NAGCAS December 2009

Research, resourcing and program delivery to:  Enable “disability confidence”  Tap the whole Human Resource pool Focus is on Systems: -Reasonable Adjustment/ Workplace Accommodation -Application, Selection and recruitment processes -Barrier Free workplaces, premises and products/services © Australian Employers' Network on Disability 2008

Equal Opportunities Policy and Procedures Staff Training and Disability Awareness The Working Environment Recruitment commitment Career Development Retention, Retraining Redeployment Training and Work Experience People with Disability in the Wider Community Involvement of People with a Disability Monitoring Performance © Australian Employers' Network on Disability 2008

 More links between uni’s and employers- opportunities for students who have experience of disability  Promote the importance of diversity and disability to the world of work and learning  Share understanding about important “systems” such as reasonable adjustment and ‘Workplace accommodation”, disclosure and work integrated learning

 In the Graduate space we:  Facilitate mentoring programs- (Sydney, Canberra)- 40  Run member based information sessions for students with disability- IBM, KPMG-  Provide the Stepping into.... internship program: S,M,B,C,Per- 45 places per annum

Stepping into... Westpac 2007 © Australian Employers' Network on Disability 2008

 Sensory Disability- ~20%  Physical Disability- ~40%  Psychological/psychiatric- ~20%  Learning Disability- ~10%  “Conditions”-~5%  Nurological –~5%

 55% Female; 45% male  Three age cohorts y/o-40%; yo – 40% >35 yo- 20%- Lifelong learners!  Within the two latter cohorts there was evidence of socio-economic disadvantage and stress  CALD criteria – 28.75%; 6.25% did not have citizenship  Cameron – seeing past disability to the skills

 Aim to be “diversity leaders” and to harmonize their practices throughout their regions  Our mantra was- Look past ‘disability’ and see the ‘skills’ However - many members want to see ‘skills’ as well as see diversity including ‘disability’ © Australian Employers' Network on Disability 2008

 “Disability Confidence” for employees, customers, communities  Making Employment propositions to people who’ve experienced disability  Diversity leadership- globalisation  Universality of flexible work-pracctices

 20.3% of the Australian population has a disability  16.5% of the potential workforce has a disability  Employment rates can be low e.g.. 4.5% in the Australian Public sector  There is a considerably lesser employment of Graduates with a disability %  Technology solutions should have changed this landscape....

DISCIPLINESFIRMSPLACESFILLEDAPPLICANTS Law47 Places7 Filled28 applicants Law & Employment Adviser 513 Places13 Filled20 Applicants Law, Banking, HR 928 Places27 Filled32 Applicants Law, Banking, Accounting, IT, HR, Marketing 13 (with 3 “National” focus) 43 Places28 – Winter 15 -Summer 65 Applicants © Australian Employers' Network on Disability 2008

 39 Stepping into internship places have been filled from a pool of 85 applicants  There has been a contraction in some sectors such as Banking.

 Feedback from members show a decrease in Graduate places offered- 30% < with 50% increases in the applicant numbers coming through  Internship programs and Work integrated Learning opportunities will be effective ways for employers to build pipelines of talent for Graduate programs  Our members have shown readiness to offer differentiated “pathways” for interns with diversity.

 Candidates much more aware of the application cycle- up to a year in advance  Career development learning  Opportunity to showcase skills and to have ‘differentiated’ pathway in...  Greatly advances interviewing skills and examples for behavioural questions  Bolsters C.V. With current ‘work experience

 Assessment of transcripts that shows an understanding of the impact of disability  Social and Community engagement measures  Unpacking - Traits, Skills & Solution focus  Meeting skills needs by introducing Diversity © Australian Employers' Network on Disability 2008

Firms - enthusiastic about the calibre & diversity being introduced through the program Students - Almost all unanimously appreciated and gained valuable experience from each part of the program Increasing engagement with universities takes 3yrs, see value in work integrated learning (+ Graduate Attributes) © Australian Employers' Network on Disability 2008

 Physical disability with some “fatigue” aspects  Before the placement was trying to gain work experience- however exploitation was very evident  Resident but not yet a citizen  Won a three month Stepping into Accounting internship and subsequently successfully applied for a one year contract

 Relationships with particular Universities/Schools  Established screening tool - may be very engineered  “Looks Right is Right” approach  Retention problems © Australian Employers' Network on Disability 2008

 Understanding of “inadvertent barriers”  Modify selection processes - so it is “disability confident”  Re–assessment of “inherent requirements” © Australian Employers' Network on Disability 2008

 Assess transcript for potential rather than grade point average  Assess solution focus and goal-setting ability  Persistence and resilience as retention markers  Diverse examples of “Behavioural” examples - what are the indicators for retention  ‘Unpack’ skills and attributes needed © Australian Employers' Network on Disability 2008

 Methodology includes: Employer Briefings Human Resource Briefings Candidate Briefings © Australian Employers' Network on Disability 2008

 Candidates understand employment proposition from a “Disability Confident” employer  HR and employer develop a selection model  Assists an understanding of “who they’re missing out on” © Australian Employers' Network on Disability 2008

 8 firms developed a new selection mechanism to capture: “looks right is right” AND “looks different is right”  2 firms used same selection mechanism; will only deliver “looks right is right”  2 do not use a behavioural technique © Australian Employers' Network on Disability 2008

 Contact with firms – the experience exceeded their expectations  Opportunity for Work Experience  Work integrated Learning  That flexibility and accommodation were built in and assured

 National Disability Coordination Officer program- forums such as ‘Managing Disability at Work  Assists and has expertise with reaching and communication with this section of the student body  Engages employers......

Web: Phone: © Australian Employers' Network on Disability 2008