atWork Australia

17/08/2010

Western Australian business, Wescorp Sandalwood (Wescorp), has been honoured at the recent 2010 National Employment Services Association (NESA) Awards for Excellence, by winning the category of Champion Employer of the Year.

The NESA Awards for Excellence acknowledge the courage of people who have faced incredible barriers to gain employment, and the hard work of employment consultants and employers who help these job seekers achieve their dreams.

^{Left to right: atWork Australia's Peter Blitz and Caleb Standing with Wescorp's Nathan O'Neill and Peter McKinnon at the awards ceremony}

Wescorp is a family business located in the Perth suburb of Bibra Lake. They specialise in Santalum spicatum sandalwood and process and market over 2,000 tonne of Western Australian sandalwood per annum. They are also the agent for Forest Products Commission (FPC) of WA for processing and marketing of Government sandalwood.

atWork Australia has a close working relationship with Wescorp and had no hesitation in nominating them for the award.

Michael Kolomyjec atWork Australia's Operations Manager states, "Wescorp is an employer who embraces the belief that everyone deserves a 'fair go'. They provide a flexible and fair environment, where employees are accepted and welcomed as part of the family. Wescorp consistently provides opportunities to job seekers that ordinarily may not be possible."

Wescorp's policy of utilising an employment services provider to fill vacancies has assisted in providing many opportunities to job seekers. In the last 12 months, atWork Australia has placed 18 job seekers with Wescorp. These job seekers often have specific barriers to sustaining employment and Wescorp are willing to give these job seekers a chance to prove themselves, even if they may not have the experience on paper.

The environment and culture at Wescorp is one of family orientation. This culture is engrained at management level and flows through to employees. All employees are treated equally regardless of background and as a member of a family, where encouragement and support are common place.

As Indigenous employees make up 25% of their workforce, Wescorp promotes cultural awareness to non-Indigenous staff which has resulted in a more cohesive and knowledgeable workforce.

Accepting the Award, General Manager Nathan O'Neill particularly thanked atWork and Wescorp's Executive Chairman Tim Coakley. "It is an honour to be presented with a prestigious award which humbly honours Wescorp's passion and commitment to our workforce. We recognise that our staff is our biggest asset and providing equal opportunities, indigenous mentoring and support and ongoing facilities such as the creche to support our working mothers together encourage long term staff, career development and family stability. The vision of our Executive Chairman Tim Coakley and the support of atWork have greatly contributed to Wescorp's success."