Sixty-year-old Lesley Rosser was a job seeker for four years before she graduated from the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys training program, Dream, Believe, Achieve, with a job at NRL Cowboys House in Townsville.
Dream, Believe, Achieve is supporting job seekers to increase their skills, experience and confidence through the support of the Australian Government’s Launch into Work program.
A mother to 11, grandmother to 44 grandchildren and great-grandmother to three, Lesley says she “has no intention of retiring until I’m too old to work.”
She recently graduated from the tailor-made program and received training and mentoring designed to deliver skills NRL Cowboys House identified as a requirement for success in the role as House Parent.
As a House Parent Lesley supervises young Indigenous women residing at NRL Cowboys House – Girls Campus.
“I’ve always had a passion to work with Indigenous kids in education and my job network had this opportunity come up, and it’s the perfect job,” Lesley said.
Dream, Believe, Achieve delivers accredited training to North Queenslanders to create long-term employment opportunities.
“The program was wonderful – it’s really everything a House Parent should know.
“I learned advanced swimming, CPR and I got my bus license, which was a big achievement for me at 60, and I never would have done it without Dream, Believe, Achieve.”
Lesley, along with 11 other program participants, continue to also work towards completion of a Certificate IV in Community Services and are now in supporting roles at the girls and boys’ campuses at NRL Cowboys House.
“The girls are lovely. It took some time for them to open up to us. I started as Miss Lesley, ended up with Miss Lesley my girl and now I’m nan, so I’ve achieved a bit.”
Lesley had the support of a program mentor throughout her training, and into employment.
Of the mentors she said, “we wouldn’t have got through it if we didn’t have our mentors.”
“The facilitators for the courses were excellent as well, and very patient.”
Established in 2015, Dream, Believe, Achieve has successfully helped hundreds of North Queenslanders gain an industry-recognised qualification and find long-term employment. This training is proudly funded and supported by the Queensland Government through its Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative.
