Working with Australian Disability Enterprise Karingal Kommercial opened a door for aspiring chef Aimee Hovey, who is continuing to dream big. Aimee was working as a supported employee with Karingal Kommercial helping prepare food for hungry workers at Shell when she was offered the chef’s apprenticeship just over two years ago. “I’d wanted to work in hospitality for a long time, but found it hard to get more than dishwashing work,” Aimee said. “An apprenticeship was exactly what I wanted to do, so it’s pretty cool to be doing it at Karingal Kommercial. “It’s definitely made me happy to be able to go to work and have a job – it’s awesome that it’s something I like doing.” By May 2015 Aimee will be a fully qualified chef and is looking forward to seeing where her new qualification will take her.
“I am working towards becoming a chef in a restaurant and I definitely want to use my skills to travel more and maybe even work overseas,” she said. “The best parts about working at Karingal are the opportunities I have been given and the people I have worked with along the way. There is pressure in the kitchen and it’s fast-paced, but I don’t find it stressful at all – we just do what we do and it’s been great.” These days Aimee splits her time between classes at The Gordon TAFE and getting hands-on experience under qualified chefs in the industrial kitchen at Karingal’s new ADE operations in North Geelong.