Nicole’s quest to find a job given a video boost

With a winning smile and an aptitude for numbers and computers, Nicole Schweers will soon be looking to enter the workforce in Goulburn.

Keen to capture an employer’s attention, she says she has an eye for detail, enjoys solving problems and perhaps more than anything else, “I’m willing to have a go”.

With the help of Right to Work, a Goulburn social enterprise helping young adults with autism and intellectual disabilities, Nicole has made a video resume highlighting her employability skills.

Clare Jones, who founded Right to Work in 2021 with Carolyn Roche, says their newest program, ‘Skills on Screen’, is helping school leavers to build their confidence, understand their options for work and communicate their skills to an employer through video resumes.

“We have supported about 30 people who are neurodiverse to learn about employment through our group training program and connecting them with local employers so they can get work experience,” she said.

“We have about 25 local employers who offer work placements; that’s a great opportunity for those young people to be building connections with their community and being introduced to employers,” she said. They can find out where their strengths lie and work towards finding paid employment in the future.

Now in Year 12, Nicole has been attending The Crescent School and Goulburn High School and enjoys building on her maths skills, even when not in the classroom.

She hones those skills on her iPad playing Prodigy Maths, a software game for problem solving and battle themes.

A little apprehensive about entering the workforce because it will be a new experience, she is nevertheless looking forward to the benefits.

“I’m OK with it because it will teach me more about financial maths and how to be responsible for my own money,” she said. “I’m quite good with maths.”

Having volunteered at an op shop in Moss Vale and from her work placement at the Wesley Centre’s Friday Op Shop in Goulburn she is getting an idea of what to expect in the near future. She set out place mats at the op shop’s cafe and sorted clothing. She has also volunteered at the Goulburn Greyhounds, where her older sister Samantha is a volunteer.

Right to Work runs a pop-up shop once a month in partnership with micro business owners and Nicole helps count their takings and with filing.

Her ideal job would be data entry in an IT setting at a place like Goulburn Mulwaree Council, or in a retailing customer service role.

“I’m tech savvy. I took a computer selective course at Goulburn High School. When I did Year 9 electives, I did IT,” she said.

“You have to have a good eye for detail and also you need to be good with computers and have patience as well,” Nicole said.

Making the video resume through the Skills on Screen program, she focussed on her employability skills which include communication, ability to learn, working in a team and using initiative. Planning, organising and self-management were also worthwhile skills to have, she said.

Ms Jones says the video resumes were part of Skills on Screen that supports young people with a disability in their transition from secondary school to work.

The Australian Government provided money for a pilot program for Skills on Screen with the Goulburn High School and The Crescent School.

“The program empowers young people with the most complex disabilities, including those who are non-verbal, to connect with employers through images by creating a video resume,” she said.

The pilot program has been a great success. More students have reported positive feelings about leaving school, and less are feeling worried, nervous, or confused.

The program has also proven to be a valuable professional development opportunity for the participating teaching staff.

“This is a fantastic result at a time where young people with disability experience far higher unemployment rates than do their peers without disability,” Clare said. “We are now exploring options to share the program more widely.”