After surviving a life-threatening heart issue in 2020, Grant was forced to stop work. Eighteen months later, the experienced driver re-joined the workforce to be part of Brisbane’s biggest flood clean up ever. In 2020, Grant was rushed to hospital for open-heart surgery. “They sent my family in to say their goodbyes,” Grant said. “Only…
A rewarding job in hairdressing has been life-changing for Dane, who is profoundly deaf. After arriving in Australia from Turkey in 2010, Dane dreamed of working in hairdressing. She had the right qualifications from her home-country and Australia. Yet, her English was limited and no one would hire her. “When I first met Dane in…
To our valued participants and employer partners, We would like to acknowledge the recent media attention surrounding MatchWorks and our Employment Services in some regions across Australia. Please be assured, there are no changes to MatchWorks’ Disability Employment Services (DES) nationally. DES participants including people living with disability, injury and/or a health condition(s), and related…
Wade loved his job as an Administration Assistant with the Procurement Team at Deakin University where he had worked from 2017. But when COVID hit in April 2020, Wade, like so many others, was made redundant. With the dedicated assistance of Disability Employment Consultant, Ebony, Wade set about gaining new employment with enthusiasm. He had…
Vision impairment hasn’t hindered Sonja’s efforts to find a rewarding career. The Adelaide job seeker who is blind in both eyes started looking for work in April this year. With years of administration experience and seven years as a non-paid Carer, it wasn’t long before a local NDIS provider recognised Sonja’s skills and lived-experience. “Bissycare…
Tahlia’s determination has successfully landed her a job that combines her passion for cooking and people management. When the young Bendigo job seeker first met with the MatchWorks team, she had a limited work history and was low in confidence. Her numeracy and literacy skills had been impacted by her intellectual disability and she needed…
After being forced to leave her career as a paramedic, Mandurah job seeker Keira has overcome mental health challenges to land a job in the mining industry. Keira relished her work as a paramedic and emergency responder until she was bullied at work. I was completely blindsided,” Keira said. “I thought I would retire as…
Young Perth job seeker Jessica has overcome a series of life-long health issues to land her dream job as an Individual Support Worker in a residential care facility. At two and a half years old, Jessica was diagnosed with leukaemia. She completed treatment successfully, but the medications she was prescribed affected her immune system, setting…
Youth job seeker Shawn has landed his first job, joining 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…
Dane’s story is a great example of how a personalised approach can help change a life. The young Brisbane job seeker was experiencing major social anxiety when he first came to MatchWorks in 2018. Yet, with patience and understanding from his employment team, Dane has found happiness and ongoing work at Coles. Feeling isolated and…