Kevin's story

About Kevin

Starting over in a new country

Kevin takes a big leap to move from China.

Mastering a new language

Kevin improves his English through AMEP at Swinburne.

Looking back with gratitude

Kevin's dedication leads to a career in Australia.

A brave decision

Having spent his adult life working in construction in his home country of China, Kevin had already studied for years to obtain the degrees and accreditations necessary for his position. However, the long hours and demanding nature of his profession left him feeling burnt out and isolated despite his successes.

Faced with the possibility of missing his son's childhood, Kevin left his country and career behind to seek a new beginning in Australia. He did not let the fear of failure prevent him from pursuing opportunities.

A surprising discovery

Though highly qualified in China, Kevin soon discovered that his professional knowledge was not an advantage in Australia – the construction standards were too different. His difficulty speaking English also led to job rejections.

Determined to expand his prospects, he enrolled in the free Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) at Swinburne to tackle the issue. Through a recommendation by a teacher, Kevin also discovered his interest in plumbing.

With the support of his teachers and the Swinburne Skills and Jobs Centre staff, Kevin completed AMEP and crafted a step-by-step plan to achieve his goal of becoming a fully qualified plumber.

Within one year, Kevin was ready to move on to the Settlement Language Pathways to Employment and Training, which led to an internship with the iconic Australian hardware company Bunnings.

Kevin (middle) during his internship at Bunnings.

"You have no idea how valuable that is to me as a new immigrant."

A rewarding outcome

"You have no idea how valuable that is to me as a new immigrant," Kevin says. "Because of my English and lack of work experience in Australia, I submitted hundreds of resumes, but none of the companies were willing to even give me an interview."

He is deeply grateful for the experience – made possible by his dedication to improving his circumstances and through AMEP at Swinburne. He is now proud to be employed by Carman's Kitchen.

The challenges of starting over have been worth overcoming for the life he now can provide for his son. "We want our next generation to learn and grow in a relaxed, tolerant and positive environment," he concludes.