Life can change in an instant
Wilfred’s life changed when he had a stroke that affected his left side which meant he was unable to continue the construction job he loved.
After a long period of unemployment, Centrelink referred Wilfred to Edge and his journey to re-joining the workforce began. The Edge team was determined to assist Wilfred in finding a role that matched his interests and that he would enjoy. This came as a Factory Hand at Total Roofing Solutions.
When we asked Wilfred about the process of finding meaningful employment with Edge, he responded, “Edge has been fantastic- the process was easy. I was very happy when they got me this job. I also feel that Edge is happy with me and that my Job Coach will support me.”
For successful long-term employment, a supportive employer is crucial, and this is exactly what Guy, Factory Foreman at Total Roofing Solutions is. After hearing Wilfred’s story, Guy created a role for Wilfred which has developed from cleaning and organising the workshop to operating forklifts and providing any assistance when needed. “I find it inspiring to see Wilf do this work, and he really grasps it too, after knowing what he’s been through. He’s improving every day,” said Guy.
Guy further commented about our services and support, “Edge has been fantastic. The process was easy, that was the main thing. I think people would be put off if it wasn’t easy.”
Wilfred is very appreciative of Guy’s support and the opportunity he provided him, “The people I work with are very good. They believe in self-supervision, they just tell me the things they think I can do in the day and I can do my own job planning. Guy is like a father to me, he’s very patient. He knows what he tells me to do, I’ll do it. He can tell me to take it easy, but I don’t take advantage of that.”
Finding a job after being unemployed for a long period has been truly life-changing for Wilfred, “It’s quite healthy to mingle and mix with other people at work, not just sleeping at home all the time. The most important thing is not about money, it’s that I am healthy. Once I get money, there’s also an improvement in my health. I can charge my phone and I can get a new phone.”
We have loved supporting Wilfred on his journey back into the workforce and we look forward to seeing his continued progression.