent weeks, Bobbie has enrolled in a web development course that she hopes to balance with her work at Bunnings. Knowing the determined spirit she brings, Angela has no doubt Bobbie will nail it.
“I don’t think anything will stop her, honestly. She’s always wanted to do something like that,” Angela said. “I think now that she’s found her feet, that’ll help find the balance to keep going. She’s found the job that she wanted and she’s following up with the study she wants to do. I think she’ll just keep going, heading in the direction she wants to go.”
