Since 2015, Vision Australia has been awarded $1,441,800 to deliver eight Work Skills Traineeships projects to employ 54 Queenslanders who are blind or have low vision.
On Friday the 6th of September 2024 marks the 10th year of the Career Visions program which sends a loud signal about the value of employing people who are blind and have low vision into the workforce.
Vision Australia Coorparoo celebrated the graduation of six Career Visions participants – Michael Backstrom, Carl Sedgwick, Serena O’Brien, Brandon Xu, Sarah McKaskill, and Samson James.
Throughout this transformative journey, participants immersed themselves in various administrative roles, showcased their talents at the Vision Australia Open Day, and completed a 12-week hands-on placement with external organizations.
These placements spanned across diverse industries, each tailored to meet the participants' unique interests and skill sets. A big thumbs up to Community Directory, Wesley Mission, Communify, Micah Projects, PNG Federation of Queensland, Queensland United Council, and Vision Australia Store, for supporting the development of participants strengths and areas for growth, learning about how they work and gaining awareness and new skills to propel them into the future.
A Day Filled with Inspiration and Recognition
The graduation day was buzzing with excitement, filled with inspiring speeches and well-deserved recognition. Joe Kelly, Member for Greenslopes, reaffirmed his support for Career Visions and stressed the importance of continued government backing for such valuable programs. Tracee Cooke from TAFE Queensland praised the positive impact the participants made on the Southbank campus, especially in enhancing accessibility.
We also heard from Chris Edwards, who emphasized the importance of capacity-building initiatives like Career Visions, and from Serena O’Brien and Ben Pierce, who shared their collective insights from the program. Sarah Evans and Courtney McKee reflected on their personal journeys, and Harmonie Downes left no stone unturned, giving a heartfelt overview and offering warm congratulations to all.
A Proud Moment for Our Graduates
Our Career Visions graduates were celebrated in style, receiving certificates from the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training, TAFE Queensland, and Vision Australia. The event culminated in a lively photo session, networking opportunities, and a delicious catered lunch.
Moving to employment
Michael Backstrom has commenced his new role with Brisbane City Council, where he will contribute to planning for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games as part of the Council’s Brisbane 2032 Host City and Strategic Partnerships City Planning and Sustainability Team and Sarah McKaskill has been employed across two organisations as an Administrative Assistant for Lotus Place as well as working with the Children’s and Young People’s team as a Services Support Officer.
A big shout out!
Here’s to our graduates employment with further outcomes to be announced and to everyone involved in making this journey a success. Let’s continue to support these bright stars as they step confidently into their futures!
