What will it take for companies to hire more disabled workers?
Reported by The Straits Times in September 2024 - By 2030, around 4,500 more PWDs are expected to be employed, aiming to raise the employment rate for this group to 40%. This exciting initiative comes as part of a larger push to create more inclusive workplaces across the island.
A task force recently shared their recommendations on how to reach this goal. Their plan includes expanding the number of inclusive employers, offering more job opportunities for PWDs, and providing better training for job coaches who support them.
Currently, there are over 7,000 inclusive employers in Singapore, and the target is to increase that number to 10,000 by 2030. The goal is for at least 3,000 of those employers to hire more than one PWD each. As explained by Madam Ho Geok Choo in a CNA podcast, the plan focuses on three key areas:
- Learning opportunities – ensuring PWDs continue to develop new skills.
- Engaging employers – reaching out to employers to let them know about special programs designed to help them hire PWDs.
- Coaching support – preparing job coaches who will work alongside PWDs, guiding them through their employment journey.
With these efforts in place, more PWDs will have the chance to contribute their skills and talents to the workforce, making Singapore's workplaces even more diverse and inclusive.
Photo credit: Illustration by Muhammad Fatchurofi for Bloomberg Businessweek.