RELATED: Jimmy Possum to close
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Blake Mewburn will be one of Jimmy Possum’s final apprentices to become a fully-qualified cabinet maker.
The achievement will be bittersweet.
After four years, the 23-year-old will have achieved his goal, but will no longer be working with the friends and mentors who helped make it possible.
About 60 Jimmy Possum employees nationwide started looking for new jobs after owners Alan and Margot Spalding announced in May the business was closing.
Mrs Spalding said Jimmy Possum was facilitating as many new positions as possible for its staff.
“Blake needs another position somewhere in Bendigo,” she said.
Mr Mewburn has a hearing impairment, which his colleagues credit with improving communication in the factory.
Todd Stephens, Damian McIntosh and Michael McKechnie have been involved in his training.
They said working with Mr Mewburn had made them clearer with their instructions, more organised, and more conscious of safety hazards.
“It’s had an overall impact that has been positive for everyone.”
Mr McKechnie said he valued Mr Mewburn’s contribution to the team.
“I don’t think you’d find a more loyal and hard worker,” he said.
Mr Stephens was among several of Mr Mewburn’s colleagues to learn Australian Sign Language.
“That made it a bit easier for me to help with his training and progress him through his apprenticeship,” he said.
But Mr McIntosh said Auslan was not necessary to get the job done.
“We work in an environment where it is quite noisy and loud – you can’t actually hear each other every day anyway – so we’ve sort of got our own sign language… to an extent,” he said.
He discusses tasks with Mr Mewburn using visual mediums like written instructions and diagrams.
“What made it easier throughout the whole process was Blake’s work ethic and his willingness to learn,” Mr McIntosh said.
“It’s also great to work with someone who cares about what they are doing and wants to work.”
Mr Mewburn has been passionate about making furniture since he made a coffee table at secondary school.
“I feel proud to put furniture in people’s homes they will have forever,” he said.
“I’ve had my ups and downs and I’m really proud of getting through [the apprenticeship], being involved in Jimmy Possum and the business,” he said.
He is hopeful of finding an opportunity to continue his work in Bendigo.
Jimmy Possum will continue to produce factory orders until the middle of September.
“We have been inundated with orders,” Mrs Spalding said.
Stores across Australia are closing progressively, with the Bendigo store to close “within a few weeks.”