Hannah’s Story: Advancement and Ambition

In Western Australia, there lives a remarkable woman named Hannah, whose determination knows no bounds. As an Auslan user who is hard of hearing, Hannah faced a number of barriers to employment, despite this she had big dreams and even bigger ambitions.

The Journey

In 2022, Hannah reached out to the uLaunch Mirrabooka office and connected with Kacey Griffiths, an Employment Support Officer. During their initial conversation, Hannah shared her hopes of pursuing a career in veterinary nursing. Together, the team at uLaunch developed a plan to support Hannah to achieve her goals. With the dedicated assistance, Hannah was empowered to kickstart a fulfilling career by enrolling in a Diploma of Veterinary Nursing.

It doesn’t stop there though, Kacey also supported Hannah to gain practical experience through volunteer work at a veterinary clinic and a placement in a dog kennel. These opportunities enabled her to further immerse herself in her veterinary nursing studies, gaining valuable hands-on experience.

However, Hannah began to feel stagnant in her role at the dog kennel, so she bravely voiced to Kacey that she wanted to find a more customer facing role with increased responsibilities. Kacey recognised the need for career growth and worked with Hannah to seek out a new position. Through careful evaluation of her skills and interests, they decided a shift to a role within the local community was a better fit for Hannah’s personal and professional growth.

Career Advancement

Kacey worked with uLaunch Engagement Consultant Gaynor O’Hare to identify roles within the local community that would be suitable for Hannah. Together they identified a charity owned by a local within the community. Gaynor contacted the owner Dawn and arranged for Hannah to attend an interview for a position as a Retail Assistant.

Kacey and Hannah attended the interview together and Kacey provided Auslan interpretation to ensure there was no barrier to communication. The interview was a success and Hannah has nearly been in her current role for 13 weeks now. In this time, she has gained a wealth of new skills and has exceeded expectations, taking on additional responsibilities with grace.

The Future

Gaynor and Kacey are regularly in contact with Hannah and often call to visit her in the store to catch up. Hannah is still working diligently at her animal care course and is on set to graduate in four months. When she does, Gaynor and Kacey will be there to continue to support and empower her career trajectory.

Hannah’s story is an amazing example of how uLaunch can help you overcome barriers to help you advance your career. Our consultants go above and beyond to ensure you have every opportunity to advance, grow and develop.

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