IN FOCUS: More firms open to hiring workers, interns with disabilities

Electrician Confucius Teo is giving intern Poo Chin Yang a briefing at the void deck before heading to a client’s house to fix light switches.

“I had a lot of difficulties. The teacher was always ‘aiming’ for me, thinking: ‘Why I create a lot of trouble?’ Why were my academics so bad but my technical skills so good? They don't understand the pain,” he said.It’s part of the reason Mr Teo has hired interns with special needs for his company - Competent Electricians.

The two interns are benefiting from a programme started last year by Inclus, an employment agency for people with disabilities.The social enterprise located at ITE College Central’s Ang Mo Kio campus has placed close to 100 interns with disabilities in nearly 30 firms in the last 10 months and is reaching out to other institutes of higher learning.

“Whenever the interns or trainees have any work issues, or even just simple sharing, I will always be there to listen,” he said.MOM highlighted last month that the Jobs Growth Incentive scheme has supported the hiring of more than 1,600 people with disabilities. JGI provides wage support of 50 per cent to all new local PwDs hired by JGI-eligible firms.

Co-founder Anders Tan, Inclusion Lead Charmaine Chow and co-founder Shaun Tan at the Inclus office. He said that many PwDs are still unemployed or underemployed, but in the last few years, there have been policy nudges to get employers onboard. Mr Low, who is deaf, used to work in the mailroom as an administrative officer for a large company. He told CNA via Telegram texts that he enjoys his current work as he likes to learn new things.

“Mindsets of jobseekers with disabilities are changing as they are aware of the challenging employment situation and are increasingly more receptive to different employment options,” he said. In response to CNA queries, an MOM spokesperson said that the first EEC payout will be in September this year and updates will be available then.

“These schemes aim to lower the costs for employers, host companies and training providers in offering employment and training opportunities for persons with disabilities amid COVID-19,” said SG Enable Assistant chief executive Mr Tan Ko We.

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