Congratulations to James on reaching his 6-month employment milestone. After finishing school unsure of his next steps, he has now settled into a role he genuinely enjoys.

Not long after leaving school, James joined Global Skills’ Transition to Work (TtW) program at Lake Haven, where he met his Employment Consultant, Paul. We’ve been keeping in touch along the way and recently caught up with James to celebrate this milestone. He told us, “A few months after I left school I joined Global Skills. I had no idea what I wanted to do at that stage. After working with Paul, I decided I wanted a job where I could help people.”

With that goal in mind, Paul supported James to enrol in a Certificate III in Community Services with Karben Training Solutions. When it was time to choose a practical placement, James drew on his experience to find the right fit. “I asked about doing my placement at Autism Community Care because I had some experience supporting people with disability from helping with ALL ABILITIES sports groups,” he said.

After an initial interview, James completed his placement and was soon offered employment with Autism Community Care. As he prepared to start, Paul made sure James had everything he needed, including first aid training, a police check, work shoes, and travel expenses. Building on the success of his first course, James has since chosen to study a Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability), again through Karben Training Solutions.

With the course providing skills specifically for supporting people with disability, James has settled confidently into his role. He shares, “Autism Community Care is a great place to work. I work at Supported Independent Living (SIL) houses on the Coast. Every day is different. We might take clients out to the park, grab something to eat, or just go for a walk. We also do activities at home, like arts and crafts. My favourite part is making my clients happy. I can see this becoming a long-term career for me.”

James also reflected on the support he received along the way. “I’m thankful for the support from Global Skills. Paul helped me throughout my studies whenever I needed it and supported me with anything that came up. He was great, and the support I received helped me find a career that I love.”

Rosa Trigg, CEO of Autism Community Care Services commented, “We believe in giving everyone a chance and supporting them through their passion and having an understanding of what patience and support is, and that is what we found in James. He is willing to learn and grow in this path and to get advice from others. He is a great team member and works well with others and specially his participants. He is a great asset for Autism Community Care Services.”

Congratulations again, James, and thank you for sharing your story.