Unveiling Hidden Talents: How Anthony Found Success After a Career Change
Approximately seven years ago and in his mid-30s, life as Anthony knew it changed forever. Surviving a boating accident that left him paralysed, he now had to navigate his new existence as a quadriplegic.
A Wealth of Experience Despite Challenges
A former geo-technician who travelled Australia and overseas, and a partnering business owner for an earthmoving equipment company, Anthony has a wealth of experience and is highly skilled. After years of rehabilitation and adjusting to his new lifestyle, he really wanted to return to work.
Working from home was the goal for Anthony and his first initiative was to set up a professional home office, investing his own money on special software that allowed him to type. With the ability to answer and make calls, and work efficiently online, Anthony was ready for any type of work that enabled him to work from his home office. He found work for approximately six months as a human resource assistant in a small firm but was let go when the company’s business reduced. So, it was back to the drawing board.
BUSY Ability – A Beacon of Hope
Having heard great things about BUSY Ability and how, through the Australian Government’s Disability Employment Services, they can support people living with disability into meaningful employment, Anthony approached them for help to find work.
BUSY Ability put Anthony forward to over forty companies in the period of a couple of months but was unsuccessful in gaining him a work-from-home position. Then an opportunity came up within The BUSY Group’s Contact Centre as a Customer Experience Officer.
Supporting Workforce Australia Programs
The role required supporting incoming enquiries regarding The BUSY Group’s Workforce Australia Employment Services programs which included supporting ex-offenders back into the workforce, Disability Employment Services, and general employment services support.
With some clearance involved to ensure his assisted technology was compliant and compatible with many of the systems that The BUSY Group utilise, Anthony was ready to go. He received a lot of training for the role as there is a lot to be across with all the different service offerings.
After four months of working in the Contact Centre, Anthony is thriving in the role.
“I work for the Call Centre, working from home and taking phone calls for any Workforce Australia clients, assisting them as best as I can with their enquiries.
“Being a quadriplegic, the ability to be able to work from home is great. The management at BUSY really set me up for success which is awesome.
Anthony’s Voice: Overcoming Challenges and Achieving Success
“It’s challenging as a quadriplegic, not having good use of my arms, I have had to adapt and try new ways of doing things to get the same outcome. I start work once I receive my care from my support worker in the morning. Just learning how to do things in a non-conventional way is challenging, for example I have a voice activated keyboard as I can only type with my knuckles. Learning how to do things more efficiently so I don’t leave the clients waiting too long and so I meet my key performance indicators (KPIs) as well. I’m noticing I’m improving and am very close to meeting my KPIs, my leadership team are happy with my progress, being a new employee.”
Anthony’s advice to others in a similar position is to keep trying!
“I applied for so many jobs but once I got to the interview stage, that was the end. My mind still works fine, it’s just my body that doesn’t. These days there’s generally aides out there that help you to be able to work. My advice is to just be persistent and adaptable! I may have challenges with my body but there are so many ways to do things and stay efficient. Keep trying because one day someone will give you a go just like I was lucky enough that BUSY gave me a go.”
Stacey Turnbull – BUSY Ability CEO’s Perspective
Stacey Turnbull, CEO of BUSY Ability said, “Anthony is an incredibly capable employee and we’re extremely lucky to have him with The BUSY Group. He has a wealth of knowledge, by all accounts he was exceptionally easy to train for the role and he has become a great asset for our customer service team at The BUSY Group.
“At BUSY Ability, we focus on our candidates abilities. We have a large database of capable candidates who are ready to work. Sometimes to enable a candidate to perform successfully in the role, a few workplace modifications or adjustments are needed. Through the Disability Employment Services program, we liaise with the employer and their new employee and can help fund any workplace modifications required in their new workplace.
“Every person has the right to contribute and find purpose through employment.”
Looking for staff or living with disability and looking for work?
Learn more about BUSY Ability’s Disability Employment Services program for job seekers and recruitment services for employers.
Set up in his home office, Anthony, is thriving in his new Customer Service Advisor role.
The BUSY Group acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to the land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and their Elders past and present.
