Community Connections Give Montana a New Role
A chance conversation between a are-able Bendigo team member and the manager of the The Subtle Eye Cafe was enough to change Montana Davis’s life and land her a job at the popular Bendigo café.
When Montana Davis joined the are-able School Leavers Employment Supports (SLES), an NDIS service in June 2020, she was motivated and determined to build her skills, knowledge, and experience to help her find a job.
Montana’s Employment Preparation and Engagement Consultant Monica soon identified that customer service roles would be a good fit for Montana. Together, they identified industries Montana was interested in and focussed on retail and hospitality. Monica helped Montana find a work experience position with Bunnings. As part of the SLES service, they worked together to write Montana’s resume and cover letter, practiced job interviews, resilience building, approached employers, and workplace behaviour.
The work experience at Bunnings built Montana’s confidence, and she slowly became more comfortable and confident with new tasks and working in different areas of the store. Montana’s manager noted her positive-attitude and friendly customer service skills.
After finishing her Bunnings placement, Montana was even more motivated to find employment. That’s when Wayne Opie, are-able Bendigo Business Development Officer discovered that Tony, manager of The Subtle Eye, was looking for staff. Wayne knew The Subtle Eye would provide a supportive and engaging workplace for Montana, helping to build her customer service skills and utilising her recent barista qualification.
Montana transitioned to are-able Disability Employment Services and continued to be supported by Monica who arranged a work experience placement with The Subtle Eye. With the support of Tony and his team at The Subtle Eye, Montana thrived. She was able to build her barista skills as well general customer service. At the end of the placement, Tony was thrilled to offer Montana a job at The Subtle Eye.
Monica continues to support Tony and Montana on their employment journey. Monica and Montana have regular catch ups and Monica ensures Montana has everything she needs to succeed in the role, including training, uniform, and equipment.
Monica feels fortunate to be part of Montana’s journey and is proud to see her thriving in her new role. “Montana has worked so hard to build her skills and was so enthusiastic about finding opportunities to help her reach her goals, her confidence has grown so much in just a short period of time. I cannot wait to see where her career goes, what the future holds and support her as she needs.”
If you’re interested in are-able Employment Services or School Leavers Employment Supports contact our team.