A new job site, designed to connect people with disability to jobs from inclusive employers, has been unveiled by Australian of the Year, Dylan Alcott.
The disability-inclusive site, the Field, is being supported with over $6 million in government funding as part of an election commitment to kickstart the new job-seeking website for people with disability.
For businesses and organisations, the Field helps broaden the diversity of the workforce by providing a clear pathway to candidates with disability across all industries, roles, levels and experience.
Businesses will have access to a range of practical support including an inclusive language tool that assists employers to post disability inclusive job ads and digital training resources to build capability and grow understanding when it comes to inclusive practices. Employers will have the opportunity to promote and highlight their inclusive strategies and the accessible features within their workplaces, so candidates have more information and choice when applying for a job that suits their skills, experiences and accessibility requirements. A unique artificial intelligence (AI) tool matches candidates with jobs based on their skills, role and accessibility preferences.
According to Alcott it was time to make accessibility and inclusion mainstream in employment.
“The Field’s accessibility features are what makes the job site unique, it’s been built by people with disability for people with disability,” he said. “It allows people with disability to present themselves to employers in a format they choose, with a choice to share their skills, accessibility requirements and preferences via text, video and audio options.
“This is a ground-breaking digital job site that will open up a marketplace of talent with disability and level the playing field in the employment exchange,” Alcott said.
The employment rate for people with a disability has not changed in over 28 years compared to those without disability. There are 4.4 million people who identify as having a disability, of which 2.1 million are of working age with nearly half a million actively seeking work.
For more details visit: www.thefield
Photo: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth, Dylan Alcott and NDIS Minister Bill Shorten.