KJ Industrial Scaffolding is leading the way in creating employment opportunities for people with a disability.
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In the last four years it has employed more than 15 people from Greenacres in its two yards and generally has up to four working together at a time.
General manager Adam Oswald said the three decade old business did work in the Illawarra, Sydney and interstate. It presently employs around 100 people locally and actively gives back to the community by sponsoring sporting teams, life saving equipment for surf clubs and supporting charity events and Peterborough School. It also uses Flagstaff Group’s printing services.
KJ Scaffolding first provided opportunities to people with a disability in 2013. The work they did in the Port Kembla and Unanderra yards immediately proved to be a great asset to scaffolding teams working in the field.
“We can’t function without what happens in the yard,” Mr Oswald said.
“They love being out here. They take great pride in their work.”
Mr Oswald said KJ’s employees with a disability were all diligent and proud of their work.
“Our people are happy to work with them because they are so happy to be at work,” he said.
James Quain has been at KJ for two years and described it as a wonderful opportunity they all enjoyed because it made people with a disability feel included. “It is good experience. I love seeing all the boys feeling empowered by it. They really like working here. It keeps them busy all day. I’ve got a son with a disability and it is good to see these opportunities available”.
John Harvey from Greenacres said KJ had been instrumental in establishing a workplace where people with a disability can engage in meaningful employment in a commercial setting. “It is brilliant for our guys. It is a beneficial relationship for us because it gives our people access to mainstream employment activity in a supported environment”.
Mr Harvey said everyone at KJ had supported the inclusion of workers with a disability and engaged with them brilliantly. “I would encourage other businesses who are looking for a reliable workforce to consider using a disability service as part of their employment mix”. He said there were many people with a disability who have a capacity to work and want to work.
KJ Scaffolding has provided more than 100 traineeships in the Illawarra. It takes up to 12 a year. The company has been able to retain most of its workforce during the last decade and still has a contract with BlueScope. It did some fly-in and fly-out work during the mining boom and maintain a steady flow of industrial infrastructure scaffolding work in the Illawarra and Sydney where it has been working on WestConnex, NorthConnex and rail and light rail projects. It has a contract with Sydney Water and has been accredited to bid for work on Sydney Harbour Bridge. In 2016 it invested in 1000 tonnes of new scaffolding equipment.