We are professional recruiters.
We are retention specialists.
We are social impact driven.
We partner with regional employers to understand the skills they require together with an individualised support solution for candidates moving to community.
Meet the team
Kate Sowden | Executive Director
“As a team, we are committed to providing employment pathways and real connections for anyone to thrive in regional Australia. We value our regional employer partners and work closely to understand their needs. I am particularly proud of our unique STAY ‘retention’ service that supports our placements and their families to be welcomed in their new community. Our way of engaging has been able to see 60+ happy families thrive in regional Australia.”
Caroline Bryan | Regional Workforce Specialist
“Our mission is to empower employers to successfully attract and retain top talent in regional Australia. By focusing on a comprehensive integration process, we ensure that new hires are seamlessly integrated into their communities, with robust support across essential services and social and cultural dimensions. This strategic, personalised approach not only enhances candidate satisfaction and retention but also drives long-term success by creating thriving, engaged workforces in regional areas.”
Anjali Pillai | Senior Project Officer
“It’s not just about filling a role – it’s about finding the perfect alignment between a candidate’s career, an employer’s needs, and the community they’ll call home. Coming from a migrant background, I understand firsthand how important this holistic approach is”
Heba Abd El Rahman | Recruitment Specialist
“I feel many of us crowded into metropolitan areas would find a better lifestyle outside the city. The less stressful life allows more human connection, I myself came as a skilled migrant; I know the challenges they face and the contribution they make to regional communities.“
Shannon Riches | STAY Program Lead
“It’s a true privilege to help newcomers settle into our beautiful regions. We focus on ensuring smooth transitions to their new homes by holistically addressing each individual’s and families needs, with valuable guidance from our local Welcome ambassadors to foster lasting community connections.”
Work+Stay is powered by Settlement Services International (SSI)
SSI delivers dedicated services for a diverse Australia – supporting individuals, families and children to achieve their potential in life.
With 50+ programs, SSI delivers a range of human services that connect individuals, families and children from diverse backgrounds with opportunities.
Everything we do is driven by equality and empathy, and the belief that every individual has the right to the same opportunities. SSI stands for equality of life – for everyone.
What we do
We target the gaps in recruitment services and employee retention in Regional Australia.
We are entirely focused on finding the right-fit employment and lifestyle solutions for newcomers considering relocation, and the right long-term workforce for employers in the regions.
1
We work with employers to understand the workforce they need, saving them time and resources by supporting new employees to move into new communities.
2
Our robust and professional end-to-end recruitment process has reach into unique talent pools to ensure the right fit for your team.
3
We care for our candidates and understand them holistically ensuring their individual interests and needs match their new community. It is a big decision to move and we will support you through each step of your journey.
Why we do it
There are 70,000+ jobs going in regional Australia, and current research indicates 1 in 5 Australians are now considering a move to the regions.
Work+Stay is a SSI initiative developed to be a contributing solution for regional employers in accessing workforce.
We combine our professional recruitment expertise with our proven settlement solution STAY to support regional communities to thrive.
We are focused on the opportunities that exist in our regions and the skills, ingenuity and talent of Australian workers.
We care about the communities we work with, it’s so much more than just a job placement for us.
Our partners
