Individual Support Success Story

Individual Support Success Story - Michael

My journey starts with me walking away from a career, 4 June 2019, in the Broadband technology industry. I had been in said field 15 years in the US and 3 years here. I was an industry I loved and enjoyed. The challenges and changes in the industry were constant. It kept me engaged and full of vigor. It was not easy to walk away, but I did.

For the next 12 months I worked on redefining which way I wanted to go in life professionally. While trying to work this out I worked odd jobs here and there, I turned over numerous apps all over different career fields. After a while I really started losing confidence in myself and my capabilities to find gainful employment.

On May of 2020, I approached Sam Donato about wanting to help people in any way, shape, or form. We spoke over my interest in helping Veterans that suffer from PTSD or other disabilities. Sam informed me at his business at Auctus they instruct on a Certification III program that goes over individual and aged care support. He then offered me an opportunity to come in and discuss it further at his office. At the meeting with Sam he let me know further of what the industry was about. The idea behind serving others who may not have such a normal life and opportunity to live something a little bit more normal via support, really captured my interest. So, we set up an interview process that would involve himself and Nadia to cross examine me on why I should be considered a candidate for the course. The result was the course was a perfect fit for me.

The first day of studies commenced in July 2020. It was tough at first to get the brain back into classroom mode, but it was tracking well by the end of the first day. Silky, the instructor of the course, was there to guide me and others. She is an excellent instructor who genuinely cares about her students and their success going forward.

After attending the course for a little over a month, Silky helped me find work. She made a phone call to the owner of Utopia Care, Tony Smith, and informed him about me. He stated he had a client he was picking up in less than a week, who would be a perfect fit for me. I started working with the client on the 31st of August 2020 and am still working to this day. The work keeps coming my way. I have also landed a great position as a carer for Lutheran Disability Services. I will be starting work with them very soon.

As I was told by Sam in the beginning, if you push for success in this industry you will attract the businesses out there that want you to work for them. Your training will give you competency and with that will build your confidence to be very successful in Individual Support and/or Aged Care.

Advice to future students. Some of the modules can be challenging at times and there can be some very overwhelming subject matter. The key is to not be shy. Speak up. Stay engaged. Participation is imperative. Let Silky or other classmates know that you are struggling with the subject matter. Your persistence will pay off in you successfully completing the course.