Tom on a roll towards a fulfilling career in baking 

In the early hours of the morning, bakeries come alive with the smell of fresh dough from the oven, with the promise of delicious goods and sweet treats. For Tom, this was exactly how he envisioned spending his mornings, and also making a living out of it. 

Tom connected with our team in Thuringowa in November 2025 through the Inclusive Employment Australia service, determined to find meaningful work that matched his interests. 

He teamed up with his Mentor, Phoebe, to collaborate on an Action Plan to put his goals in place, talk through his interests, and the next steps in achieving his career goals.  

Through their time together, Tom shared his interest in baking to Phoebe, who helped him explore what opportunities might look like in the industry, from apprenticeships to entry-level roles that could help him gain hands-on experience. 

At first, Tom was shy, but with Phoebe’s support and encouragement he began stepping outside his comfort zone, the two quickly building rapport and sharing plenty of laughs. 

Tom was open to every opportunity that came his way, building his confidence by handing in his resume in-person and meeting employers face-to-face.  

It was this initiative that landed him a phone interview from a local donut shop, Galactic Donuts.  

After nailing the initial interview, Tom was invited to participate in a trial shift to get a feel for the work and see if it would be the right fit for him.  

To prepare him for his first trial shift, Phoebe supported Tom by sourcing appropriate work shoes and giving him a last-minute boost of encouragement and confidence. 

He gave it his all during his trial shift, and his effort did not go unnoticed, as he was offered a casual position on the spot.  

Since then, Tom has worked his way up to part-time employment and is continuing to build his skills, learning to craft the perfect donut as he works toward full-time work. 

“He’s become a lot more outgoing, and I can tell he’s really happy. He tells me that he gets bored at home and would rather be at work. I’m really proud of him,” Phoebe, Mentor, said. 

Tom has expressed gratitude for the support he received in finding the role and hopes to build a long-term career doing what he loves. 

“I’m glad that Bamara and Phoebe gave me the time to search for opportunities. It led me to the exact job I wanted,” Tom said. 

Connect with our Inclusive Employment Australia team

Bamara is a provider of Inclusive Employment Australia, a government funded specialist disability employment support program.

We provide flexible and responsive services in an inclusive and safe environment to ensure you receive the right support you need when you need it.