However, he says that after enrolling in the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) at Lidcombe TAFE with the goal to pass the Australian Medical Council (AMC) exam and the Occupational English Test (OET), he’s now on track to continue working as a fully qualified doctor.
“The first few months in Australia were hard as my English was not good enough and I didn’t have the courage to use the vocabulary I had,” he said.
“AMEP really improved my English skills, it helped me practise my speaking and improved my writing skills and fluency.
“It also helped me study medicine, which I used to do on my bus rides to TAFE NSW Lidcombe.
“I loved my job in Iraq. Saving lives and giving back to the community was something that I am very passionate about and I can’t wait to start giving back to the Australian community.”
He urged other new migrants to enrol in the course.
“It helps you to learn English, build connections in the community and boost your self-confidence,” he said.
Funded by the Australian Government, TAFE NSW is the main provider of AMEP in NSW, providing up to 510 hours of free English language tuition to eligible migrants and humanitarian entrants to assist them with settlement in Australia.
For more information, call 131 601 or register for the program at tafensw.edu.au/amep.
Studied to work as a doctor again
WHEN Saif Noori first arrived in Australia from Iraq in May 2018, his limited English language skills prevented him from continuing his career as a doctor, work that he is passionate about.
