The African Australian Inclusion Program is giving migrants and refugees a new start, as well as helping them give back to their community.
A record number of participants went through the six-month program this year, with a cohort of 38 people in Melbourne graduating on Thursday following a paid corporate placement with one of Australia's biggest banks.
The placement has given the participants a means to find a way in to the competitive financial sector in Australia.
Chief financial officer for technology and operations at the National Australia Bank, Mike Domann, explained the question the bank was seeking to address.
African Australian Inclusion Program graduates Nathalie Kapuya, Urbano Laa and Elvis Gaboyo with the NAB's Mike Domann. (Philip Ly) Source: Philip Ly
"Why are qualified African migrants finding it hard to find work in their chosen fields and forced to work in other areas?
"What we have are wonderfully qualified people who've just not been give that opportunity to get a foot in the workforce," Mr Domann said.
"For us it's a wonderful win-win for the organisation and the participants, who come through the program and find a pathway into their chosen field."
Elvis Gaboyo, originally from Botswana, is a qualified engineer, but said finding a job has been tough.
"In three years I got one interview, so in those three years I was never successful in anything," Mr Gaboyo said.
"I think it was mostly because I didn't have Australian experience and so maybe they thought I wouldn't know what I was doing."
But being given a chance to prove himself has made all the difference.
He was offered a full-time job with NAB four months into the program.
The African Australian Inclusion Program cohort of 2016 in Melbourne stand as graduates of the program. (Philip Ly) Source: Philip Ly
He was also contacted by the Commonwealth Bank.
"When you go in there and showcase what you can do, it's an opportunity to all Africans to show the world and Australia that we are really capable of doing the work," he said.
South Sudanese refugee Urbano Laa said working in banking has been a long-term goal.
"It is a competitive market, unless you are given an opportunity to get in," Mr Laa told SBS.
The program is run in conjunction with Jesuit Social Services.
Spokesman for the organisation, Andrew Yule, said the program has grown from its original intake of three graduates, to a record number of 53 this year, in Melbourne and Sydney.
Mr Yule said the participants inspire young people to look at them as role models and aspire to be more like them.
Urbano Laa of South Sudan graduates from the African Australian Inclusion Program with the NAB. (Philip Ly) Source: Philip Ly
"These are people who often come from such amazing backgrounds that we can't even imagine in Australia, such hardship," Mr Yule said.
"But they show such fortitude and strength and such great openness and humility, and they really give as much, or more to the workplace, really," he added.
Nearly 300 people have taken part in the program to date, with about 90 per cent of them having found work in their chosen field.
