Sandra faced many challenges in her life; after working at a hospital for over 30 years, she was let go due to a back surgery that left her with pins in her spine. Sandra also has a learning disability, which made it difficult for her to find a job that suited her.
But Sandra was determined to turn her life around, and she reached out to MTC Australia’s Disability Support Service for support.
Initially, Sandra was nervous, and her sister-in-law accompanied her to her appointments.
“I was very apprehensive about the process,” she said. “I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’ve never had to look for a job before. I’ve gained so much confidence in myself since I started with MTC.” With a little bit of time, Sandra gained the confidence to come to her appointments on her own.
With MTC’s help, Sandra set her sights on working at a hospital café. We made sure her resume and cover letter were up to industry standards and supported her with barista training to upskill. Sandra’s Recruitment Partner worked with her on her interview techniques and started going out to meet café owners to introduce Sandra to them.
Sandra was soon successful in landing a café position, which gave her the confidence to keep going.
Unfortunately, the job didn’t work out past three months, but Sandra didn’t give up, instead, she called it a “big learning curve”. She loved working with children and thought maybe childcare would be a good fit. Sandra’s Recruitment Partner contacted TAFE to see if a course in disability support would be suitable for her, but it was deemed too advanced. They had to think of other ideas.
One day, Sandra printed copies of her resume and jumped on Seek while on the train home. She found a job as a kitchen hand at a childcare centre in the same suburb she lived in. Instead of applying online, she went to the centre and introduced herself to the director. She had a job trial the following Monday!
Sandra was successful in landing the job, and with the help of the service, she was able to disclose her disability to her new employer. Today, Sandra loves her job, and it’s the perfect match for her!
Sandra is currently looking forward to getting through her probation period so she can go a holiday to Noosa and visit her family.
Congratulations, Sandra! Your story is an inspiration to us all, reminding us that we can achieve anything we set our minds to with the right support and a positive attitude.