PROTERRA Group, Goondiwindi, QLD

This company (Proterra Group) is looking for regional experience, value and cultural compatible personnel, i.e. “liked-minded”, to work with the company. After I heard my friend’s story, I concluded that to work for this company, skills and professionalism are not the priorities unless they do not have the luxury of choices. My friend’s short story is illustrated further belows: I am writing this for my friend who told me his story few weeks ago (May 2021) and I just cannot believe this happened in Australia nowadays. He was worried that his profile could be “black listed” by the recruitment agency in Toowoomba if he choose to complain to relevant government authorities so he chose to remain silent. He told me before he went to the personal interview with the operation manager - Mr. Jim, he told the recruitment agency that he is Asian looks personal and he is a mature person from Asia before the interview was confirmed. It took my friend about 1.5 hours to travel from Brisbane to Toowoomba. He told me that he stopped at a petrol station to fill up his car as well as going to the toilet before arrive at the interview. The petrol toilet turns out to be only for staff to use so my friend decided to use the toilet at the interview place. When he turned up at the interview place slightly early, about 15 minutes earlier, then anticipated. The person who opened the door was Mr.Jim. My friend, who dressed up and said “Hi” initiatively with declaring the purposes of turning up, and Mr. Jim said “…You are a bit earlier…” and “…No…” to my friend, as well as rejected my friend toilet request, instead asked my friend to use the toilet nearby which is couple of blocks away which require a car to go there in order to make it back on time. I can imagine how anxious he looks when he asked to use the toilet. My friend told at the time he checked on the Google map, all 3 toilets were closed at the park and he had to drive to Toowoomba CBD to use the toilet at Neil St. My friend was gutted and he still tried and went back to the company after the “toilet emergency”. Within 10 minutes of the interview, he was told that he cannot fit into the organisation due to metro experience, value and cultural are incompatible. My friend is a Chinese look and a gentle person, and I am not sure these “bullshit” reasons are having something to do with it. My friend did mentioned to me that the manager actually mentioned the words “value” and “culture” as well as “metro experience” for number of times. My friend also told me about the manager said the company is looking for “independent” personnel who will not require too much “supports” from the company. My friend has told the manager beforehand that he studied engineering degree online through distance learning and the job advertised was an entry level job before the operation manager(Mr.Jim) make the above statement. My friend also told me that recruitment agency reckon he is a great fit for the job providing his circumstances. . If this is not a bias and/or discrimination, I do not know what it is.