Support for job hunter

Sandra Smith has received a flurry of job offers and recruitment support after expressing her disappointment at not being able to find work in the aged and disabled care sector. ‘‘It has restored my faith in howKiwis go through life,’’ Smith said yesterday. About three months ago Smith, 58, returned home to Christchurch seeking refuge from the coronavirus pandemic, after having lived and worked in Australia for the past 13 years. Since then, she has applied for about 20 jobs in the aged and disabled care sector, a field she is passionate about and has experience in. But she had not been able to secure an interview, let alone a job. To add insult to injury, she saw a Stuff report that showed migrant workers had been given essential skills work visas for the same kind of roles she had been applying for. The Aged Care Association said in early April the sector got dispensation from the Government for migrant workers to be granted a 12-month extension to their essential skills work visas. Yesterday Smith received three job offers, two offers to refine her CV and improve her job hunting processes, and an offer to match her with prospective employers. ‘‘My intentionwas to put a light on the plight of everyone that is inmy position.’’