March 21, 2024
by Courtney Dunn
Blog
Celebrating World Down Syndrome Day 2024
March 21st marks a significant day on the global calendar – World Down Syndrome Day. It’s a d...
Job hunting can be a struggle at the best of times, and given the current state of the Australian job market it can all seem just that much harder.
When Nathan first came to Breakthru, he was feeling drained and demotivated. After losing contact with previous recruitment agencies and employment providers, Nathan was starting to lose hope that he would find a new job.
Fortunately, his hard-working personality and constant perseverance in the face of adversity meant that he kept looking forward to what was around the corner.
Searching for the right job
After speaking with Nathan, his consultant Shahil recognised that his experience as a tradesman would make him perfect for a job with one of our local employment partners.
A short while later he had pitched a car detailer position to Nathan who was interested, but still felt a little unsure given his time out of the work force. To curb his worries Shahil offered some job coaching and interview skill training to get Nathan ready to apply.
Fast forward a couple of weeks, Nathan spoke with the owner of The Spot Car Wash Sam who expressed a keen interest in taking Nathan on board. To ensure both Nathan and Sam were comfortable, Shahil worked to arrange a 3-hour job trial that Friday to give Nathan an opportunity to see what the job is like and demonstrate his skills.
Shahil attended the workplace for the entire shift to ensure Nathan felt supported, later hearing the fantastic news that Sam would like to offer Nathan paid employment at The Spot Car Wash.
Getting a clean new start
With his first official day just around the corner, Breakthru consultant Shahil checked in with Nathan to ensure he had the uniform and equipment he needed. Shahil then set some time aside to turn up on-site for Nathan’s first day to provide continued help throughout his employment.
Employer Sam was thrilled to have Nathan on the team, stating that Nathan was a great worker that fit in well.
“It’s only been a day but Nathan has shown us what hard work is all about. It looks like he’s going to be a great fit for the team and he gets along really well with everyone, which is exactly what I need”
After several weeks of employment and continued encouragement from Sam, Nathan found his groove and began to feel comfortable working independently.
“Nathan is a real asset to the team” Sam said. “He’s always putting his hand up to help wherever needed. His enthusiasm and work ethic is always refreshing to see”
Dodging the COVID-19 curveball
Luckily for Nathan he had found work before COVID-19 became a global pandemic, which gave him some sense of job security. When the restrictions came down hard however, business owner Sam was left with no choice but to shut his Café and reduce hours at the car wash to keep everyone safe.
“I wasn’t confident I could give Nathan the hours he needed, so I spoke to both Nathan and Shahil to see if we could work something out”
Knowing just how hard Nathan had worked to secure this position, we didn’t want to see all that effort go to waste simply due to the unfortunate circumstances.
After discussing it with the team at Breakthru, Shahil was able to coordinate with both Sam and Nathan to offer financial assistance for 8 weeks that ensured Nathan could work his full hours until the restrictions eased.
“I was thrilled to hear I’d be able to keep all of my hours” Nathan said. “I thought for sure I was going to have them cut right back or worse, so it’s a relief to know it’s business as usual for me despite all the recent uncertainty”
“This job has been great for both my mental and physical health. I feel like I’ve hit the jackpot with Sam and The Spot Car Wash”
Sam was also relieved, stating he was surprised he even had access to financial assistance.
“Breakthru have gone above and beyond anything I’ve ever experienced before, and I’m so relieved I can keep a hard worker like Nathan on-board”
Both Sam and Nathan continue to work closely together, so if you’re in the Punchbowl area and you’re looking for a car detailer be sure to drop in and say hello. With restrictions slowly easing you may even be able to pick up a coffee while you’re there!
