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People living with disability or experiencing disadvantage will now have an easier time connecting with inclusive employers thanks to the launch of Employable Me.
Powered by APM – Australia’s largest provider of Disability Employment Services (DES) – the new platform aims to build and empower diverse workplaces, drive better business, and enable better lives for those experiencing social and economic challenges, and the 4.4 million Australians living with disabilities.
Vanessa Corbett, General Manager Employable Me said: “Those living with disability or experiencing disadvantage are twice as likely to be unemployed then those without1, and recent figures indicate this unemployment gap is increasing.”
“We know that finding employment can be extremely challenging for these people, but we also know the importance that paid work can have on their social inclusion, autonomy and decision making.”
“It’s for these reasons we are delighted to introduce Employable Me to the market and create more pathways to workplace inclusivity.”
The new, cost-free platform caters to businesses of all sizes, and already has 1,200 businesses and more than 34,000 ready-to-work job seekers signed up.
Jessie Aquilina, Employable Me job seeker said: “For me, finding a job is about more than just money and independence – it’s about finding purpose and adding meaning to my days.
“I’ve just started my journey with Employable Me and I look forward to finding a flexible, supportive employer and working environment that’s going to be the best fit for me, I hope very soon.”
Beyond the job matching element of Employable Me, the platform provides employers with dedicated resources to assist with all aspects of recruitment and retention, and for employees, they’re provided with a dedicated Employment Consultant to support them every step of the way before, during and after securing a job.
Michelle Nolan, Inclusion and Belonging Lead at The Body Shop said: “At The Body Shop, we believe that diversity in people drives diversity in ideas, approaches, understanding and learning and we’re excited to partner with Employable Me in our mission to help change the conversation around hiring people with disabilities and move the needle on inclusion in the Australian workforce.”
To find out more about Employable Me, visit employableme.com.