After a career-ending injury in 2009, Bribie Island local Chandrika Prasad worked with Q-COMP’s Return to Work assist team and secured a job as a Traffic Controller at the mature age of 58.
Mr Prasad had been a mechanic, but an injury to his hands stopped him from working his fine-motor skills, a highly required skill for the job.
Mr Prasad said that a lot of injuries can be so devastating.
“I just smashed my fingers and then I can’t work,” he said.
Mr Prasad said holding a job for longer than three weeks was hard.
He described his job search as: “fighting with my age as well as needing an update of my skills.”
In March 2009 Prasad was referred to Q-COMP’s Return to Work assist team for guidance.
The team helped him re-evaluate his career options and matched him with local recruitment and training agencies that helped him update his skills.
In February 2010 Prasad acquired two fractures to his spine, making job searching even harder.
“I just had to keep looking, and then I found the Traffic Control job in 2011,” Mr Prasad said.
Mr Prasad’s persistence in regards to looking for work is now an inspiration to others.
Return to Work assist advisor Sarah-Jane was so impressed with his efforts that she will be nominating him for Q-COMP’s Return to Work Award in 2011.
“Chandrika is living proof that starting a new career even later in life is possible with the right attitude,” Sarah-Jane said.
“The Return to Work assist team are always available for support and guidance for Queenslanders who find themselves out of work because of injury,” she said.
“I hope people will be inspired by Chandrika’s determination and contact the team for assistance.”
Chandrika Prasad is enjoying his new job.
“It is better than my motor mechanic job,” he said.
