People with disabilities (PWDs) make up nearly 5% of Singapore’s population and many of them have had difficulties finding jobs. However, data from local non-profit organizations (NPOs) show that this is slowly turning around.
According to Bizlink, an NPO that endeavors to empower PWDs through work and economic independence, the number of job placements has increased by 9% year on year between January and May this year.
The Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) has reported that from 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012, 72 new companies have pledged to hire PWDs. This represents a 44% increase vis-à-vis the same period in 2010.
Open Door Fund
More enterprises that have opted for Singapore Company Registration have also tapped the Open Door Fund (ODF) to make the workplace more inclusive for PWDs.
The ODF, which supports companies for enhancing their workplaces through the Apprenticeship Program and Job Redesign project, has been tapped by 201 firms since it was launched in 2007.
Other than the ODF, there are two other salient factors that have come into play to produce conditions for favorable employment opportunities for PWDs.
Tight Labor Market
The modest growth forecast this year in tandem with stricter singapore work visa requirements has created a tighter labor market in Singapore. This then meant that entrepreneurs who form a Singapore company have had to source internally and draw more elderly, women and PWDs to the workforce.
Read more about Singapore companies hiring people with disabilities at Rikvin.com.
