Shaun and Cindy made the move to Western Australia
Shaun and his wife Cindy moved to Australia in May 2006 after deciding to emigrate. Shaun recalls:
“Although my wife and I knew we wanted to emigrate, we weren’t sure where we wanted to go! My wife preferred Vancouver, Canada, but I had my heart set on Australia, despite nether of us ever having been there. I was smitten by three factors – watching the Sydney Olympic games, reading Down Under by Bill Bryson, and the music video of my childhood favourite, ‘Down Under’ by Men at Work!”
“We submitted our Permanent Resident Visa Application in September 2005, and because we both have degrees and had 10 years experience, the Visa was granted in February 2006. We both handed in our notice at work the following day, and flew 9 weeks later.”
The original plan had been for the couple to visit Australia whilst the Visa was being processed, to visit each major city and pick somewhere to start living in Australia.
“We spoke to as many Australians and people who had worked in Australia and described what lifestyle factors were most important to us – which are outdoor living, keeping fit and an energising climate. What most people in Perth find surprising is that 70% of the people we spoke to recommended Perth over all other Australian cities!”
With a background in IT in financial institutions, Shaun originally took on a role with a leading Western Australian bank, and after a year secured a role in the resources sector, before moving to Ajilon to continue his work in this sector.”
“I can honestly say I have had a ball since joining Ajilon in 2009.”
“Perth is a resources city. It is booming, and the growth is eye-watering. Western Australia is packed full of natural resources – oil, gas, iron ore, uranium and so on – and the whole world wants to buy it from us. We consistently have senior candidates express a desire to move here from other states and industries because Perth is where the action is.”
“Making the transition from banking to mining was relatively easy for me - I can be myself, say what I really think, and see tangible impacts of what I do in my client’s operations. Not everyone finds it easy, and some prefer to return to their native industries, but people who are prepared to give it a go, learn, and be humble can go a long way.”
Shaun thinks the reason that he and Cindy settled so quickly was that they focused on the things they enjoyed about their new home and not what was different or difficult.
“My wife and I love Perth and WA. We get to do lots of cool things, get to plan events knowing the weather won't spoil them, and the house is full of fresh air. We spend a lot of time outdoors, and we have made some fantastic friends who share similar passions, interests and overall are enthusiastic about life.”
Shaun Jessop is an Account Director with Ajilon, a business and technology consulting company, and is responsible for all aspects of Ajilon’s engagement with a leading Australian mining company. Ajilon has over 654 consultants embedded in a number of different industries across Australia.
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