Phil Shaw and Trevor Morris were among 500 workers made redundant from their jobs at Hydro Aluminium at Kurri Kurri, more than 18 months ago.
Phil worked at Hydro Aluminium for 31 years in the casting department, while Trevor was an operator in the carbon plant for 29 years.
Both have had several jobs since their redundancies, and consider themselves fortunate to have work at all, despite a significant drop in income.
"We've gone from over $100,000 a year to well under $50,000," Trevor said .
"You have to pull in your purse strings and your quality of life does suffer."
Backing that up, Rod Doherty from the Kurri Kurri Business Chamber says less than half of the people made redundant had gained comparative employment and most of those were working in service industries, such as disability services, nursing homes, casual bar work and school bus driving.
Phil and Trevor explained to Aaron Kearney, from 1233 ABC Newcastle's Breakfast program, that they have had to make some significant adjustments and Trevor admitted he was still struggling to come to terms with what had happened.
"The last month or two is probably the hardest that it has probably hit me, and you can't help thinking 'what if I was still at Hydro? Where would I be now?".
Phil said the band of retrenched workers mostly remain close-knit, keeping in touch for support, and he encouraged people who are going through similar circumstances to be proactive in obtaining a new job.
"If you want to work, just try to take anything on, you've pretty much got to apply for everything," Phil says.
"At least you have some sort of income coming in and you're not wasting the years you have worked where you are."
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