An accessible, online job platform will be developed to connect persons with disabilities with potential employers in Australia.
Minister for Families and Social Services Anne Ruston said the Morrison Government would provide $3.5 million to create a disability-specific digital resource to help individuals showcase their skills and abilities.
“Job searching can be daunting for everyone but people with disability often face additional obstacles, especially when navigating mainstream services,” Minister Ruston said.
“By addressing barriers at the job searching and application stages we are aiming to increase employment opportunities for jobseekers with disability across all roles and industries.”
Minister Ruston said the WorkAble Project would aim to attract 100,000 job seekers with disability, with 45,000 businesses and organisations expected to join the platform within an 18-month period.
“When I speak to employers they all say they understand the benefits of employing people with disability but when it comes down to making decisions about who to hire the data shows these positive attitudes are not translating into outcomes,” Minister Ruston said.
“We want every person with disability who has the capacity to work to get a job and this project will help bridge the gap by educating business leaders about disability inclusion.”
Get Skilled Access, a disability-run organisation, will deliver the digital platform and also provide a series of workshops to improve the capacity and confidence of organisations to recruit and retain employees with disability.
Paralympian and founder of Get Skilled Access Dylan Alcott OAM welcomed the Morrison Government’s investment in disability employment.
“The WorkAble Project will deliver a purpose-built, fully accessible platform that will give individuals with disability the choice as to how they want to be seen by potential employers,” Mr Alcott said.
“Designed and delivered by people with disability, it will enable individuals to showcase their skills and capabilities by defining their own brand.
“It will give people with disability the opportunity to challenge perceptions about employment and increase employer’s ability to access a highly capable but often overlooked workforce.”
The platform will provide Australians with disability the opportunity to create an employee profile highlighting their resume, skillset and interests that would benefit a business as well as offer individuals alternate methods of applying and interviewing for jobs.
