Safeguarding the future conference - Canberra, 23-24 May 2024

How Gus found himself a second job through his community connections

Gus Reichelt and his father, Ronny, will explain how Gus found himself a second part-time job and how they've worked with his employers to customise the role.

Gus Reichelt has worked at the CSIRO as a part-time Research Technician since 2019, the year after he finished year 12. He works 15 hours a week and is paid Award wages. But this isn’t enough income for a man in his twenties with a goal to move out of the family home, especially in Canberra’s housing market.

In this presentation, Gus and his father, Ronny, will tell how Gus found himself a second part-time job through his patronage of a local men’s hairdressing salon. They’ll describe how his employers have worked with Gus and Ronny first to determine Gus’s interest in and commitment to the role and then to customise his training and duties.

Meet Gus Reichelt

Portrait of Gus ReicheltGus Reichelt is a Canberra local in his early twenties. He still lives at home with his parents and siblings but has a goal to move into his own place in the next year or two. Since finishing Year 12 in 2018, Gus has worked at the CSIRO as a Research Technician. More recently, he found a second job at Martino’s Hair and Grooming in the city. He now works 21 hours a week and will increase his hours at Martino’s as he learns the ropes.

When he’s not working, Gus can be found at the local gym, learning tennis at his local club, or playing FIFA22. He works twice a week with a mentor to improve his reading, writing, and clarity of his speech. Gus loves extended family gatherings, cheering for his favourite football teams, and singing. He’s quite a domestic god, having mastered many cooking and cleaning skills, and he makes brilliant cups of tea.

Meet Ronny Reichelt

Portrait of Ronny ReicheltRonny is a husband and father of three children. As a Chartered Professional Engineer, Ronny works as an Engineering Consultant, specialising in electrical design and project management. He enjoys his work because it makes a positive impact on the environment and the way people work and live.

Ronny enjoys challenges and loved the process of renovating the family home, a nearly-100-year old building in a heritage area. He turned the drafty double-brick building into a comfortable, energy-efficient home that retains the building’s original features. In his spare time, he enjoys playing tennis, yoga, cycling, gym, and gardening.