Inspiring Stories | Hala Nader
In 2018, Lendlease was the first construction contractor to establish a 3-year partnership with CareerSeekers, paving the way for over 100 refugee and asylum seekers to undertake internship opportunities within the business. Our partnership with CareerSeekers is a natural evolution of our strategy to attract new entrants to the industry and follows our ongoing partnership with CareerTrackers.
Over the last two years collaborating with CareerSeekers, 67 interns have supported Lendlease projects with 82% of eligible participants securing ongoing employment beyond their internship. We are proud of the impact we are driving within our projects and the opportunity we are providing for our people to contribute to our business and build themselves a better future. Hala Nader from our Environment and Sustainability team exemplifies this experience.
Hala Nader | Environmental and Sustainability Coordinator at Lendlease
Hala Nader is a CareerSeekers Intern who commenced with Lendlease Engineering in April 2018 after completing her 12-week internship. Originally from Syria, she left in 2015 due to the war and went to Iraq. After two and half years in Iraq, Hala and her family applied for humanitarian visas to Australia to escape the rising conflict in Iraq.
Hala and her husband and young daughter arrived in Australia in April 2017 ready to commence their new lives. Hala who has a degree in Civil Engineering with environmental background, joined the Environment and Sustainability team at Lendlease’s Level Crossing Removal – Caulfield to Dandenong Project in Melbourne where she added immense value and was a key member of the sustainability team. She has since commenced on the Level Crossing Removal – Southern Program Alliance Project to continue her career growth and onsite construction experiences.
Hala’s enthusiasm and continued quest to learn and grow in her career, and new country, acts as a symbol for the CareerSeekers program and the barriers it is breaking down.
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