Stateless Myanmar refugee finds fresh start with Nara

When 32-year-old Nway Htet Naing fled the war-torn country of Myanmar a year ago, he arrived in Australia with nothing but the hope of a better life. As a stateless person, he was unable to bring all his documentation, forcing him to rebuild his life from scratch. This status made it nearly impossible for Nway to obtain the necessary paperwork to establish his identity and secure employment in Australia.

“I’m trying to do everything I need to get a job. I’m taking it step by step, but my situation is a bit different from others,” said Nway. “I can’t move forward with certain things because of the paperwork. I can’t get any other paperwork from my country because I was an advocate for democracy and I am a stateless person.”

Unable to pay for education and needing a qualification for work, Nway was stuck. That’s when high-risk training specialist Nara Training and Assessing (part of the IntoWork group) stepped in and offered to fully-fund his dogging and rigging course.

Nara Training and Assessing CEO Ben Dahlstrom said Nara is proud to support individuals like Nway who are striving to rebuild their lives and contribute to the community, “Nway’s determination to work and succeed despite the challenges he faces, was inspiring to us and we wanted to play a small part in helping remove some of the barriers he faces,” said Mr Dahlstrom.

Nara’s Dogging and Rigging course equipped Nway with essential skills including reading instruments, lifting heavy materials, operating cranes, and using two-way radios. His future career aspirations include working as an assistant under a heavy-duty mechanic or auto electrician, or as a junior geologist, roles that align with his previous experience and interests.

For others in similar situations, Nway offers valuable advice: “We are new here, and we need to stabilise our lives first before we can move forward. That is my advice. Firstly, before we go to work, we need to upskill and gain confidence for our life in Australia.”

Nara Training and Assessing continues to support individuals like Nway, helping them to overcome barriers and achieve their career goals.