From PNG to WA, two homes built on hard work
In 2022, Benson left his small village in Papua New Guinea and travelled to Western Australia to start work with RWM through the PALM scheme. Like many workers, it was his first time leaving home and everything familiar.
Back in PNG, Benson’s village sits far from the main town, without regular phone signal or internet. Work opportunities are limited and communication with the rest of the world often means time walking or travelling into the town centre.
“Back home, we live way out. Not in town, not near the lights. When I came here, I wanted to send money back and make things better.” Benson said. “When my family goes home, I can’t speak to them or message them, there is nothing there. I have to travel 40 minutes just to get signal.”
Even with those barriers, Benson remains focused. He visits home when he can, checking in on his family and his community, making sure he is creating change.
Building for family and his community
Through his work with RWM in Western Australia, Benson has already built one home for his elder sister and is now working on a second for himself. In his community, houses are often built in stages and he proudly explains that his own home began with the upper floor. When he returns home next, he will complete the lower level.
“My sister’s house is finished,” Benson said. “Mine still has no bottom yet, but it will. When I go home, I will finish it.”
“I went home in December 2024 to see how everything was going,” he said. “It is not easy [being away from home], but it is worth it.”
Each home is a reflection of what he has achieved through the PALM scheme and his work in Australia. Beyond the bricks and plaster sheets, they represent progress, stronger materials, more stable housing and a symbol of what is possible for others in his village.
“When people in my village see a house like this, they start to think differently,” he said. “They start to believe they can do the same through the scheme.
Client challenge
Workforce gaps in skilled trades continue to be a major challenge, however, international talent is helping RWM to bridge this gap. One of our clients in the manufacturing sector needed a skilled boilermaker for a long-term role but struggled to find local talent.
What we did
To bridge this gap, we leveraged our international recruitment expertise to connect our client in Victoria with highly skilled boilermakers from overseas to address critical workforce shortages. Lewis and Abel, who joined us from South Africa on three year visas are now contributing their expertise to keep manufacturing operations productive and competitive. We identified talented individuals like Lewis and Abel, facilitated their relocation, and ensured their transition to Australia was seamless.
We provided end-to-end support, from initial recruitment to onboarding, including:
- Comprehensive recruitment: Our process involved conducting in-depth skill assessments and ensuring compliance with visa applications, all tailored to meet the specific needs of the client. This enabled them to access highly skilled tradespeople from across the globe, effectively addressing skill shortages.
- Relocation and mobilisation: Our team handled all the logistics, from coordinating flights to ensuring safe, efficient travel to the worksite. We arranged airport pickups, transport to accommodation, and supported the workers with settling into their new roles, providing a smooth transition for Lewis and Abel’s new international hires.
- Onboarding: We assisted with essential services like opening bank accounts, setting up SIM cards, and completing health checks. Plus, with our 24/7 pastoral care support, we ensured the workers' emotional and cultural well-being, helping them feel welcomed and supported both on-site and off-site
By facilitating a smooth transition, we helped our client secure the skilled workforce needed to maintain efficiency and drive business success.
Solutions delivered
RWM not only helped our client to fill critical skills gaps but also ensureed Lewis and Abel had the support they needed to settle into their new roles – and a new country. Our approach provided a smooth transition for both the business and the workers joining it. Here’s how we made it happen:
- Housing: Upon arrival, both workers were provided with employer-arranged shared accommodation, giving them the time to find a suitable apartment to move into near their work.
- Setting up essentials: Both workers received support with bank accounts, SIM card setups, tax file numbers, and other key services to ensure they were set up and could settle in quickly.
- Community integration: Lewis and Abel quickly acclimated, with Lewis arriving 2 weeks earlier, learning the ropes of Melbourne and then guiding Abel through the adjustment process when he arrived, helping him settle into Melbourne.
- Personalised support: Lewis purchased a car when he arrived in Melbourne, and then spent time introducing Abel to the city when he arrived, further strengthening their friendship and easing the transition.
Impact and results
Both Lewis and Abel have become integral to the client’s operations, contributing their trade expertise to an exciting new project. Their skills have ensured that manufacturing deadlines are met, client expectations are exceeded, and operations remain ahead of schedule.
Their journey highlights RWM’s broader mission: empowering skilled international workers to build futures in Australia while addressing critical skills shortages for clients.
As Lewis reflected, “RWM really looked after us. They arranged our flights, picked us up at the airport, and made sure we had everything we needed, like setting up a bank account and a SIM card.”
The ultimate goal for both workers is to reunite with their families in Australiar, made possible by the opportunities and support provided by RWM.
Looking ahead
By bringing international talent to Australia, RWM continues to solve the challenge of finding skilled tradespeople, helping clients like ours maintain productivity and competitiveness.
If you're facing a shortage of skilled tradespeople, RWM is here to help. Contact us today or reach out to our Recruitment Operations Manager, Maike Holland, at MHolland@fipgroup.com.au, to discuss how we can support your workforce needs.
Support from RWM
Benson credits RWM and the PALM scheme for helping him succeed. From the moment he arrived in Australia, RWM’s mobilisation and pastoral care teams have supported him and his fellow workers through every stage of the journey, from arrival to accommodation, banking and ongoing welfare.
“It was good knowing someone was there,” Benson said. “They helped us at the airport, set up our bank accounts and made sure everything was ready. I could just focus on working.”
That stability has given him the confidence to plan ahead, stay disciplined and save consistently.
He has become a valued member of his workplace, known for his reliability and quiet commitment to his goals.
“RWM looks after us,” he said. “When you know someone cares, you can work harder. You can focus.”
The light Benson brought home
“I was the only one who would bring light to the family and the village,” Benson said. “Now other people see what is possible.”
That light represents more than electricity. It stands for opportunity, pride and the belief that hard work can change lives.
Since joining the PALM scheme, Benson has stayed focused on every goal he’s set, saving carefully, planning ahead and turning his earnings into something lasting for his future. Along the way, RWM has been there to help make those plans possible, providing ongoing support, Welfare and Wellbeing Site Manager check-ins and a direct connection between his life in Western Australia and his family back home.
It’s not about big gestures, it’s about quiet consistency. The structure that keeps things running smoothly, the people on the ground who check in when it matters and the care that helps workers like Benson focus on what they came here to do.
For Benson, that support has meant stability at work, being able to build something permanent for his family and a legacy that will outlast any single PALM placement.
Bridging the skilled trades gap with international talent
Client challenge
Workforce gaps in skilled trades continue to be a major challenge, however, international talent is helping RWM to bridge this gap. One of our clients in the manufacturing sector needed a skilled boilermaker for a long-term role but struggled to find local talent.
What we did
To bridge this gap, we leveraged our international recruitment expertise to connect our client in Victoria with highly skilled boilermakers from overseas to address critical workforce shortages. Lewis and Abel, who joined us from South Africa on three year visas are now contributing their expertise to keep manufacturing operations productive and competitive. We identified talented individuals like Lewis and Abel, facilitated their relocation, and ensured their transition to Australia was seamless.
We provided end-to-end support, from initial recruitment to onboarding, including:
- Comprehensive recruitment: Our process involved conducting in-depth skill assessments and ensuring compliance with visa applications, all tailored to meet the specific needs of the client. This enabled them to access highly skilled tradespeople from across the globe, effectively addressing skill shortages.
- Relocation and mobilisation: Our team handled all the logistics, from coordinating flights to ensuring safe, efficient travel to the worksite. We arranged airport pickups, transport to accommodation, and supported the workers with settling into their new roles, providing a smooth transition for Lewis and Abel’s new international hires.
- Onboarding: We assisted with essential services like opening bank accounts, setting up SIM cards, and completing health checks. Plus, with our 24/7 pastoral care support, we ensured the workers' emotional and cultural well-being, helping them feel welcomed and supported both on-site and off-site
By facilitating a smooth transition, we helped our client secure the skilled workforce needed to maintain efficiency and drive business success.
Solutions delivered
RWM not only helped our client to fill critical skills gaps but also ensureed Lewis and Abel had the support they needed to settle into their new roles – and a new country. Our approach provided a smooth transition for both the business and the workers joining it. Here’s how we made it happen:
- Housing: Upon arrival, both workers were provided with employer-arranged shared accommodation, giving them the time to find a suitable apartment to move into near their work.
- Setting up essentials: Both workers received support with bank accounts, SIM card setups, tax file numbers, and other key services to ensure they were set up and could settle in quickly.
- Community integration: Lewis and Abel quickly acclimated, with Lewis arriving 2 weeks earlier, learning the ropes of Melbourne and then guiding Abel through the adjustment process when he arrived, helping him settle into Melbourne.
- Personalised support: Lewis purchased a car when he arrived in Melbourne, and then spent time introducing Abel to the city when he arrived, further strengthening their friendship and easing the transition.
Impact and results
Both Lewis and Abel have become integral to the client’s operations, contributing their trade expertise to an exciting new project. Their skills have ensured that manufacturing deadlines are met, client expectations are exceeded, and operations remain ahead of schedule.
Their journey highlights RWM’s broader mission: empowering skilled international workers to build futures in Australia while addressing critical skills shortages for clients.
As Lewis reflected, “RWM really looked after us. They arranged our flights, picked us up at the airport, and made sure we had everything we needed, like setting up a bank account and a SIM card.”
The ultimate goal for both workers is to reunite with their families in Australiar, made possible by the opportunities and support provided by RWM.
Looking ahead
By bringing international talent to Australia, RWM continues to solve the challenge of finding skilled tradespeople, helping clients like ours maintain productivity and competitiveness.
If you're facing a shortage of skilled tradespeople, RWM is here to help. Contact us today or reach out to our Recruitment Operations Manager, Maike Holland, at MHolland@fipgroup.com.au, to discuss how we can support your workforce needs.
Client challenge
Workforce gaps in skilled trades continue to be a major challenge, however, international talent is helping RWM to bridge this gap. One of our clients in the manufacturing sector needed a skilled boilermaker for a long-term role but struggled to find local talent.
What we did
To bridge this gap, we leveraged our international recruitment expertise to connect our client in Victoria with highly skilled boilermakers from overseas to address critical workforce shortages. Lewis and Abel, who joined us from South Africa on three year visas are now contributing their expertise to keep manufacturing operations productive and competitive. We identified talented individuals like Lewis and Abel, facilitated their relocation, and ensured their transition to Australia was seamless.
We provided end-to-end support, from initial recruitment to onboarding, including:
- Comprehensive recruitment: Our process involved conducting in-depth skill assessments and ensuring compliance with visa applications, all tailored to meet the specific needs of the client. This enabled them to access highly skilled tradespeople from across the globe, effectively addressing skill shortages.
- Relocation and mobilisation: Our team handled all the logistics, from coordinating flights to ensuring safe, efficient travel to the worksite. We arranged airport pickups, transport to accommodation, and supported the workers with settling into their new roles, providing a smooth transition for Lewis and Abel’s new international hires.
- Onboarding: We assisted with essential services like opening bank accounts, setting up SIM cards, and completing health checks. Plus, with our 24/7 pastoral care support, we ensured the workers' emotional and cultural well-being, helping them feel welcomed and supported both on-site and off-site
By facilitating a smooth transition, we helped our client secure the skilled workforce needed to maintain efficiency and drive business success.
Solutions delivered
RWM not only helped our client to fill critical skills gaps but also ensureed Lewis and Abel had the support they needed to settle into their new roles – and a new country. Our approach provided a smooth transition for both the business and the workers joining it. Here’s how we made it happen:
- Housing: Upon arrival, both workers were provided with employer-arranged shared accommodation, giving them the time to find a suitable apartment to move into near their work.
- Setting up essentials: Both workers received support with bank accounts, SIM card setups, tax file numbers, and other key services to ensure they were set up and could settle in quickly.
- Community integration: Lewis and Abel quickly acclimated, with Lewis arriving 2 weeks earlier, learning the ropes of Melbourne and then guiding Abel through the adjustment process when he arrived, helping him settle into Melbourne.
- Personalised support: Lewis purchased a car when he arrived in Melbourne, and then spent time introducing Abel to the city when he arrived, further strengthening their friendship and easing the transition.
Impact and results
Both Lewis and Abel have become integral to the client’s operations, contributing their trade expertise to an exciting new project. Their skills have ensured that manufacturing deadlines are met, client expectations are exceeded, and operations remain ahead of schedule.
Their journey highlights RWM’s broader mission: empowering skilled international workers to build futures in Australia while addressing critical skills shortages for clients.
As Lewis reflected, “RWM really looked after us. They arranged our flights, picked us up at the airport, and made sure we had everything we needed, like setting up a bank account and a SIM card.”
The ultimate goal for both workers is to reunite with their families in Australiar, made possible by the opportunities and support provided by RWM.
Looking ahead
By bringing international talent to Australia, RWM continues to solve the challenge of finding skilled tradespeople, helping clients like ours maintain productivity and competitiveness.
If you're facing a shortage of skilled tradespeople, RWM is here to help. Contact us today or reach out to our Recruitment Operations Manager, Maike Holland, at MHolland@fipgroup.com.au, to discuss how we can support your workforce needs.
