Australia Day: Millions for disability internships and training as bosses told to get smart on hiring

Paid internships and ­industry-­specific training will help employers in growth industries hire more people with disabilities, part of a $20m investment by the Morrison government.

Families and Social Services Minister Anne Ruston will announce the funding on Thursday, saying the private sector could play a ‘powerful role’ in creating wider attitudinal changes across the wider community. Picture: Gary Ramage

Paid internships and ­industry-­specific training will help employers in growth industries hire more people with disabilities, part of a $20m investment by the Morrison government.

Families and Social Services Minister Anne Ruston will announce the funding on Thursday, saying the business community could play a “powerful role” in creating wider attitudinal changes across the wider community.

The announcement comes as Paralympian and disability advocate Dylan Alcott was named Australian of the Year on Tuesday night – the first time a person with a disability has received the honour in its 62-year history.

“We know that a majority of employers indicate a willingness to hire people with disability and this aims to actually turn these words into action,” Senator Ruston said.

“My message to any employer would be to consider hiring a person with disability. They are often the most loyal, hardest-working and dedicated staff you will ever have.

“We would encourage organisations across Australia to grow their capacity to tap into the ­diverse talent that people with ­disabilities can bring to the workplace.”

If successful in their application, employers grappling with staffing needs will be able to access taxpayer funding to give internships to people with disabilities, who will also be eligible for industry-specific training. Projects will be funded until 2024.

It will also fund evidence-based training or resources to help companies improve their recruitment processes, address workplace culture and develop links throughout the corporate sector to demonstrate the benefits of hiring people with disabilities.

The unemployment rate for people with disabilities at 10 per cent is more than double that of people without, according to the Australian Bureau of ­Statistics.

Disability Employment Strategy Advisory Committee joint chair Simon McKeon said workers with a disability were a “highly capable but often overlooked” workforce, as he urged businesses to make a smart investment.

“With labour force shortages, right now is the perfect opportunity for businesses to take their obligation seriously to grow the employment market and hire ­people with disability,” he said.

“It’s good for the employer, fabulous for the new employee and also excellent for the existing workforce.”

The investment comes just days after a Productivity Commission report on government ser­vices revealed employment for the disabled on the National Dis­ability Insurance Scheme remained stagnant, demonstrating inherent issues in the scheme’s ability to meet another core objective in the NDIS Act.

For those who were severely disabled, requiring help with core activities in their daily life, slightly more than a quarter were in the ­labour force and 23.9 per cent were employed in 2018.

The numbers were down on 2009 figures, but on par with 2015.