Employment support services

Key points

• There are many employers who are committed to providing inclusive workplaces that enable all employees to succeed in their job and thrive.  

• There are two main kinds of employment support services. Disability Employment Services, funded by the Australian Government, and general employment support or recruitment services that may or may not be only for people with disability. 

• Employment support services can provide assistance. They may help you apply for a job, so don't be afraid to ask for help. 

Employment support and recruitment services

Applying for and getting a job can be hard! The thought of getting a job might even feel impossible at times. Luckily, there are many organisations that offer employment assistance and recruitment services. This article is about employment support and recruitment services specifically for people with disability. 

Employment support and recruitment services for people with disability may be able to connect you with employers who understand disability. Also, who make reasonable adjustments to their recruitment practices and working conditions so that people of all abilities can be successful in the workplace. Some disability employment services offer workplace training for employers and colleagues to better understand autism, disability, neurodiversity, and reasonable adjustments that might be necessary to support autistic employees.

Disability Employment Services (DES) 

Disability Employment Services are funded by the Australian Government, to help people with a disability find work and maintain employment. Sometimes people with disability, injury or health condition may be able to receive assistance to prepare for employment, find a job, and help you in the workplace. 

Organisations that provide Disability Employment Services are often referred to as DES providers. DES providers are a mix of large, medium, and small for-profit and not-for-profit organisations. They can provide support to both the person with a disability and employers.

Accessing Disability Employment Services 

JobAccess can provide you with information you need on employment for people with disability, including Disability Employment Services.  

More information

Here are some Disability Employment Services, available in Australia. Some offer services to people with a range of disabilities and some provide autism-specific services.

Aspect Capable

Aspect Capable are located in New South Wales, South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria. They offer autism-specific mentoring and support with:

• finding work
• preparing for job interviews
• training you and/or your employer.

EPIC Assist

EPIC Assist are located in Queensland, New South Wales and Tasmania. They mainly help school leavers to find apprenticeships, traineeships, and other forms of entry-level employment.

DXC Dandelion Program

The DXC Dandelion Program is an employment program for autistic people specialising in areas such as technology, cybersecurity, and analytics.

Specialisterne

Specialisterne works all over the world with the goal of creating new jobs for autistic people. They focus on promoting each individual’s unique skills, removing the barriers associated with traditional recruitment processes, and highlighting the benefits of neurodiversity in the workforce.

AIM Employment Program (Western Australia)

AIM Employment is run by the Autism Association of Western Australia. This program provides assistance to autistic people aged sixteen and over. It offers a variety of supports related to finding and keeping work, as well as specific help for those transitioning from school to work.