Aubrey Walker celebrates milestone 50 yr anniversary as Supported Employee at Westhaven, Dubbo
Aubrey Walker has celebrated 50 years as a Westhaven Dubbo supported employee participant.
Mr Walker marked the milestone with a cake and a presentation of a certificate celebrating his achievement where he was joined by Westhaven staff and fellow supported employees.
After completing school in 1971, Aubrey started to work at the Westhaven workshop in Hawthorn Street, where he recalls walking across the railway crossing at the top of Hawthorn Street to get to work.
His first job was in the woolly duster section, helping to produce the dusters by putting a plastic sleeve on the finished duster ready for sale.
Mr Walker had other jobs in the workshop including the assembly of tags with strings for the abattoirs, assembly of washers, nuts and screws for plumbers and expo bags for the annual Burrendong Dam fishing competition.
After beginning work in the shredding section, Mr Walker recalls having to sort paper from clips and plastic before running it through the machine which sat inside the door helping him stay safe and avoid any obstacles in the room.
In 2014, Mr Walker successfully completed a TAFE course and obtained a certificate in Confidential Business Shredding.
Sandpaper tape on the ground has helped Mr Walker safely move around the building and avoid obstacles. Today the tape is still in the workshop to help him navigate his way.
Now aged 66, Mr Walker says retirement isn’t an option, his strong work ethic and desire to keep active and earn money have been strong features of his career.
In late 2020, Westhaven discontinued secure document destruction which saw Mr Walker move to the Customised Employment Program.
Mr Walker hopes to open his own small business in the future.
The Daily Liberal – Tom Barber
March 3rd 2021