Sunshine job seeker’s initiative leads to employment
Sunshine job seeker Stephen came to MatchWorks in March 2017 wanting to turn his life around and gain employment following various hurdles.
The Indigenous job seeker told his employment consultant Karen Mackintosh that he had limited reading and writing skills, transport issues and various mental health and medical concerns.
“Stephen stated he is always put in the “too-hard basket” and no one would help him with anything. He advised that he wanted to get into construction or mechanical but had no experience except for what he does at home,” Karen said.
“I worked with Stephen and engaged him in a civil construction course with Proven Training. He is doing well and is due to complete the course this month.”
MatchWorks job seeker Stephen (right) with his employer Bob.
While Stephen was undertaking the course, Karen also assisted him with an interview at a Sunshine truck trailer company Precision Brake Technology.
Karen drove Stephen to the interview, where they waited for the employer to finish a conversation with a customer. Stephen used initiative and started helping someone take a tyre off a truck trailer and this is what ultimately got him the job.
“Stephen returned to the car where I and his partner were waiting and he burst into tears and said: “I got it! I can’t believe I got it. I can’t thank you enough. Nobody has ever helped me before. No provider has ever got me an interview, in 15 years, not once. You don’t know how much this means to me. My family are in such financial trouble and with a recent death in the family, we didn’t know where our next meal was coming from. Thank you so much”,” Karen said.
Stephen started work at the beginning of August 2017 and said he loves it. His employer Bob is also happy and said “Stephen fits right in and doesn’t back away from hard work”.
MatchWorks assisted Stephen to purchase a bicycle to get to his workplace and will continue to support him in his role.