“I feel understood.” Shawn’s story.

Young job seeker, Shawn has landed his first job. He is now part of the team at The Sewing Basket on the New South Wales Central Coast.

Living with autism, Shawn had been trying to find a job for months. “I even had my Mum helping me, but I just couldn’t get work,” Shawn said.

Things changed for Shawn when he met with MatchWorks Employment Consultant, Amy Conley.

“I had dealt with other consultants before with no luck,” Shawn said. “Amy was so helpful, she really understood me and what I wanted to achieve.”

“Shawn had always showed enthusiasm to gain employment, but he lacked some skills required for an interview with an employer,” Amy said.

Amy helped Shawn to:

  • Prepare for an interview.
  • Build his confidence.
  • Maintain contact with MatchWorks.

Making the cut
With Amy’s support, Shawn attended an interview at Achieve Australia’s social enterprise, The Sewing Basket in the hope that he would have a successful chance at a job opportunity. The Sewing Basket provides social inclusion opportunities for people with disability.

“Shawn did really well, he was hands on in the interview and showed a willingness to complete a job trial that same day,” Amy said.


Shawn at work at The Sewing Basket.

“I like my job. I fold and measure the fabrics for customer orders,” Shawn said. “Originally I wanted to work in gaming but there weren’t any jobs in that area. This job suits me as I tend to forget things, and I can ask anyone for help at work if I need it.”

Shawn is now about to start driving lessons so he can get to work on his own. “It will great to be able to drive to work myself, so Mum doesn’t have to always drive me the one hour each way trip.”

Find out more about our employment services for job seekers and businesses, or call 1300 13 23 63 to chat to your local team.