The Labor Government has signed up 54 additional JobAccess providers to the national hub, that gives free workplace and employment information and supports for people with disability, employers and service providers.
The government is also renewing focus on disability employment to help turn the unemployment rate for people with disability around. This includes partnering with the Business Council of Australia and four employer members to pilot new ways to build the careers of employees with disability; releasing a new DES Quality framework; and increasing the Employment Assistance Fund (EAF) caps, doubling funding for Auslan services and building modifications that make workplaces more accessible.
Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said an increasing number of employers recognise the skills and talents of people with disability but may not know how to recruit or support them.
“There is a significant talent pool of workers available to employers to attract and retain job seekers with disability. It’s not just beneficial for the employee and for boosting disability employment, but it makes good business sense too,” she said.
Since 2006, JobAccess has supported more than 440,000 people with disability and employers, including the 400 large employers partnered through the National Disability Recruitment Coordinator (NDRC).
JobAccess general manager Daniel Valiente-Riedl said that, overall, Australian businesses lag behind other similar nations when it comes to employing people with disability. “This is often due to lack of awareness about the benefits of hiring people with disability, and an incorrect perception that it may be difficult,” he said. “Demand for programs like the NDRC tells us that businesses are open and keen to employing people with disability but need guidance on good practice. The NDRC fill this knowledge gap and it comes at no cost to employers.”
Torrens University Australia is the 400th employer to take advantage of the free JobAccess services.
University vice-president for people and talent Hugo Monteiro Contente, said with support from the NDRC, the university will: “embark on our journey to become disability confident by removing potential barriers, improving our recruitment process and creating more opportunities for people with disability”.
More information about the JobAccess program and how to get involved with the NDRC is available on the JobAccess website at: www.jobaccess.gov.au.