Luke Helson is a 24-year-old with a passion for lawn bowls, horse racing and agriculture who, with a little help from Vision Australia’s Employment Services team, has begun a graduate position with Ernst and Young, one of the most competitive placement programs in Australia.
Luke was born with low vision yet he has never let that stop him from pursing a fulfilling career in finance.
After graduating from La Trobe University in 2019 with a Bachelor in Accounting, Luke participated in Vision Australia’s Career Start program. With the help of staff at Vision Australia, he was then able to secure an internship at Ernst and Young and moved into their graduate program after a three-month period.
Through working with Vision Australia’s Employment Services, Luke acquired the tools he needed to secure his current role at Ernst and Young. Not only did Luke receive support with his resume, but his employment consultant was also able to provide Luke valuable information about the culture at Ernst and Young and prepare him for potential interview questions.
Luke loves how varied his role is at Ernst and Young. He said that he feels as though the culture is very supportive and he has regular catch-ups wit senior managers, as well as fellow graduates. Recently, a wellbeing initiative was created at Ernst and Young to support staff with the various challenges they are facing during the global pandemic (and their day to day workload).
When Luke was asked about the advice he would give to other people with a disability who are looking to join the workforce, he highlighted the importance of sharing his vision condition with others.
“I have been open to all of my colleagues and they are able to adjust and provide additional support so that I can perform at the best of my ability every day” Luke said.
Looking to the future, Luke said that he has plans to participate in a program to become a Certified Accountant, which will take three to four years to complete.
If you are blind or have low vision and are looking to join the workforce, or even just need assistance with your current job) contact the Vision Australia Employment Team on 1300 847 466.