Expo highlights career prospects for learners with disabilities
Learners from Muriel Brand school attended the annual event which showcases career opportunities.
The Disability Career Expo is South Africa’s largest gathering for promoting and enabling employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
The event exposed disabled learners from over 28 schools to corporate career opportunities and what companies look for when attracting people with disabilities into their employment.
The Road Accident Fund (RAF) was the headline sponsor for this year’s Disability Career Expo, which took place on May 18 and 19 at the Johannesburg Expo Centre.
This social security fund partnered on this annual initiative to provide valid and relevant information to these learners, graduates and entrepreneurs with physical or intellectual disabilities.
Learners from Muriel Brand School were among those who attended the event. They connected with over 40 corporates and heard from a range of inspirational speakers about what opportunities await after school.
The two-day expo included corporate exhibitions, career demonstrations, opportunities for employment and exposure to corporate programmes for people with disabilities.
8,3% of South African females and 6,5% of males in South Africa are disabled, yet sourcing and accessing of relevant skills within this marginalised sector remains a challenge.
“Effecting transformative change in the disability arena takes a collaborative effort, and it is for this reason that we partnered on this year’s Disability Careers Expo,” said the Road Accident Fund’s Corporate Social Responsibility manager, Noluthando Mvabaza.
“This event helped to inspire these learners and reiterated the valuable asset they can be to a corporate South Africa.”
Event organiser Sizwe Zim, from Creative Space Media, said, “As we continue to work towards a more inclusive society, this event has become a cornerstone for learners, graduates, and entrepreneurs living with disabilities to showcase their talents and connect with leading companies in the country.”
Besides the Road Accident Fund, speakers at this year’s Disability Career Expo included Paddy Slattery, founder of Mandeville Disability Swimming who welcomed the class of 2023.
A panel discussion addressing the challenges corporates face with disability inclusion in the workplace was also held.
Here, spokespeople from Unilever, Santam, Nestle and Hollard provided insights. Justene Smith, a workplace disability inclusion expert at Progression, spoke about the importance of driving awareness of the diverse needs and perspectives of all employees.
The RAF plays an essential role in South Africa by providing appropriate cover to all road users within the borders of South Africa.
This includes rehabilitating and compensating persons injured because of a motor vehicle accident to help them rebuild their lives.
“Our vision is to ensure that people with disabilities are integrated back into society and the economy,” said Mvabaza.
