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A recruitment firm that helps people with special needs to find work has changed its name. Workforce Auckland is now known as Elevator.
The not-for-profit organisation is a specialised recruitment consultancy offering supported employment options for people with disabilities living in the greater Auckland region.
CEO Joy Ottaway says the service is free for job seekers and employers. It also offers training for job hunters and a transition programme for school leavers. Its sister organisation, Workforce Industries, also offers work in packaging and product finishing type roles "doing the things machines can't do". And there are self-employment opportunities with the organisation.
Ottaway joined Workforce Auckland in 2003 on a two-month contract following a career in the corporate sector. She enjoyed the work so much she stayed.
"Elevator doesn't work in the same way as a traditional recruitment firm," says Ottaway. "We have around 200 people on our books looking for work. They tell us what they would like to do, and then we search out roles that may fit their skills and abilities."
Once a potential job has been found a representative from the organisation calls the employer to propose the candidate and ask if they can be interviewed for the position.
"We are a recruitment agency specialising in people with disabilities. We don't play the sympathy card," says Ottaway. "Our people are put forward because we believe they either have the training or skills to do the job."
One recent success story was an IT manager who is partially sighted. Ottaway says he never got an interview when he stated his condition on his CV. "When he didn't mention it he'd often be invited to an interview - but he was never offered a job," says Ottaway.
Once Elevator got involved they approached an employer who agreed to install special software to help the candidate.
"He is now gainfully employed, doing really well and contributing," says Ottaway.
She says many employers feel worried about hiring a person with special needs. But that staff at the organisation are there to help employers as well as job hunters.
"I had one employer call me the other day about a person we had placed with them," says Ottaway. "The employee kept turning up late for work and the employer didn't know how to broach the issue with them.
"I advised them to treat them just like any other member of staff. Take them to one side and have a quiet word."
Ottaway says changing the name of the recruitment arm to Elevator will help it market its services to employers. She also hopes it will become the recruitment company of choice for disabled people looking for work or a job change.
"The rise of Elevator will provide a more positive image for the organisation and this profile should ensure more jobs for our candidates," she says. "All of the changes we are implementing are about providing genuine choices for disabled people in Auckland."
Ottaway says that all Elevator candidates are interviewed by a recruitment specialist who helps create a personalised career plan and set down a career path.
"Our experienced specialists work closely with candidates to find the right career option, whether it be a training programme, supported employment, sheltered employment or self-employment," says Ottaway.
At the end of the day, she says, when someone approaches her organisation looking for a job there are no preconceived ideas about where they could go.
"They could work for us, work for somebody else or go into self-employment - all options are open. For employers, we match their business to the right employee, provide on-site training and offer support for as long as is needed. This new way of working is making a huge difference. Our candidates and their employers enjoy an 80 per cent job retention rate and candidates recruited through us have a higher safety record than non-disabled workers."
Ottaway says productive employment is essential for everyone.
"It can make an incredible difference to an individual's skills, ability and confidence," she says.
Ottaway also has big plans for the future.
"We are currently on the fringes of what we are doing," she says. "We are currently developing quite a strong training programme. We want to help people improve their education - sometimes their education has not given them the best opportunities."
* Contact Steve Hart via his website at www.stevehart.co.nz
