My father had a 30‑year gap in formal employment. In fact probably longer as from the age of 19 he started a photography business in Lebanon and was also a journalist, so you can say that he had never had a traditional boss, never worked in a structured Australian workplace, never navigated modern recruitment systems, and had no recent local experience.

Yesterday I went to Canberra to hear more about the upcoming reforms to Australia’s mainstream employment services system. My original plan was simple: Listen to Amanda Rishworth, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, take notes, go back, and write an article explaining what the reforms are and what they could mean for the sector. But the article did not go to plan.

This Week's Spotlight - Souzan Asfour 1. How did you get your start in Employment Services? While working in retail, my life took a new direction when my second child, Nabil, was diagnosed with autism. My focus naturally shifted toward understanding how best to support him, especially as he grew closer to entering the workforce. With little initial knowledge of the disability, I was motivated to learn and grow alongside him. This journey led me to the employment services in

I remember it like it was yesterday. It was around 2011, and I went out to reverse market for the day. I was stocked up with business cards,