Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training

Australian Network on Disability

The Australian Network on Disability is a not-for-profit organisation funded by its members to take a leadership role in advancing employment opportunities for people with disability. Its members have made a commitment to becoming ‘disability confident’ organisations and genuinely seek to recruit and retain talented people with disability. 

With Australia’s growing skills shortage and ageing population, it has never been more essential to proactively recruit graduates with disability. In order to meet this objective, the Australian Employers Network on Disability facilitates several graduate employment programs in conjunction with its member organisations, including the Deakin University Willing & Able Mentoring (WAM) program, and the ‘Stepping into…’ work experience series.

The National Disability Coordination Officer Program

The National Disability Coordination Officer NDCO program is Australia-wide and aim to facilitate the transition of people with disability from school or the community into post-secondary education and training, and then onto subsequent employment.

The programs operate as one network of local officers who can provide:

• information and advice on post-secondary education and training options, supports and services in your region
• assistance in understanding the transition to post-secondary education and training and employment
• links with appropriate people in your region to help you plan for and make a successful entry into further study and employment
• advocacy to improve your region's services.

The aim of the new NDCO program is to overcome the barriers that people with disability experience in gaining access to, and successfully completing, university study or vocational education, especially in regional, rural and remote Australia.

The program  funds a comprehensive national network consisting of 31 coordination officers. These officers offer information, coordination and referral services for people with a disability who are interested in, or enrolled in, post-school education and training.

NDCO Websites can be found by going to  http://www.adcet.edu.au/Practitioner_Information/NDCO_Websites.chpx

‘Stepping into…’ work experience series

The ‘Stepping into…’ series provides university students with disability four weeks’ paid work experience within an organisation in their field of study. The program commenced in Sydney in 2005 with ‘Stepping into Law’, and has expanded with the addition of ‘Stepping into Banking’ and ‘Stepping into Employment Advisor’ along with the inclusion of Queensland, Victoria and the ACT in the scheme. The program offers fantastic work placement opportunities to students who may otherwise find it difficult to gain practical experience due to their disability.

Organisations involved in the program have included law firms: Freehills, Baker & McKenzie; Sparke Helmore; and Henry Davis York, retail and investment banking organisations/ such as: UBS; Merrill Lynch; and Westpac, and government agencies including: the NSW Attorney General’s Department; and the Australian Taxation Office. Telstra also participated for the first time in 2007.

Willing & Able Mentoring (WAM)

The Willing & Able Mentoring (WAM) program matches students with disability to a mentor currently employed in the student’s field of interest. The program involves eight face to face meetings over a three-month period, with a graduation ceremony upon completion of the program.

Focus of sessions:

• exploration of the industry or career path the student is interested in
• interview skills and strategies to increase employment opportunities
• workplace culture
• improving presentation skills and projecting a confident image
• disclosure of disability
• disability awareness in the workplace
• reasonable adjustments/accommodations in the workplace.

WAM can assist students to develop personal and professional strategies to assist in career progression, as well as increase confidence in a professional environment. The program also provides students with a better understanding of their chosen field and allows them to ascertain how (or if ) their disability will affect their future careers.