This Week's Spotlight - James Walters, General Manager – Strategic Growth of MTC FutureReady
- Rana Kordahi
- Aug 5
- 6 min read
This week we shine the spotlight on James Walters, General Manager – Strategic Growth at MTC FutureReady.
James has spent more than 15 years in Employment Services, beginning his career as an Employment Consultant before progressing through frontline, operational, and executive leadership roles. Having experienced the sector from multiple perspectives, he brings a unique combination of strategic thinking and practical, on-the-ground experience.
In this interview, James shares his reflections on leadership, resilience, building capable teams, creating a culture where people are confident to learn through mistakes, and why keeping people at the centre of every decision continues to drive his passion for the sector.
Check out his responses below and enjoy the experience, perspective, and wisdom he shares.
1. How did you get your start in Employment Services?
I started in employment services about 15 years ago as a consultant at an Employment Service in Hurstville. Honestly, it wasn't meant to be a career, I was studying psychology at university and working with people with disabilities genuinely drew me in, but I figured it would just be a job while I finished my degree. What I didn't expect was that once I was in it, I'd find something that gave me real purpose every day.
From there, I moved through to Team Leader, then Business Manager, then Executive Manager - working across multiple roles before eventually landing where I am now as General Manager, Strategic Growth at MTC FutureReady.
That progression matters to me, and I don't take it for granted. Every level taught me something the one before it couldn't have. When I'm now sitting in a room talking strategy with government or putting together a tender, I'm drawing on what it actually felt like to sit across from a participant on their first day, to manage a team that's doing that work at volume, and to run the operational numbers behind it. That ground-level experience shapes every decision I make.
And truthfully, it's the people I've worked with over the years, the participants, the staff, the communities, that keep me in this sector. The stories stay with you. That's not a line; it's just the reality of why this work pulls you back.
2. What advice would you give to leaders who carry a lot on their shoulders, managing people, processes, and systems all at once?
Never forget that leadership is a people business first, great teams build great business - so start with the individuals, create a team, then perform in business.
I of course understand that processes, compliance, targets, and systems are all important, but they're only effective when the people behind them feel supported, trusted, and valued. I've learned that you don't have to carry everything yourself, and your teams appreciate when you lean into them. I believe great leaders build capable teams, create clear direction, and empower others to make decisions.
It's also important to stay connected to purpose. When things become complex, I try to come back to a simple question: How will this actually help our people and the communities we serve? That perspective helps cut through the noise and keeps it practical, which at its core is how you succeed in this industry.
And finally, make time to look after yourself. We often encourage resilience in our teams, but leaders need to practice it too - you can't pour from an empty cup.
"Processes, compliance, targets, and systems are all important, but they're only effective when the people behind them feel supported, trusted, and valued."
3. Employment Services is incredibly rewarding, but the first year can take real resilience. What advice would you give to a new employment consultant starting out?
Give yourself permission to learn! It was always the first thing I said to new people in the sector. I would often say it will take you 6 months to feel competent, then the rest will flow.
The first year can feel overwhelming because you're learning systems, building employer relationships, understanding compliance requirements, and supporting people with very different circumstances, all at the same time.
My advice is to focus on building trust. Listen more than you speak, be curious about people's stories (these really matter and are the bits that stay with you after many years), and remember that meaningful progress often happens in small steps that aren't always visible straight away.
Also, don't measure your success solely by outcomes in the short term. Sometimes success is helping someone regain confidence, attend an appointment consistently, or believe in themselves again after years of setbacks. Those moments matter, and they're often the foundation for long-term employment success.
Also importantly, lean on your team. Employment Services is a team sport, and some of the best learning comes from experienced colleagues who have walked the path before you.
4. Can you share a memorable moment when something you did, a conversation, piece of advice, or action, made a positive difference to a staff member, peer, or job seeker?
One of the things I hear most from staff, even years after working together, is what happened when I started pushing people to go and make mistakes on their own.
It came from something I kept noticing. When staff were dealing with employers, they'd want to go in pairs or as a group. On the surface that looked like teamwork, but what I was really seeing was people holding back. They weren't bringing their true selves because they were too worried about being judged by a colleague if something didn't go to plan. And the thing that struck me was how familiar that looked. It was the same hesitation I saw every day in the people we were there to support.
So I started saying it plainly, in team meetings and one-on-one: go and make the mistake. Most likely the person on the other end won't even know, but you will, and it's only you. So learn from it, use it to sharpen your skills, and get more comfortable in your own skin.
The logic was straightforward. If I could give people the confidence to try things independently, they'd build genuine competence. And if they built genuine competence, that would directly shape how they showed up for job seekers. It worked every time someone committed to it. Their results improved, their confidence grew, and they became a real anchor in the team.
What I didn't fully grasp at the time was how deep the impact went. Years later, staff still bring it up to me. They call it "permission to fail," and they'll tell me it wasn't just about building skills in the moment. It shaped how they think about their own professional identity now. That feedback still means a lot to me.
"Lean on your team. Employment Services is a team sport, and some of the best learning comes from experienced colleagues who have walked the path before you."
5. What surprised you most about working in Employment Services once you were actually in the role?
What surprised me most? Honestly, how much of my first role felt like sales.
And before anyone switches off, hear me out, because I don't mean that in a cold, transactional way.
When I first stepped into Employment Services, coming from a background in national sales, I assumed the skills I'd built would translate, and they did, just not in the way I expected. What I quickly realised is that yes, there is real overlap between sales and psychology, but in this sector, what you're actually doing is negotiating your way through human experience. You're sitting across from someone who's carrying anxiety, hope, frustration, or sometimes all three at once, and your job is to help them take the next step, just the next one, not the whole journey in a single conversation.
That shift in framing changed everything for me. The goal isn't to close a deal. It's to move someone slightly closer to where they want to be. Sometimes that's a job application. Sometimes it's just getting them to come back next week. And I think we do people in this sector a disservice when we don't name that honestly, because the skills required to do it well are significant.
I'd encourage anyone working in this space to recognise that not every conversation needs to be a "sale." The pressure to convert, to place, to hit a number, can push practitioners toward rushing the human part of the work. The practitioners I've seen do this best are the ones who understand that a small step forward, taken willingly, is worth ten pushed in the wrong direction.
"Sometimes success is helping someone regain confidence, attend an appointment consistently, or believe in themselves again after years of setbacks."
6. What keeps you motivated in this industry, even on the hard days?
What keeps me motivated in this industry, even on the tough days, is simply the people. It might sound a bit cliché, but it’s true, the staff, the participants, the employers. These are real people, each with their own unique story, all trying their best to live fully, work meaningfully, and be part of their local communities. Seeing the real impact we make, hearing their stories, and feeling the passion, and honestly, all the emotions, I witness on the ground, that’s what fires me up.
Even now, when I’m in conversations with peaks, government officials, and decision makers, knowing that the ripple effect of those discussions can lead to change on a larger scale means the world to me. It’s knowing that the work we do can continue to make a difference, not just for one person or one site, but across the entire sector. That’s what keeps me going.
Connect with James Walters on LinkedIn
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