Customer Success: Brett’s Transition from Trolley Collector to Venue Presentation Attendant

In mid-November 2023, we welcomed Brett into our NDIS program in Cairns, he was introduced through a referral from a former colleague, Jakita. Brett lives with a hearing impairment and relies heavily on lip reading and a hearing aid, his journey with hearing loss began in his early teens, but this doesn’t hinder his pursuit for employment. He came to us seeking a career change after 3.5 years as a trolley collector at Coles.

During the initial meeting, Brett expressed optimism about finding new opportunities. His main motivation for a career switch was a desire for a consistent work schedule, particularly free weekends to spend with his wife. With a Certificate in Horticulture, a construction white card, and experience in outdoor work, Brett’s work ethic and skills were evident. Upon reviewing his resume, Tourism Tasters in Cairns, led by Trudy Nagle, became the focus for our team with the aim of getting Brett involved with them.

Tourism Tasters provides crucial support for small to medium-sized employers in the tourism industry, educating businesses on the advantages of hiring individuals living with disabilities. After forwarding Brett’s resume to Trudy, a prompt response led to a meet-and-greet, and Brett was quickly connected with a potential opportunity at the Cairns Convention Centre for a Venue Presentation Attendant position.

Brett was very impressed with the efficiency of the Workways NDIS team, and after a mock interview he was prepared to go into the real thing. Attending the job interview with Brett, our team member Rona got to witness his excellent capabilities in that setting, this lead to Brett being offered a position at the Cairns Convention Centre on the spot.

Navigating onboarding paperwork together with his Support Co-odinator Ty (left in image) and the Workways team, Brett is now eagerly anticipating his early December start, ready to embark on this new chapter in his career.