Link December 2018 Volume 27 Issue 6 | Page 56

Lachlan Grindrod Mylestones Employment client Lachlan’s found the job that works for him. Since starting at Kmart, Lachlan Grindrod is proving autism is no barrier to finding the right job and earning an income. Lachlan Grindrod sits forward in his chair and chats confidently to a room full of strangers. He recalls the recent family dinner to celebrate his 20th birthday, jokes about how much of his wage is spent on fast food and reveals his dream to one day drive trains. There is nothing in the articulate young man’s manner to suggest that at two years old, Lachlan’s verbal ability back-pedalled to a point where he had virtually stopped speaking. Fast forward 18 years – and through the treatment and management of his autism diagnosis – and Lachlan is part of Kmart’s customer service team; manning the checkouts and helping customers with ease. My job gives me that ability to build up social skills like talking to new people and meeting new people, which is really enjoyable for me.