Griffith had an idea of what he wanted to do when he left school, but wasn’t sure if his idea would suit his needs given he lives on the spectrum.
Griffith met atWork Australia Job Coach, Sonya, when she visited his school to talk about job options and training courses.
Griffith wanted to learn all the skills he needed to land his dream job in hospitality, so Sonya set about finding him the right training college.
Sonya told Griffith she also needed to find the right employer for him to complete his 90-hour work placement. Given Griffith struggles to communicate openly with people he doesn’t know well, Sonya looked for an employer experienced with taking on workers with a disability.
Sonya contacted Craig, who manages the commercial kitchen of a disability accommodation service and who already had a commitment to ‘giving people a go’.
Sonya spent time with Craig, explaining the benefits of working with Griffith, and arranged for a suitable Support Worker to shadow Griffith as he was introduced to new tasks.
“As a Job Coach, I am amazed at how easily Griffith eased into his new role. I am very proud of his achievements,” says Sonya delightedly.
“I see a stronger and more confident Griffith learning new skills and he is already reheating food and serving residents, without supervision,” she continues.
Craig adds, “However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. Griffith is proof of this, he brings a different quality to our workplace, one that our residents enjoy.”
Griffith had a grin from ear-to-ear when he learned he had the job and would be earning money.
Sonya is now in negotiation with Craig to secure more hours for Griffith as he continues to show impressive work ethics and grow confidence in learning new tasks.
For Griffith, he couldn’t be happier, “I love my job and learning so many new things,” he shares.
atWork Australia and Sonya will continue supporting Griffith in his effort to learn as much as he can about hospitality, with Sonya adding, “There is a plan and a purpose, a value to every life, no matter what its location, age, gender or disability. Sometimes it takes just a little longer to know how best to utilise the particular skills on offer.”