Gareth has new confidence in himself and his future after finding employment as a truck driver with a local mining company in Perth.
The former butcher was struggling physically and mentally when he approached atWork Australia’s Midland office early in 2019. Gareth had been injured in a serious accident that left him unable to work for the better part of a year, and he had spent six fruitless months trying to find work.
Potential employers, Gareth felt, looked at his injury as a liability, but his Disability Employment Services Job Coach, Nikita, was more positive about his prospects. “I could see that Gareth had a strong work ethic and really needed some emotional support to help grow his confidence again,” Nikita said.
Gareth’s journey back into employment began with Nikita working on improving Gareth’s self-esteem by pointing out his many skills and positive qualities. He was hard-working, reliable, trustworthy and motivated, all traits highly valued by employers. They also discussed what kind of work Gareth felt comfortable doing that would suit his skills, experience and abilities.
Nikita soon found there were plenty of roles being advertised with mining contractors, some of which were registered training organisations that provided their employees with opportunities to grow professionally. Gareth was excited about the chance to work for a mining company, and together they applied for more than 15 online jobs, with Nikita also cold-calling many other potential employers.
Within the short space of a week, Gareth was offered a full-time role as a truck driver for a local underground mining contractor with a reputation for safety, employee growth and retention.
A year and a half after his accident, Gareth couldn’t wait to start work. He’s now been employed for three months and has big plans to better his future.
“This job has changed my life dramatically,” he said. “Nikita offered me support at a time when I was in serious need of help and she went beyond what would be expected of her.
“I had an excellent experience and would recommend Nikita to anyone,” said Gareth.