Liam McNally
After more than a decade without work, Melton resident Christopher Marshall said he was nervous looking for a job.
“I was nervous about how people would think of me, interviews were a little bit intimidating, if I would be good enough for the work I was going for, and whether or not someone would hire me,” he said.
Mr Marshall, who has a learning disability, said he was spurred on by a drive to be more independent.
“I wanted to save money for a car, for a home of my own one day and perhaps a holiday,” he said.
“But I also wanted to have some independence and freedom of my own, to get out more, and to build more on my life.”
To help his employment journey Mr Marshall enlisted the help of employment services provider APM, who he said were amazing.
“As soon as I came in and wanted to get work they wanted to help from the get go, they are a truly amazing group of people and the reason I have work right now,” he said.
After upskilling with a Responsible Serving of Alcohol and barista course, Mr Marshall was set up with a kitchen hand position at Seddon business Tee and Coffee.
Mr Marshall said he was over the moon when he found out he’d been hired.
“I have dealt with a lot of setbacks in the past, to a point where I just about gave up on myself, so to know that there was someone willing to say yes and hire me and give me a chance, I was at a loss for words,” he said.
“It’s been incredible really. I’m learning new skills that I never thought I would learn and I have a wonderful boss that’s full of positivity and the team are really great to work with, there are great vibes where I am.
“I’ve had some people say to me that I wouldn’t amount to much, and I wanted them to know that they are wrong, and that I did it. I got work, I am happy, I am loving where I work and I am proud of how far I’ve come. I can not wait to see how far my skills and my time at Tee and Coffee take me.”
