During this year’s Disability Action Week, we’re highlighting the positive impact that finding a meaningful career path can have for persons living with disability. Like Riley, for instance!
Riley first came to BUSY Ability in June 2022, seeking assistance through the NDIS funded School Leaver Employment Support program. The program supports young school leavers who live with disability to transition into a career path. Riley, who is diagnosed with autism and an intellectual disability, needed help to gain confidence, interview skills, and guidance to help him in his career quest.
Since January 2023, Riley has been supported through Disability Employment Services, also delivered by BUSY Ability and funded through his NDIS plan. Through both programs Riley has gained much support including confidence boosting, interview skills, assessing his career interests and pathway, social skills, budgeting and finance, and much more.
Always having a passion for cars and with dreams of becoming a mechanical technician, Riley gained a placement as a car detailer at first. He really enjoyed this, especially learning more about cars, the different makes and models. This ignited him further to find work in the auto industry!
Through Disability Employment Services, Riley commenced and completed a Certificate III in Automotive Vocational Preparation. He was also assisted to gain his White Card and police checks, all while the team at BUSY Ability were marketing him to local employers in Murwillumbah, Northern NSW.
The team at BUSY Ability met with Murwillumbah Automotive who perform service and repairs to all vehicle makes and models, including cars, trucks, trailers and caravans. The company was a small family-owned business and this seemed perfect for Riley.
After many conversations, emails exchanged, and a few interviews to get to know Riley, he secured a paid work trial. During the trial Riley’s NDIS support worker Sam was there to support him with anything he needed. It didn’t take long for Riley to prove he was the man for the job – he received a letter of employment on the very first day of the trial!
At just 21, Riley is now living his dream, employed as a part time Mechanical Assistant and earning over the award rate.
“I like the BUSY family, I say family because it really feels like family to me!” Riley said of his experience.
Through NDIS and the Disability Employment Services program, Riley continues to receive support from BUSY including assistance in reporting his earnings, work clothes and boots, check-ups on his work performance and life skills that include money handling and budgeting.
Riley (Centre) receiving his new work boots, with (L) Samuel McFarlane, NDIS Support Worker and (R) Martha Parsons, Recruitment Partner with BUSY Ability.
Learn more about how BUSY Ability support people living with disability to find and maintain meaningful employment.
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.
