AGL Loy Yang is extending its partnership with Latrobe Valley Enterprises to continue offering people with disability meaningful work opportunities on site.

Since 2017, AGL Loy Yang has partnered with Latrobe Valley Enterprises to employ supported workers in grounds maintenance, sign making, recycling and secure document destruction roles.

AGL Chief Operating Officer Markus Brokhof said the partnership was an opportunity to further inclusivity between the AGL Loy Yang workforce and the broader community.

“At AGL we are committed to ensuring everybody has the same opportunities to participate in every aspect of life,” Mr Brokhof said.

“On a site like Loy Yang, we need a variety of skilled individuals to help get the work done and keep the lights on at home.

“We work hand-in-hand with Latrobe Valley Enterprises to provide employment opportunities at Loy Yang and gain valuable workers that assist us with important services for our site.”

Latrobe Valley Enterprises has been employing people with disability in the Gippsland region for 54 years and operates with 109 staff, 76 of whom are people with disability.

One of the Latrobe Valley Enterprises supported employees, Andrew Clerks, said his crew liked being a part of the AGL Loy Yang community, which he visits fortnightly with his supervisor.

“Coming to Loy Yang every fortnight, I get to do a variety of tasks on site including mowing with a ride-on mower, hand-mowing, brush cutting and pruning,” Mr Clerks said.

“It’s been great connecting with the people here at Loy Yang. They’ve all been kind, very welcoming and treat me as one of their own.”

The organisation supports employment opportunities for people with disability in areas like recycling and secure document destruction, commercial grounds and facilities maintenance, business support services and sign-making.

Latrobe Valley Enterprises General Manager Operations, Suzanne Lewis welcomed the extension of the partnership with AGL Loy Yang.

“It is through organisations such as AGL that Latrobe Valley Enterprises is able to continue to provide meaningful work opportunities, community engagement, financial independence and ongoing training,” Ms Lewis said.

“Each department requires a different skill set. When we recruit at Latrobe Valley Enterprises we look at a person’s ability and capability, not their disability.”

In 2020, AGL was the first Australian energy company to join the Valuable 500 and launched its Disability Action Plan and Disability Working Group to drive disability inclusion across the business.