Tough times never last, but tough people do, and Taneesha Howard is one of them.
Even after 25 job interviews, Taneesha Howard never gave up on pursuing a career change in an industry dominated by men, and her resilience is one to admire.
Although she was a qualified hairdresser, Taneesha had also worked for 10 years in Retail. She would often split her hours between two jobs, trying to find the right work-life balance.
One day, Taneesha decided it was time to change careers, and was eager to enter an industry that was non-traditional for women.
“I did enjoy my two jobs in Customer Service, but there was always something missing. I wanted a different challenge, to work in an environment where I could learn new things every day, something practical, with hands-on skills,” she said.
Unfortunately, Taneesha went through a tough time job searching, trying to find a career in an industry that was dominated by men, a challenge many women have encountered for years.
“Taneesha had been knocked back by several employers, purely from the fact that she was a woman. Unfair but true,” said Carolyn Standfield, a Business Consultant at Wise Employment.
Carolyn knew Taneesha had everything it took to succeed, and only needed one opportunity.
After contacting Mas National for support, Taneesha and Carolyn met with Tarah Marygold, one of our Mas Business Consultants, who quickly found a solution. She introduced Taneesha to one of her contacts, Alliance Timber – a company in Victoria that was happy to hire Taneesha as an Apprentice.
Taneesha is now completing a Certificate III in Mechanical Engineering and couldn’t be happier with her new role.
“I am so excited to be working with the team at Alliance Timber. So far, I have done a wide range of jobs, from fixing pumps to mending brackets on trucks, and now I’m learning how to grind and weld, and this was all in my first week – I love it,” said Taneesha.
The General Manager of Alliance Timber, Dede Huyser, is also pleased with Taneesha’s performance.
“She has been a great asset to the team and is extremely keen to try new things. We are glad she has joined us”.
Congratulations Taneesha! Your story of resilience and perseverance will inspire many more women to pursue their dreams and follow in your footsteps.
If you want to learn more about Apprenticeship pathways through Mas, contact us on 1300 627 628 or email info@masnational.com.au.