TRACQS participant Phillip shows his drive for car detailing with Ngoonbi 

Phillip had worked and lived in Kuranda his whole life and wanted to find work that would allow him to stay in the community he loves. In April 2022, he began attending appointments with TRACQS through the Community Development Program (CDP) and started to work toward his employment dream.  

With a background in the hospitality industry, and as a labourer, Phillip held experience in food preparation and handling, land care, vegetation management and plumbing. With a wide range of transferrable skills to call on, the TRACQS team was looking for steady employment that he could settle into.  

TRACQS referred Phillip to an employment opportunity through the Community Projects Initiative, which connects TRACQS participants with local employers, opening the doors to paid employment, training, and skill development opportunities.  

Working with Ngoonbi Community Services Indigenous Corporation, Phillip was presented with an opportunity to enter the auto mechanics industry, a new area for him but one that could make use of his skill set. Excited about this opportunity, Phillip eagerly accepted and in July 2023, began work as a Car Detailer in Kuranda. 

In his new role, Phillip looks after an entire fleet of vehicles, ensuring they achieve and maintain a high quality. He will inspect vehicles before commencing work to ensure they are road-safe, before cleaning the interior and exterior of vehicles using a wide variety of tools and specialised products. Phillip is also responsible for test-driving vehicles, and transporting them to service centres, helping to ensure the business achieves high-quality results for their clients.  

In just over four months, Phillip’s work has already gained the attention of Ngoonbi’s CEO, who expressed his delight in Phillip’s workmanship and the service he delivers for every job.  

Judi Enoch, Acting CEO and Quality Coordinator at Ngoonbi, shared her experience with Phillip, “Since commencing work at Ngoonbi, we can see a real difference in the presentation of our fleet of motor vehicles. We have never seen our vehicles looking this good.”

To further support Phillip in his role, Ngoonbi has committed to sourcing equipment and materials as needed. Phillip has been supplied with a steam cleaner, long-handled brush, spot cleaner and other general cleaning equipment.  

Seeing Phillip’s drive for car detailing, TRACQS supported him in pursuing a Car and Auto Detailing course online. This additional training is paving the way for development, with Phillip sharing how happy he is to have the opportunity to improve his skills through formal training.  

“It’s exciting to see someone who really enjoys their work and has a passion for it. Phillip loves his job and is looking forward to learning more skills to help him in his work,” shared Judi.

Through the Community Projects Initiative and the support of TRACQS and Ngoonbi, Phillip has found and honed his craft, taking steps to become an expert car detailer. We wish him all the best as he grows his skills in this new career.