People who are blind or have low vision face many barriers towards finding and maintaining employment. Removing those barriers is a key aim of Vision Australia's Advocacy team, who are using real life stories to illustrate that people who are blind or have low vision are more than capable of being effective and committed employees.
One of those individuals is Paul Hedley, who had an extensive career in the mining industry prior to losing his vision in 2015 due to a combination of retinal detachment and glaucoma. In this first-hand account Paul shares his experience, detailing the shock of losing his vision, dealing with misconceptions and concerns about his ability to still perform his duties and his success in advocating for an accessible and inclusive work place.
Paul's Story
I know that people who are blind or have low vision are just as capable as their sighted peers and can excel in the workforce. But if you have vision loss and lead a successful career, like me, you are very much the exception.
There are a variety of employment challenges facing our community, including employer fear and misperceptions and a lack of government legislation to recognise our rights.
For myself and others who are not born blind, we are suddenly faced with having to learn to function with less or no vision, which impacts on every aspect of life, including employment.
These are just some of the reasons why our community still remain underrepresented in the workforce.
That's why I'm lending my voice and story, alongside others, to help Vision Australia's advocacy team combat prejudice and influence government policies and legislation – because leading a successful career shouldn't come down to luck.
Prior to losing my vision in early 2015, I worked as a Product Support Engineer for Metso Australia for 10 years. I travelled to remote mine sites via helicopters and sea planes to inspect equipment for the purpose of upgrades or to resolve equipment issues.
The role also took me to jungles in the Philippines as well as Indonesia and West Papua.
There's no question that life changed a lot after my vision loss, but I wasn't prepared to give up on a career I worked so hard to build.
With Vision Australia's support, I relearnt how to do all the things I needed to, in order to remain a highly capable employee, like being a proficient computer and phone user.
When I returned to full time work in March 2017, it was extremely difficult. People's attitudes towards me had changed immensely. There were some that wouldn't talk to me and others who wanted to 'over help' me whenever I moved around the office.
I'm a big believer in self-advocacy. Right from the start of my journey I decided to present solutions to my employer's concerns proactively, rather than try to address any perceived problems as they arose.
I also took the initiative to hold an information session to educate staff about my needs and to remind them that I'm the same 'Paul' who wanted to be treated the same.
Everything changed after this – the stress and ignorance of others disappeared, allowing me to get on with my job.
I'm thankful that my employer chose to retain my services and we have worked together with the use of technology and an open mind so I can continue to grow and add value to our business.
Today, I do a similar job, just differently. Due to the relationships that I've built over the past 10 years, I'm still able to support my customers from the office. I have also taken on more responsibilities by coordinating the team and mentoring them as required.
Currently, I have been appointed as the company's Acting Services Manager while my boss is on long service leave. This highlights the value of retaining my knowledge, skills and experience.
My story is just one of the many examples of how people who are blind or have low vision are extremely capable employees.
We know that creating truly diverse workplaces is possible – just look at Vision Australia – the leading employer of people who are blind or have low vision in our country. With open minds and government support, we can create lasting change, where my employment story is no longer the exception.