Page 38 - Australasian Paint & Panel magazine Jul-Aug 2021
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People Matter
            PAINT&PANEL JULY / AUGUST 2021 WWW.PAINTANDPANEL.COM.AU
  BEARS EMPLOYS DISABLED WORKERS
                           HAIL SPECIALISTS BEARS AUTO GROUP HAS BEEN PILOTING A PROGRAM TO EMPLOY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES STARTING IN THEIR HOME GROUND IN THE ILLAWARRA.
B EARS AUTO GROUP GENERAL manager Steve Lozenkovski wanted to get involved in a pro- ject that gave back to his local community. He was friends with Rod- ney Clarke, executive manager of the disability services and support organi- sation, The Flagstaff Group. Over a cof- fee he asked if detailing might be an op- tion for some of the group’s clients and if Bears could provide employment and
training opportunities for those people. A purpose-built detailing facility at the workshop was identified as a great
place to start.
“We worked with Flagstaff to write a
program on how to detail motor vehicles. We have three modules – interior, exteri- or and sanitation,” said Lozenkovski.
“We piloted the program with two guys for a month or two and it went really well. We have one person working three days a week, which will increase to four soon and now have around 12 people training up.
“When I say one person it might not be the same one for the whole day. De- pending on their disability, some might only work a four hour shift.
“I’m sure I’m not the only one who has difficulty finding and keeping good detail- ers. Often they will go into an apprentice- ship which is great but you have to start again on the detailing front, or they aren’t so good and they leave,” Lozenkovski said.
“The detailers we have trained from Flagstaff are punctual and methodical
and don’t call in ‘sick’. Not only that they love what they do and are stoked to be in a ‘real’ workplace environment and have paid employment.
“Because their wages are subsidised they work out much cheaper than a standard detailer but there are so many other bigger pluses.”
Lozenkovski says their enthusiasm has raised the morale of the rest of the team. All of the detailers have a ‘can do’ attitude and love the structure of the job and having processes to follow. When the next hail season comes he hopes to replicate the program wherever the storm work is taking place. He is also going to lobby other automotive busi- nesses in the area to become involved.
Flagstaff Group marketing specialist Belinda Franklin said Bears Auto Group was one of many businesses starting to see the benefits of a creating a more in- clusive workforce.
“Employment integration is really important,” Franklin said.
“It means the guys at Flagstaff are getting experience working in main- stream employment and not just at Flagstaff sites.
“For example Troy who is working at Bears can now use the skills he has learned to work at dealerships and smash repairers in the area. We are really lucky to have Bears support in this initiative.”
Troy Fitzsimmons said he works at Bears one day a week and loves it because it could open up more opportunities in the industry or provide him an opportunity to start his own car detailing business.
“I am learning new skills. I jumped at this opportunity,” he said.
If you are interested in employing disabled people in your business you can find a local NDIS provider by visiting ndis.gov.au/par- ticipants/working-providers/find-registered- provider. Lozenkovski says he is happy to share his detailing training programs.
     ABOVE: Troy Fitzsimmons loves learning new skills at Bears.
        









































































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