Through good fortune and a willingness to embrace new opportunities, Priscilla Didomenico has managed to emerge through the chaos of 2020 in a far better position to which she started.
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Ms Didomenico is presently enjoying her work as a Positive aging support officer for Ararat Rural City Council.
However, she said earlier in the year her plans had been thrown into turmoil due to COVID.
"I applied for another position outside of council, and I got it, but because of COVID they had to take the role back."
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Ms Didomenico was then handed a lifeline through the Working for Victoria initiative.
The Ararat Rural City Council had partnered with the initiative to offer new short-term employment opportunities for 20 people.
Ms Didomenico was one of those council hired, and was recently made a permanent employee.
"I saw online that council was looking for a couple of people and I applied," she said.
"I first started in the Relief Centre at the city council, and then the lady that was working here had left to go onto something else, and I put my hand up.
"I did a couple of months training, and then when the role officially went up I applied, and as of last week, I am a full-time, permanent employee."
Ms Didomenico said she is delighted with her new role and the support she has been given.
"It's a lot of customer service, rostering carers, rostering client times, it's a lot of everything. It's very challenging but really, really rewarding," she said.
"The training was very useful. My coordinator Erin (Mackley) is amazing, so anytime I had a problem I went to her.
"COVID opened up so many doors. It's given me so many opportunities and I've just taken every one of them."
Ararat Rural City Council chief executive officer Dr Tim Harrison said council's partnership with the Working for Victoria initiative had provided fantastic outcomes.
"Looking back, these short-term roles have been a huge success on the ground in Ararat -- the staff have greatly contributed to our Coronavirus relief work and provided much-needed community support."
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