Telisha Brown

Business Development Consultant

Making a Difference: Why Telisha Believes the Right Employment Can Change Lives

Our experiences shape us, but they don’t define who we become. At Community Solutions, we believe every person can thrive at work when given the right opportunities. No one is a stronger advocate for this than Telisha. As our Business Development Consultant, she is committed to helping our customers find meaningful employment. Each day, Telisha sees the real impact our diverse services can have on everyday people and their communities.

Finding her purpose

Telisha can count the number of lives she’s helped change for the better. In just seven months at Community Solutions, Telisha has connected 130 people with employers looking for the perfect staff to join their teams. That’s 130 people who proved that with the right support and encouragement, they could be highly valued for their skills. For Telisha, it doesn’t get much more rewarding than that.

“I believe employment can change a person’s quality of life in so many ways,” Telisha says. “For example, we had a customer in Maroochydore who suffered from long- term homelessness and drug addiction. Now, we’ve found the right employer for him, and he’s just thriving. It shows that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Everybody has the capability to be something great.”

At age 21, Telisha moved to the Northern Territory from Western Australia and scored her first role in the industry. She worked in remote Indigenous servicing in East Arnhem Land, then branched out into employer-facing account management roles. After more than 15 years honing her skills, a new opportunity was listed at Community Solutions in 2021. We knew Telisha was the perfect fit, and since then, she’s never looked back.

“I’m very connected to the purpose. It’s so fulfilling to help change people’s lives, and that’s what I see my role as. We do have KPIs to reach, but we have so much to offer as an organisation with all of the interconnecting services that it goes above and beyond that.”

A supportive team

As a Business Development Consultant, Telisha connects with Sunshine Coast companies to find great job opportunities for clients. She also identifies skill shortage areas where programs can be developed for greater pathways to employment. The most surprising thing about her role? Telisha says it’s the diversity of work.

“No day is the same. You could be spinning five different tables at once. And you have a lot of power to bring ideas to the table and the company backs it to make it happen. That freedom keeps it interesting.”

Telisha is proud of the work Community Solutions does in the community, but says it’s the people in our organisation who set it apart.

“We do have competitors that provide a similar service to us, but what you get here is a really great culture. We’re a large company but you don’t feel like another number
- everybody knows your name, everybody says hello. And they’re interested in what skills you have to contribute. The senior leadership team is particularly supportive of that.”

Building an incredible career

Telisha is confident her journey with Community Solutions rollercoaster has only just begun. In March, she will transition into the Group Training division, and hopes to make an even greater impact for our customers through the assistance of apprenticeships and traineeships. Telisha says the opportunity to progress is part and parcel of joining the organisation.

“You might come in as an Employment Consultant but there’s always room to move around. Because of that, I can see myself working here long term. I’m excited about my new role and to learn something new.”

With a purpose-driven team working alongside her and diverse projects keeping her engaged, Telisha has found the right role for her.

“My younger self would be quite surprised at how far she’s made it in this industry, and how much she’s recognised for the work she does. Community Solutions has supported me so much since joining the organisation, and I feel very valued.”