JobAccess seminar spotlights the competitive advantage Australian businesses can reap by employing people with disability
Image description: Eleven speakers and panellists at the JobAccess seminar.
JobAccess concluded its 33rd Driving Disability Employment seminar in Adelaide for South Australian employers on Wednesday, 8 November 2023.
The seminar, ‘Disability employment: the competitive advantage Australian businesses need’ aimed at helping employers to move the dial on disability employment.
Minister of Social Services Amanda Rishworth MP delivered a special address to employers at the event.
The seminar saw representatives from wide-ranging industries, employees and industry experts share their experiences and discuss supports to help businesses attract, employ and retain people with disability.
Meaningful employment benefits individuals, employers and society as a whole
Image description: Hon Minister Amanda Rishworth MP is speaking at the podium during the seminar.
Minister Rishworth highlighted the vision of Australia’s disability strategy, which calls for a more inclusive and accessible society where all people with disability can fulfil their potential as equal members of the community.
The Minister encouraged employers to take the steps to address disability employment barriers and address the current employment gap.
“Improving disability inclusiveness of business is not just good for employers and employees. It is also good for the Australian economy, and society as a whole,” the Minister said.
“Forward thinking organisations, employers, individuals and everyone in the community has a key role in creating an inclusive society. Seminars like these create more opportunity and do make a practical difference.”
Challenge your thinking about disability
Panel moderator and keynote speaker Katrina Webb OAM, Triple Paralympic champion, encouraged employers to take a different perspective on disability and approach the conversation with a person’s potential in mind.
“Through my experience of having disability, one of the most amazing things I have learned is how to live and thrive with having a difference. That took me some time, but it has taught me the most incredible skills that I would never have learnt without it.” She concluded.
Senior Kaurna Man, Uncle Mickey Obrien, delivered the Welcome to Country and shared, “When you look at the aspects of people of difference, it is not about highlighting the difference, it is about highlighting what brings us together. What connects us, what shapes us to elevate ourselves.”
Building accessible and inclusive career progression for people with disability
Image description: Minister of Social Services Amanda Rishworth MP (right) and JobAccess General Manager Daniel Valiente-Riedl (left) are holding JobAccess’ new employer resource titled ‘Career Progression for people with disability’ and smiling at the camera.
Employers are taking gradual steps to create a disability-inclusive workforce by implementing good practice in recruitment. However, in some instances, these efforts may not extend to career development opportunities.
To help employers navigate this topic, JobAccess, launched a guide on ‘Career Progression for People with Disability’ at the seminar with the Minister in attendance.
Speaking at the seminar, Minister Rishworth said, “People with disability want meaningful employment and – like most of us – they want career progression.”
The guide provides practical information and suggestions across a variety of disability employment topics to enable and encourage accessible, inclusive career progression avenues for people with disability. The guide can be adapted to support all employees who wish to progress their careers.
View and download the guide from the JobAccess website.
Disability employment works for everyone
JobAccess General Manager Daniel Valiente-Riedl said, “Despite a strong business case, there is an employment bias against people with disability.”
However, to bridge the skill gap, employers are turning to untapped sections of the labour market, including people with disability. “This is not surprising given the positive impact disability engagement has on business growth and profitability,” he added.
“The fact is that disability employment works. And it works for everyone”.
Employer insights: putting disability inclusion into practice
Image description: (left to right) Anna Van Gorder, Matt Gowan, Sharon Xabregas, and Katrina Webb are in conversation during the employer panel.
The employer panel shined a spotlight on the challenges and benefits in their disability employment journey.
- Anna Van Gorder, Head of Culture, Diversity and Inclusion, Australia Post
People with disability faces a lot of barriers when it comes to employment. It’s time that employers need to rewire their recruitment process and make them inclusive and accessible.
“Establish clear framework and governance that places employees with disability at the top. Secure strong executive sponsorship and co-design your access and inclusion plan with people who have disability and/or caring responsibilities.”
“Services like JobAccess are there to help and reduce disability employment barriers.”
- Sharon Xabregas, Managing Director, Sign Hear
Sharon highlighted that a lot of Deaf people don’t have the confidence to talk to their employer. It is important to mentor employers so that such employees can come out of their shell and build their confidence.
“Maintain an open-minded approach to your hiring process. Be prepared to address potential challenges, particularly at the start, especially if individuals are transitioning from workplaces where they may not have been encouraged to express their unique qualities and abilities to the fullest.”
- Matt Gowan, Client Engagement Director, Recruitment Industry
Matt encouraged organisations to do a regular check on their inclusion and diversity policies through regular internal surveys. This helped them enhance their disability confidence.
“Repeat and promote your foundational knowledge at multiple levels as a reminder of the progress you’ve made and that you’re still on the right path.”
Employee perspectives: how inclusive workplace practices can unlock potential
Image description: (left to right) Amanda Brown, Laura Masters and Peter Condidorio and Katrina Webb are in conversation during the employee panel.
Gaining disability confidence is not something one can achieve overnight – it is the small wins along the way that lead to meaningful change. The panel discussed steps they took to start and progress along their journey:
- Amanda Brown, CEO, Cashzone
“‘Disabled’ is not a dirty word, and there are so many advances in technology that regardless of the job, there is always some way that a disabled person can complete it. Don’t be afraid to ask how you can help and what that person needs.”
- Laura Masters, Collection Database Officer, Art Gallery of South Australia
“Maintain a considered dialogue with the employee and ask questions as, like disability, accessibility cannot be stereotyped and is different for everyone living with disability.”
- Peter Condidorio, Professional Adviser, JobAccess
“Be open to diversity, consider the qualities, knowledge, training and lived experiences a person with disability will contribute to your workplace. Don’t focus on the differences of an individual, focus on their merit and capacity to perform the role of the position.”
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