Despite having an accounting degree 23 year-old Rahul struggled to find employment due to challenges with communication skills as he has autism.

To help find stable work Rahul decided to join the Project Search program and was placed at The Wesley Hospital.

Project SEARCH offers nine-month internships to young adults with disabilities and is designed to help develop workplace skills and to secure pathways into stable and rewarding employment.

When the Project SEARCH team first met Rahul, they knew he was different from the other interns they manage and they wanted to support him succeed in his area of study.

Project SEARCH Manager, Cameron Williams said his team recognised Rahul’s skill and aptitude with accounting and set him up with the patient accounts team in the hospital.

“When Rahul began working with the patient accounts team his colleagues loved working with him and found that he was very good at what he did,” Cameron said.

“Due to his exceptional performance, he progressed to work at the UnitingCare Head Office in the Business Intelligence team.

“At the UnitingCare Head Office, Rahul was given more responsibilities and was working independently.“

Cameron explains Rahul’s team was impressed with his work ethic and commented that he cleared 30,000 lines in a week, which, at his level, is something they would have expected to take at least a month.

“I really enjoy working with numbers, I was always very good at maths and problem solving so I chose to do accounting at university,” Rahul said.

“I had a great time while I was doing the program and I felt that I was well supported by the teams.”

His hard work at the Wesley has paid off, currently Rahul is working in the Ministers Department of the Australian Government where he continues to show his dedication and passion for his work.

In addition to his professional achievements, Rahul is also an avid tennis player and has won a gold medal at the Special Olympics in Tasmania last year.

Rahul is a wonderful advocate for Project SEARCH and has presented at the Disability Services Symposium at Sunpac in Brisbane in December last year, where he shared his story and inspired others to never give up on their dreams.

His journey serves as an inspiration to others, and we hope that his story will encourage more funding to support individuals like Rahul in their journey towards employment and success.

Rahul's journey as a Project Search intern is a testament to his perseverance and dedication.

He has overcome significant challenges to achieve his dreams and continues to inspire others with his work ethic and positive attitude.

To find out more about Project SEARCH please visit our website, On-the-job training | UnitingCare (unitingcareqld.com.au)