WHEN Zachery Joseph found himself in hard times, it took grit and determination to pull himself together.
The 21-year-old Bundaberg man has suffered with depression and anxiety but, with the help of disability employment provider APM and RecLink Australia, he has secured a Queensland Government initiative traineeship and has moved into full-time work.
Mr Joseph said gaining the position had ultimately helped him on his road to recovery.
“I have always wanted to get into building and getting this job has helped me so much,” he said.
“It keeps my mind occupied.”
But dealing with his depression and anxiety hasn’t been easy, and Mr Joseph said he became especially vulnerable when losing his last job.
“I had a few issues with childhood trauma and it didn’t affect me until I was 18 or 19 years old,” he said.
“In my last job I was a supervisor at a convenience store. One day the boss told me I didn’t have a job any more and he hired two 16-year-olds in my place.
“That really shook me.”
Mr Joseph said with the right guidance, he was able to pull himself together and find his path.
“I woke up one day and said enough is enough and I got a job with RecLink,” he said.
Now, Mr Joseph works as a labourer with local builder Steve Mocatta at his business S & S Sheds.
“Steve is a great boss,” he said.
“I have never had a boss like him.
“He is a family man and a real down-to-earth guy.”
And Mr Mocatta said he was just as happy to have Mr Joseph on his team.
“He seems very keen and he is always on time,” he said.
“As long as he shows up to work every day and works his best, I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
APM employment consultant Shane Olive said Mr Joseph’s story was a great example of how a job could turn someone’s world around.
“Our clients that we assist into employment can help improve self-confidence, self-worth and overall well-being by having purpose in having employment to go to on a daily basis,” Mr Olive said.
“Stable employment far reaches into social, family, mental and financial areas within our clients’ lives.”
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