Thomas first met his atWork Australia Disability Employment Services Job Coach, Shareece at the Drysdale office late 2018. After leaving school in Year 10, Thomas picked up a few odd jobs in trades assistance and production work. Though, none of these roles provided Thomas with financial security or job satisfaction.
When Shareece met with Thomas, it was evident that he felt very lost in terms of career direction. Shareece and Thomas spoke about the possibility of going back to school to study his VCE and even considered doing a traineeship in Engineering. However, it was eventually decided that finding secure employment would provide Thomas with the best chance of getting his life back on track.
In their weekly appointments, Shareece and Thomas spent their time constructing an up-to-date resume and cover letter and providing tips on how to cope with work-related stress. To develop Thomas’ employable skills and provide him with a competitive edge, Shareece also arranged funding so that he could obtain his Forklift Licence.
For the following two months, Shareece spent a considerable amount of time cold-calling employers and helped Thomas prepare job applications for over 20 vacancies. His application progressed on two occasions and Thomas had the opportunity to meet with his potential employer for an interview. However, despite performing well, he was later advised that he was unsuccessful in obtaining the job.
This didn’t deter Thomas for continuing the search for good work and he finally received a call from Barwon Timber and was asked to complete a phone interview. By the time the call had ended, Thomas was offered a position to start immediately. Full of excitement, Thomas went down to his new employer, Barwon Timber to sign the contract and start his first shift.
‘’Thomas is really enjoying his new job and loves the flexibility of working afternoon/night shifts because it fits in with his sleep cycle,” says Shareece.
Thomas also loves his new work environment saying that after just one week of employment he already felt a great sense of comradery with his teammates.
Now that Thomas is working and receiving a stable income, his next goal is to buy himself a brand-new motorbike!