In light of the skills shortage taking hold across the country, recruitment experts and politicians alike are calling upon employers to open up their workplaces to older workers and those with disabilities. Federal Minister for Workplace Relations, Dr Sharman Stone, recently announced that for the first time in generations, the number of working age Australians on welfare is declining, partly due to Welfare to Work reforms.
"Disability Employment Network (DEN) members play a key role in helping move people with disability into work," she said.
"DEN providers assisted 55,000 people with disability into jobs, however we need to raise the bar even further."
Dr Stone pointed out that Australia is still lagging behind many other countries when it comes to employing people with a disability. Only 42.9 pre cent of the total population with a disability in the 20 to 64 years bracket are employed in Australia.
"This compares to 56.3 per cent in Canada and 62.2 per cent in Switzerland."
"We need to promote the fact that a recruiter should focus on the ability of a candidate, not resort to often long-held stereotypes," she said.
In fact, Australian companies are beginning to see the value in employing older workers or those with a disability as research shows they are actually more productive and safer in the workplace.
Patricia Tomlinson is the manager of Jobmatch, a free specialised service set up in 1992 to help jobseekers overcome the barriers of disability, and says there are a number of benefits for employers.
"People with a disability are known for great attendance at work and have lower rates of accidents within the workplace due to the training provided by DEN providers such as Job Match," she said.
"Employers also state that they are very loyal employees."
At a recent forum in Sydney hosted by Printing Industries Dr Stone said that with the increasing impact of an ageing population and changes to workplace and welfare laws, there is a need for employers to look beyond the traditional recruiting group of young people.
Aside from various grants and subsidies available to employers, covering payments for workplace alterations such as disabled access, the government will also pay for traineeships and trial work periods and funds a number of projects aimed at supporting those who employ job seekers with a disability.
