Asuria sourcing the cream of the crop for Nunn's Dairy in Ballarat

Since November 2022, leading employment services provider, Asuria has partnered with Ballarat’s Nunn’s Dairy for their recruitment needs, placing four job seekers into work across roles, including Process Workers and Drivers. As one of the local staple establishments, Nunn’s Dairy currently employs five delivery drivers in Ballarat, out of which Asuria placed three.  

When Simone Hazelman, bookkeeper for Nunn’s Dairy, needed help building the team at the dairy, she spoke with Asuria Employment Engagement Consultant Tom McWilliam for assistance. Tom started by getting to know the ins and outs of Nunn’s Dairy and their recruitment needs. The Asuria Employment Experts were then able to identify and recommend suitable candidates that would be a perfect fit for the business.  

Once the first placement was a success, Simone and Operations Manager Darren Farrell continued to reach out to Tom for their recruitment needs, which was the start of a strong relationship. 

“We have been working with Tom for around six months now, and he has helped immensely with recruiting our drivers. He does as much as he can whenever I call him, and without him, I doubt we would have been able to get the right people to join our team,” says Simone. 

Darren says, “As the operations manager for Nunn’s Dairy, I have had much trouble placing staff in the past, and Tom from Asuria has been very helpful with finding suitable drivers for us. Anyone placed with us through Tom has always been on time, happy to work, does not complain and makes my job easier.” 

One of Asuria's most recent placements comes from a long-term unemployed candidate, Patrick, who has been a delivery driver with Nunn’s Dairy since January 2023.  

Patrick, an Indigenous job seeker who had not worked in 17 years due to his caregiver responsibilities, felt hopeless about his future. He joined Asuria's Ballarat Workforce Australia Services in November 2022 and was assisted by Asuria Mentor Mona Hatwal, who helped him break down the job-seeking process into achievable goals.  

Mona and Tom developed Patrick’s resume, explored available jobs in the region, and provided him with marketing sessions to increase his chances of employment. With their assistance, Patrick secured two job interviews and commenced work with Nunn’s Dairy, where he enjoys driving through Victoria's country towns.

Asuria's Ballarat team also assisted him with new work clothes, getting his white card, and paying for fuel. Patrick's motivation and confidence improved throughout the process, and he now feels a new sense of purpose. 

"I'm doing much better than before because I was doing nothing at home. That was until I came to Asuria, and things started happening nearly immediately, in the first week or so," said Patrick.   

From farm to the table, Nunn’s Dairy’s inclusive hiring practices create meaningful employment opportunities for local people from diverse backgrounds.  

Commenting on his experience with Nunn’s Dairy, Tom said, “Simone, Darren, and the Nunn’s Dairy Team have embraced our motivated candidates with open arms and provided great employment opportunities. It’s been a pleasure seeing Patrick return to work in such a supportive environment, and I look forward to following his journey. Nunn’s Dairy is a great employer partner for Asuria.”  

Similarly, Asuria has transitioned multiple candidates into employment with other Ballarat-based companies, such as Ballarat Meat Company and Henderson Mowers & Chainsaws. 

Since 2015, leading employment services provider, Asuria, has been matching candidates to the needs of the Ballarat business community, providing personalised, hands-on support when it comes to finding and retaining new employees.  

Guided by an approach of partnering with employers, understanding their business and screening motivated candidates to match their requirements, Asuria has delivered successful outcomes for over 2600 employers, placing over 3,300 job seekers into roles in Ballarat in the last eight years. 

Tracing back to its roots in Ballarat since the 90s, Asuria's presence across the Victorian city grew last year following the award of new employment services contracts by the Federal Government; programs delivered in Ballarat now include Workforce Australia Services, Self-Employment Assistance, Transition to Work, and more.

 Con Kittos, Executive Chairman at Asuria, says: "Drawing from our investment and experience in Ballarat, as well as our large and diverse candidate pool, we are well positioned to understand and appreciate the unique DNA of the city and the needs of the hardworking business owners and employers who keep the local economy alive." 

"We want to partner with many business owners here to gain a detailed understanding of their business, as well as their current and future employment needs, and find them people who will do a great job, are the right fit for their organisation, and will stay with them" he adds.

Asuria's employment experts make it easy for Ballarat employers to access suitable, job-ready candidates by simplifying administrative requirements to access government funding and removing agency recruitment costs. Asuria also supports businesses with access to wage subsidies that may assist with the recruitment and training costs of hiring a new employee, subject to eligibility. Our assistance also includes providing job seekers access to appropriate work-related tools, licenses, and equipment to ensure candidates hit the ground running from their first day of employment. 

Before presenting candidates to employers, Asuria mentors, trains, and upskills candidates through government-funded pre-employment training programs. Our partnerships with leading industry associations ensure we are able to understand the employer's sector, the required skills, labour shortage factors, and workforce requirements while working with employers to understand and reach their diversity and inclusion goals.   

For more information on how Ballarat businesses can access Asuria's employment services for free, visit https://www.asuria.com.au/ballarat