Transforming IT and Changing Lives.

Vo arrived in Australia in 1984 as a refugee from Vietnam.

He was a trained dental technician, but his qualifications were not recognised here. To help him start over, he went to social enterprise WorkVentures and he never left.

WorkVentures takes superseded computers and monitors from some of Australia’s largest companies.

This has included around 40,000 from Westpac over the past 30 years. They’re then used to create work opportunities and bridge the digital divide for people who need it most.

Vo completed a six-month electrical technicians’ traineeship at WorkVentures and was then invited to stay on to work in its computer equipment repair centre.

“That was 26 years ago. Today, I’m responsible for managing WorkVentures Inventory of around $2.5 million worth of electronics donated by Australian companies,” he said.

In the past year alone, Westpac has recycled around 220 tonnes of e-waste through its partnership with WorkVentures. This means we’re achieving fantastic environmental and even better social outcomes for the beneficiaries of WorkVentures’ programs.