When asked what brings Tasmanian tradesman Charles Thomas the most joy, he says he’s happiest when getting stuck into a task that involves using his hands. With words like ‘dedicated’, ‘hardworking’ and ‘persistent’ used to describe him, he loved earning a living and climbing up the ranks in his respective line of work.
A humble man with a loving family, Thomas had been a dedicated tradesman for more than 30 years, until one day, things took a sudden turn. What he thought would be a normal day at work, turned into a traumatic incident which left him paralysed from the neck down.
During a 14-hour shift assisting with heavy vehicle management, he fell five metres, falling suddenly to the ground. Not realising the extent of the damage, he carried on with his work and saw out the rest of his shift, unsuspecting of the long term damage caused.
“I knew something was wrong once I arrived home and realised I couldn’t move my body to get out of the truck. It was such a surreal and terrifying experience,” Thomas said.
After six months of consultations with a number of doctors and numerous scans, he discovered he incurred a C-spine injury, with broken bones in multiple places across his body, including his neck. Due to surgery delays to fix the extensive injuries, Thomas’ spinal cord was unfortunately severed.
Although it was something that may have defeated most people, the severe injuries made him more motivated than ever to defy the odds and get back on his feet. Miraculously, he gained 70% of his mobility back.
“It took 16 months of intense rehab to be able to walk again, but I felt immense determination to give my all to my recovery,” Thomas said. “So much so that some nurses wouldn’t want to come near me in fear that I might injure myself even more!”
“Throughout my rehabilitation process, I remember coming across a WISE promotional stand one day whilst grocery shopping. The representatives made me feel incredibly comfortable from the get go. I was very transparent with my injuries, but it was obvious that nothing would have deterred them from helping me land a job.”
“Charles first came to WISE in 2019,” said his employment consultant. “He told us he’d been actively applying for work, but that he’d not been asked to attend any interviews. Despite his manual dexterity and mobility limitations, I’ve never quite come across someone as determined as Charles.”
Understanding a lot of his efforts were dedicated towards regaining mobility of his body, he was supported by alleviating the pressures associated with the job application process. This included updating his resume, approaching employers to organise interviews and investigating the process of obtaining relevant licences to re-operate heavy machinery.
Thomas eventually regained his forklift licence, ready for his first day as a manual labourer.
“It’s great working for a company that allows me to be so transparent with my injuries and has been nothing but supportive,” he said. “I never have to feel like a burden if I need to leave early to head over to my doctor appointments.”
Working within the logistics and storage division, Thomas is in charge of picking and packing orders for major companies across the country, and is now able utilise his forklift licence to once again do what he loves most.
“Recovering from my injury and regaining mobility in my body was a big hurdle for me, but getting back into the workforce was also another huge challenge that loomed over my head,” Thomas said.
Aran’s passion for hospitality lands him a job on the spot
Moments after his first interview, 25-year-old food-enthusiast Aran Miller secured employment at local cafe Banjo’s Longford.
“Aran came to WISE Employment with little experience under his belt, but felt strongly about finding a position where he could play to his strengths,” said Tiana Cooper, Aran’s WISE Employment Consultant. “With a penchant for hospitality, it was important for him to be surrounded by people and in a fun environment.”
Miller, who lives with Down syndrome and concentration limitations, was motivated to find an employer who would be understanding of his needs, in addition to being able to tailor daily duties to his abilities.
“We began the initial process by mapping out Aran’s strengths, interests and passions and spoke about which kind of employment he’d enjoy most,” she said. “After covering the basics, we identified which environment he’d feel most comfortable in, and it wasn’t long before we settled on creating a resume with a hospitality focus, knowing that food and customer service was a big priority for him.”
After assisting Miller with the identification process, they hit the ground running by handing out resumés, and calling local businesses to enquire about job openings.
“Aran secured an interview with Zac, Banjo Bakery’s store manager, and we attended the interview together to ensure he felt as comfortable as possible,” she said. “After a few routine questions, Aran was offered the job on the spot, and was over the moon to embark on his very first employment opportunity.”
Miller works back of house alongside Damien, the owner, as well as Zac, the store manager, with guided support.
Mastering tasks such as weighing ingredients for baked goods, Aran has also been learning how to prepare and roll out pastry to create Banjo’s signature pies. Miller is now described as “an essential part of the team.”
“The people I work with have been so supportive, friendly and easygoing. Banjo’s is busy, but the team makes each shift a whole lot of fun,” said Miller.
In March, Miller will celebrate his one year anniversary at Banjo’s Bakery. “We’re looking forward to seeing his bright future with the Banjo’s Longford team,” said his boss.
