Strengthening Core Competencies of Disability Employment Professionals 

Creating an inclusive workplace where everyone is valued for their abilities requires commitment from both employers and employees. To this end, Disability Employment Professionals (DEPs) are instrumental in supporting persons with disabilities throughout the hiring process and in helping them workplace.  DEPs such as job coaches play an essential role in helping persons with disabilities secure, settle into and retain their jobs.

To strengthen the competencies of DEPs, we developed a Training Roadmap for DEPs. Launched in September 2020, it serves as a first-stop training guide with course recommendations for upskilling and deepening DEPs’ core competencies.

These training courses are open to job coaches, special education school teachers, occupational therapists, speech therapists, physiotherapists, Special Education Needs officers in Institutes of Higher Learning, and rehabilitation specialists in hospitals.

Other initiatives to build capabilities of DEPs include:

• Community of Practice, a platform held once every two months to discuss cases and challenges faced, share best practices and find solutions that provide employment support for persons with disabilities and employers. 
• The Advanced Certificate in Supported Employment (ACSE), which equips learners with knowledge that includes assisting persons with disabilities in their career planning and working with employers for job accommodations
• SkillsFuture Study Award for DEPs, which supports experienced DEPs in strengthening their competencies so they can deliver quality service to more persons with disabilities and employers. 

In FY20, we have enhanced the skills of 677 DEPs and provided them with quality professional development opportunities.