Pathways to Employment Program
The Pathways to Employment Program aimed to create a supportive and sustainable employment pathway for young people with disability, and successfully delivered work experience and placements for young people with disabilities.
Empowering Students with Disabilities
The program was designed to empower young people with confidence and essential skills to enter the workforce, with a range of wrap-around support available to both the participant and their employer.
This program was delivered by the Canberra Business Chamber in partnership with the Australian Training Company (ATC), and supported by the ACT Education Directorate.
The ultimate goal of the Program was for participants to be employed as a school-based apprentice or trainee with a local business. This provided the opportunity for students to combine part-time work and training with their senior secondary education.
Flexibility was at the heart of this Program, with a tailored approach to meet the unique needs of participants and employers. Before commencing their school-based apprenticeship or traineeship, each student participated in a pre-employment program.
The pre-employment program focused on essential work skills, resume writing, and industry-specific knowledge, to prepare students for entering the workforce.
Our host employers:
- provided work experience for a high school student from year 10 to 12
- minimum one week for 2 to 3 days
- offered a safe and rewarding workplace
- were open to transitioning their work experience students to Australian School-based Apprenticeships, part time, or full time trainee and apprenticeships.
The program helped employers to:
- Diversify their workforce
- Solve entry level recruitment challenges
- Build and consolidate their reputations as an inclusive employer.
How can your business get involved?
If you would like to be included in future Pathways to Employment Program, please contact us.
For more practical advice and resources, take a look at our Skills and Inclusion Hub. It’s your one-stop shop for creating and sustaining inclusive and diverse workplaces.