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Monday 2 September 2013

389 jobs open to special needs community at job fair

 

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389 job opportunities were open to people with disabilities on Saturday at a job fair organised by the North East CDC, Workforce Development Agency and Bizlink Centre.

The job fair was also open to disadvantaged Singaporeans and there were close to 500 job openings in total.
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who attended the fair, said it is an "excellent example" of how community groups, companies, and the government can work together to build a more inclusive community.
Madam Rohani Abas is one of those who found work despite her disability.

The 58-year-old had been working two jobs to support her family until about 20 years ago, when she had a fall that left her wheelchair-bound and robbed her of the use of her left hand.

She said it was difficult to find a job that accommodated her condition.

Madam Rohani said: "The first thing was transportation and some companies are not accessible for us (people with disabilities),” adding that only having the use of one hand makes it tougher.

She eventually found administrative work with Bizlink Centre and the company also provided transportation to help her get to work.

Bizlink Centre is a non-profit organisation that provides work-related programmes related to employment, training, and work therapy services for the disadvantaged community, in particular the disabled.

Other groups of people they help include ex-offenders, youth-at-risk, single parents, and the elderly. For those with disabilities, Bizlink provides one-stop employment and job assessment services.

Organisations like Bizlink help build a more inclusive community, said Mr Teo, who is also grassroots adviser to the Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC grassroots organisations.

Mr Teo said: "By providing people with the opportunity to work, they are actively engaged in the community and have the dignity of a job... Work also brings them companionship and joy, and improves their mental and emotional well-being."

At the job fair on Saturday, eight companies were looking to hire disadvantaged and disabled people.
Bizlink Centre’s Chief Executive Officer Alvin Lim said: "A lot of employers right now are beginning to look at this group of people as other pools of labour sources... I think this is due very much to two main factors -- the first one (being) the tightening of foreign manpower. The other factor… is that Singapore has grown as a country."


More than 7,000 people with disabilities have been successfully placed in jobs since Bizlink Centre started 27 years ago. Its success rate looks set to continue as Mr Lim said more jobs are being created for those with disabilities in sectors like F&B, retail, and cleaning.

Mr Lim also noted a "tremendous increase" in the number of positions that have opened up to the special needs community -- about 20 per cent more this year compared to last year.

He also pointed out that there has been a five to ten per cent growth in recent years in the number of new employers joining Bizlink's pool.



Source : Channel News Asia , 31st  August 2013

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