CBA Opportunity That Changed My Life

For proud Lama Lama woman Jennifer Muleta, the opportunity to complete a First Nations Customer Service Traineeship at CBA Camberwell has been life-changing. Since starting her traineeship in June last year, Jennifer has gained invaluable experience and developed skills that she never imagined she would have.

It was so random how it happened. I had just finished working at Macca’s, where I worked for a year. After quitting, I didn’t have a job for about four months. I was looking for customer service roles and came across this opportunity at CBA.

I thought, Wow, that would be cool.

I sent in my resume and a few days later, I got a call back. That’s when I found out about the First Nations Customer Service Traineeship with AFL SportsReady.

Jennifer’s journey moved quickly from there.

I never thought in my lifetime I’d get an opportunity like this.

It all happened so fast. I had my interview at the branch with my manager and a few months later, I found out I was successful. I couldn’t believe it.

Having worked since Year 11 through her high school’s VM Program. Jennifer was no stranger to balancing work and study. But despite her work experience, she hadn’t settled on a clear plan for her future.

I’ve always gone with the flow, so I never really had a plan during school about what I wanted to do after.

Working at CBA has been a game changer for Jennifer.

I’ve learned so much—especially about saving. When you handle so much money at the bank, you start to understand the importance of managing your own finances. I even get advice from customers! One regular customer only withdraws $10 notes as a way to be more conscious of spending—I’ve started doing the same and it’s made a huge difference.

Jennifer has built strong relationships with many of the branch’s regular customers.

They all have such interesting stories and I remember them because of those connections. That’s one of my favorite parts of the job.

Her family has been incredibly supportive throughout her traineeship.

My Nanna has always wanted the best for me and my sisters. My older sister also completed a traineeship with AFL SportsReady, so she’s been a great role model. Now, I’m encouraging my younger sister, who’s in Year 12, to do a traineeship after she finishes school so she can get that valuable work experience and a qualification at the end.

As the youngest employee at her branch, Jennifer’s experience has been unique.

I use different language and slang compared to my older colleagues, sometimes it confuses my managers. I was so nervous when I first started because I was the youngest. But I’ve grown so much in my confidence and skills since then.

Jennifer is a strong advocate for traineeship opportunities like hers.

These opportunities are so important for Mob.

They provide young people with hands-on experience in a professional workplace, even if they don’t have any previous experience. It’s so hard to find a job without experience these days and these traineeships give us a head start. Plus, you learn so much more than you would in a TAFE course because you’re working full-time and getting real-world experience.

As she nears the end of her traineeship, Jennifer is excited about the future.

This traineeship has been an amazing pathway. It’s provided me with so many opportunities and helped me build a better future. I feel so grateful for this experience and I hope more young Mob get the chance to do something like this.