At the end of Year 10, Thomas was keen to leave school and find out about the type of jobs and opportunities available in his local area. Determined to succeed and make something of his life, a visit to CoAct Service Partner, IMPACT Community Services soon helped put Thomas on the right path.

Exploring job opportunities in your local area

Thomas began his job search by asking people he knew in his local area about work opportunities. He heard on the grapevine about a possible opening at Nash Upholstery and immediately got in touch to volunteer for unpaid work experience. Impressed by his proactive approach, the company got in touch with CoAct Service Partner, IMPACT to see if Thomas qualified for any job support.

Transition to Work (TtW) program

The good news is that Thomas qualified for the Transition to Work program, designed to help young people between the ages of 15 and 21 on their journey to employment.

Thomas was teamed with Youth Transition Worker, Milly who looked at the type of skills and resources that would be useful to him in the workplace. Some of the support Thomas was able to receive included tools, work boots and work clothes as well as driving lessons.

Milly says that what Thomas lacked in experience he made up for with sheer determination and hard work. “After just a few days of work experience, Thomas’ commitment and quality of work impressed Nash Upholstery so much that they put him on the payroll as a labourer,” she said.

“We were then able to check in with Thomas and his employer regularly plus provide additional support such as explaining tax and liaising with payroll.” IMPACT has also been able to register Thomas with their Employment First Aid program, to ensure he continues to benefit from services dedicated to helping young people stay in work.

Starting an apprenticeship

The chance of an apprenticeship became available just five months after Thomas first approached Nash Upholstery and he was first in line for the position. In January 2018, Thomas became an Apprentice Upholsterer and he is now in the process of becoming qualified and setting up his own work studio at home. With ambitions to travel and build his own home, it is great to see Thomas lay down solid foundations for a successful future.

If you’re a job seeker looking for help developing your skills and finding the right career path, speak to the team at CoAct today.