Comic strip for employers aimed at giving them more confidence over disability inclusion Photo: Supplied
The government is aiming to get more disabled and neurodiverse people employed in manufacturing, engineering and logistics by boosting the information available to help employers. Despite unemployment rates of over 5%, this sector is predicted to have a shortfall of over 150,000 workers in 5 years time as infrastructure projects get underway. There has also been an exodus of skilled workers to Australia. But at the same time, there is an estimated available workforce in the disabled community of nearly 270,000.
Now a new Government multimedia platform has been launched that aims to give employers the confidence to interact with, support and hire more disabled workers. It's been development by the Workforce Development Council or Hanga-Aro-Rau, which has described the inclusion of disabled and neurodiverse workers as an economic necessity to rebuild workforce capability.
Kathryn speaks to Grace Stratton the Chief Executive of All is for All, a consultancy that assists organisations to be inclusive and accessible for disabled people. lt co-designed the resources for the new platform - Lets Level Up. Kathryn also speaks to Richard Templer, Chief Executive of Engineering New Zealand.
