Fourteen women who recently migrated to Sydney from countries including Iran, Brazil and Thailand are accessing a unique program to learn English to assist with finding employment and transitioning to their new life.

TAFE NSW delivers the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) which provides free English lessons, skills training and childcare to eligible migrants and humanitarian entrants, to assist with their transition to Australian life.

Fatemeh, a trained midwife from Iran, is one of 134,600 migrants who moved to NSW in 2022, and one of the many thousands that have benefited from the AMEP at TAFE NSW.

“Life was hard in Iran, so I moved to Australia with my son to pursue a better life for him. We only moved at the beginning of 2022, and now he’s finishing school here and about to sit his HSC exams, and we’re enjoying our new life,” she said.

Together with her peers, Fatemah graduated from the AMEP Stepping Up program with a Statement of Attainment in Makeup Application at a ceremony at TAFE NSW Meadowbank last week. The cohort represents eight countries – Thailand, Brazil, Mexico, Ukraine, China, South Korea, Indonesia and Iran.

For Brazilian migrant Simone, the program has boosted her confidence in holding conversations.

“The AMEP has helped me hone my listening and speaking skills by practising in a supportive environment, so now I can more confidently go out and look for a job in childcare”.

The program has inspired Kodchapat ‘Cherry’ from Thailand to enrol in the Certificate IV in Beauty Therapy and work towards opening her own beauty salon.  

Migrant women face significant barriers to employment and are up to 15 per cent less likely to be employed than women born in Australia, and up to 23 per cent less likely than their male counterparts, according to ABS data.

TAFE NSW AMEP Contract Manager Mandy Nour said the AMEP is opening greater employment and education opportunities for migrants and refugees.

"English language skills make an enormous difference for our migrants and humanitarian entrants and their participation in Australia," Ms Nour said.

“The Stepping Up Program has been a great opportunity for AMEP students to learn not only the terminology but also hands-on skills for the Beauty Industry in our TAFE NSW specialist training facilities. It is the first step on their career journey in Australia.

"These students are a perfect example of how the AMEP is helping to change the lives of many people by equipping students with skills to succeed in further study or employment."

The AMEP is funded by the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs. For more information on the program visit tafensw.edu.au/amep or call 1800 114 707.

Media contact: TAFE NSW Media Centre, MediaRelease@tafensw.edu.au, 02 7920 5000​​​​.