A recent study has revealed more than one in five people with a disability are unemployed after graduating university.
A new program is set to change this statistic by providing support to university students with a disability in their final year of study as they transition from the classroom to the workplace.
The University Specialist Employment Partnership (USEP) program is an initiative spearheaded by some innovative thinkers within the Australian Government’s National Disability Coordination Officer Program.
STEPS Group Australia’s National Disability Coordination Officer David Swayn helped to develop the USEP program to fill a gap in supporting people with a disability between university and work.
“At the moment there isn’t any funding available for early intervention for uni students in the crucial final year, where students would benefit from work experience and internships,” David said.
“We are taking a solution-focused approach where innovators in the sector work together to offer employment support in a student’s last year.”
The USEP program is being piloted at Griffith University with further implementations expected across the country.
The initiative involves having an on-campus consultant working holistically with students and the university’s support services, potential employers and local employment services.
“USEP brings together innovative support services to make an impact and give graduates the best chance at being offered the jobs they want,” David said
