Shelley Heaton recently completed a Certificate II in Warehousing and Logistics.
This achievement, the result of hard work, collaboration and a strong will to succeed is more remarkable given Shelley is legally blind.
Shelley, 34, became legally blind in 2008 as a result of diabetic retinopathy. The next year Shelley’s mother, who was a great support to her, passed away. “I got a bit down as I was having some difficulty adjusting to losing my sight completely and then I lost my mum,” she said.
Shelley found she was spending a lot of her time sleeping during the day and watching television. “It got to the stage were I knew the programme guide for Channel 11 off by heart. One morning I woke up and wondered what my mother would have said about the way I was using my time. I came to Vision Australia to do a computer course and have kept going forward since then.”
After completing the computer course Shelley found an internship through Red Cross. As a Registered Training Organisation, Red Cross supplies course resources and Shelley gets practical experience and training in Warehousing and Logistics through Vision Australia.
As part of her training Shelley recently completed a two week placement with national warehousing and manufacturing company Signet, at their Cleveland premises. According to Signet Marketing Manager, Neil Jorgensen it was a win, win arrangement. “Shelley is a very engaging person and it was a pleasure having her at Signet. She worked well and showed we are all really not that different,”
Shelley has commenced her Certificate III in Warehousing and Logistics and has been nominated for the Vocational Student of the Year award in the Queensland Training Awards which will be announced later this year.
Traineeship funding is made available through the Department of Education, Training and Employment and allows work experience to be undertaken by people who are blind or have low vision through Vision Australia.
There are currently eight people undertaking traineeships with Vision Australia and it is hoped that number will grow.
Matthew Keliher, Vision Australia Business Development Manager, has high hopes for the future.
“We are proud of what Shelley and our other trainees are achieving and Vision Australia is evolving into a social enterprise.”
This achievement, the result of hard work, collaboration and a strong will to succeed is more remarkable given Shelley is legally blind.
Shelley, 34, became legally blind in 2008 as a result of diabetic retinopathy. The next year Shelley’s mother, who was a great support to her, passed away. “I got a bit down as I was having some difficulty adjusting to losing my sight completely and then I lost my mum,” she said.
Shelley found she was spending a lot of her time sleeping during the day and watching television. “It got to the stage were I knew the programme guide for Channel 11 off by heart. One morning I woke up and wondered what my mother would have said about the way I was using my time. I came to Vision Australia to do a computer course and have kept going forward since then.”
After completing the computer course Shelley found an internship through Red Cross. As a Registered Training Organisation, Red Cross supplies course resources and Shelley gets practical experience and training in Warehousing and Logistics through Vision Australia.
As part of her training Shelley recently completed a two week placement with national warehousing and manufacturing company Signet, at their Cleveland premises. According to Signet Marketing Manager, Neil Jorgensen it was a win, win arrangement. “Shelley is a very engaging person and it was a pleasure having her at Signet. She worked well and showed we are all really not that different,”
Shelley has commenced her Certificate III in Warehousing and Logistics and has been nominated for the Vocational Student of the Year award in the Queensland Training Awards which will be announced later this year.
Traineeship funding is made available through the Department of Education, Training and Employment and allows work experience to be undertaken by people who are blind or have low vision through Vision Australia.
There are currently eight people undertaking traineeships with Vision Australia and it is hoped that number will grow.
Matthew Keliher, Vision Australia Business Development Manager, has high hopes for the future.
“We are proud of what Shelley and our other trainees are achieving and Vision Australia is evolving into a social enterprise.”