Anthony Facey is a true Clontarf success story.
He now works as a mining camp chef near Moranbah and freely admits his life would look different if it were not for the Clontarf Foundation.
“The Clontarf fellas were with me through school and they’ve been with me ever since,” the 2015, Year 12 graduate from Harristown State High School in Toowoomba said.
“I would’ve never have graduated without Clontarf, or got to be where I am without them.”
After Anthony graduated he spent the next eight months with little confidence in his ability to gain meaningful employment.
A stint of ringbarking ended after he after he put an axe through his leg and stood on a snake within a matter of days.
From there he pondered about his life for months and found no answers until Clontarf Employment Officer Marcus Priaulx took him to meet the Compass kitchen staff at the university campus in Gatton. Anthony was offered an apprenticeship but thought “I was too dumb” to succeed in the role. Encouragement from the employment officer on the 45-minute drive home fell flat so he was emailed another opportunity the following day.
“It was for being a dog washer,” Anthony said with a laugh.
“I thought, ‘well, I can be a dog washer, or I can be a chef’,” and the rest they say is history.
Anthony today, is thinking of moving up the ladder to a management role and believes he has a great future ahead of himself.
“You’ve got to earn what you get, and get what you earn,” Anthony said.
