Employment gap
Low levels of employment for people with disability is an entrenched problem that results in people with disability experiencing poverty and economic exclusion, employers missing out on talented employees and increased costs to governments. The unemployment rate for people with disability in Australia remains at 10% – almost triple the overall unemployment rate and it has not seen improvement in over three decades.
The situation not only deprives people with disability of meaningful employment but also represents missed opportunities for employers. With high-growth industries experiencing high job vacancies and long placement times, tapping into this underutilised talent pool can address skill shortages, drive organisational success, and create inclusive workplaces which are good for everyone.
Jobseekers with disability face numerous, often unintended, barriers when trying to secure meaningful employment. By making their employment programs inclusive and sustainable, employers can ensure they are attracting and retaining employees from the widest possible talent pool. Many employers want to be equipped to build their disability confidence to recruit, retain and promote people with disability within their own organisations.
Program overview
Employing 100 aims to successfully place 100 talented and suitably skilled job seekers with disability into roles within four major employers, CSL Limited, Marriott International, McDonald’s Australia and The Salvation Army.
Unlike most disability employment programs which focus on supply (job seekers), Employing 100 is demand-led, working with the employers and their identified vacancies.
Australian Disability Network has developed a framework to support employers to recruit people with disability based on more than a decade’s research. Employing 100 is equipping participating employers with the tools, resources, and training to do this in a sustainable way.
Legacy resources will also be created that support employers to replicate the employment framework in the growth industries mentioned or can be modified to suit employers in other industries.
Employer partners
We are proud to be partnering with four major Australian employers in the program – CSL Limited, Marriott International, McDonald’s Australia and The Salvation Army.
CSL Limited
“Disability inclusion is a key focus of our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion strategy.”
“As a global biotechnology company driven by our promise to protect patients and public health around the world, it’s vital that our employees mirror the patients, donors, and people we serve – so that we bring a wide variety of viewpoints to the important decisions we make and problems we solve.”
Paul McKenzie, CEO and Managing Director, CSL Limited
Marriott International
“We are proud to be one of four organisations partnering with Australian Disability Network on “Employing 100”, a project funded by an ILC Grant from the Department of Social Services, on behalf of the Australian Government.”
“As part of this project over the next 2 years, Marriott International will hire at least 25 people with disability, and we are committed to making changes towards becoming a more disability-inclusive organisation”.
Sean Hunt – Area Vice President, ANZP, Marriott International
McDonald’s Australia
“At McDonald’s, we are long-standing supporters of creating opportunities for people with disability in our restaurants.”
“As one of Australia’s largest employers and most recognisable brands, it’s important to us that we continue to represent the incredible diversity of our employees and the communities we serve.”
Emma Napoli Hala, SVP, Chief People Officer, McDonald’s Australia
The Salvation Army
“The Salvation Army is committed to providing a workplace culture that is accessible and inclusive of all employees.”
“Attracting and retaining the best people for the job should be the priority for everyone.”
Geraldine Leslie, Executive General Manager of Human Resources, The Salvation Army
Objectives of the program
Employing 100 will support employers to:
- raise awareness of the capabilities of people with disability
- increase disability confidence of human resource managers and site managers
- identify and remove barriers in policies and practices that prevent job seekers with disability from getting through the recruitment process
- increase the capability of participating employers to employ more people with disability.
Employing 100 will support candidates as:
- Providers will be able to make a good job match and refer candidates who understand and can perform the role
- The short co-designed pre-employment training that’s delivered by employers will help build skills directly relevant for the role, and interview and selection process
- Their specific needs will be accommodated by employers.
Funding
Employing 100 is funded by the Department of Social Services (DSS), Australian Government, as part of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), Information Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) Program. The ILC is an Australian government program which provides funding to organisations for support and services for all people with disability, irrespective of whether they are eligible for a NDIS individually funded package.
Contact us
Project enquiries
Nerida Sleaman, Project Manager
Email: nerida.sleaman@AusDN.org.au
Phone: 02 8270 9241
If you are a jobseeker and would like to learn more
Marie Fox, Delivery Manager
Email: marie.fox@AusDN.org.au
Phone: 02 8270 9243
Gillian Gatt, Delivery Manager
Email: gillian.gatt@AusDN.org.au
Phone: 02 8270 9213
We also have other resources and programs that can help Students & jobseekers
If you are an employer and would like to learn more
Australian Disability Network will be providing regular updates throughout the project via our newsletter. Subscribe to receive the latest news.
Check our website regularly – as the project progresses, we will be sharing legacy resources to support other employers to hire suitably skilled jobseekers with disability.
Media contact
Clara Pirani, Media and Policy Manager
Email: clara.pirani@AusDN.org.au