Posted 07.02.2022

This week is NI Apprenticeships Week. Disability Action continually endeavours to support disabled people and Change Perceptions & Bust Myths about employing disabled people.

Disabled apprenticeships & employees: 

DO HAVE the qualifications / skills for the job

ARE NOT more likely to take time off work than their non-disabled colleagues

ARE NOT very expense to accommodate in the workplace

DO NOT need higher levels of training and supervision

DO match non-disabled workers in terms of performance

 

#1 Myth: Disabled people won’t have the qualifications or skills for the job

Busted! Disabled people have a broad range qualifications, skills and experience to make a valuable contribution to any employer in all sectors and roles. Disabled people also often have to use problem solving and critical thinking in their day-to-day life, far more than someone who has not got a disability - skills welcomed by any employer.

Case Study example: ‘David’ who, with support from our Job Match programme, is at BSA studying for a Level 3 Electrotechnical qualification while working for IceMOS as an Apprentice Technician.  David’s Manager at IceMOS says: 

David has surprised us with his level of IT skills: installation, upgrades and repairs - providing great support and working closely with our IT team.

#2 Myth: Disabled employees are more likely to take time off work

Busted! There is no evidence that tells us that disabled people are more likely to miss work. Statistics actually show that there is no difference in sick leave from employees with disabilities and those without. Studies have shown that many employers find that disabled Apprentices are often extremely loyal to their organisation with consistently high levels of attendance and time keeping and who perform comparably to their peers without disabilities.

Case Study example: ‘David’ Apprentice Technician at IceMOS busts this myth. David’s Manager at IceMOS says:

David has provided excellent support to our Technicians/Engineers. His work is always of a high standard… with perfect timekeeping.

 

#3 Myth: Accommodating disabled workers is very expensive

 Busted! Contrary to popular belief, many Apprentices may only require minimal support to help them adjust to the working environment. Reasonable adjustments can be as easy as changing break times to suit the individual’s needs, moving workstations to make them more accessible and comfortable for the individual or allocating tasks differently for individuals to better cope with their workloads. Most reasonable adjustments cost nothing or very little and the emphasis is on the word ‘reasonable’ and what is reasonable can depend on the size of the business. Employers can also access financial support for more costly adjustments e.g. Access to Work.

Case Study example: ‘David’ Apprentice Technician at IceMOS busts this myth -  The reasonable adjustments David required had no associated cost and included establishing a trusted colleague he could report to with work-related queries, and a basic level of autism awareness amongst his colleagues. 

#4 Myth: Disabled workers need higher levels of training and supervision

Busted! All new workers, whether disabled or not, take some time to learn and adapt to job responsibilities and disabled Apprentices do not take any longer to meet the job requirements than those without disabilities.

Case Study example: ‘David’ Apprentice Technician at IceMOS busts this myth. His Manager says:

He (David) shows good initiative as well as a good attitude. He shows the ability to work independently as well as part of the team and has exceptional communication skills.

#5 Myth: Disabled workers do not match non-disabled workers in terms of performance

Busted! Disabled employees and apprentices are accountable to the same job standards as non-disabled employees. In fact, studies have shown that disabled people perform comparably to their peers without disabilities and that in many cases disabled people perform above expectations. These attributes are extremely desirable for any employer.

Case Study example: ‘David’ Apprentice Technician at IceMOS busts this myth. His Manager says:

David is extremely beneficial to IceMOS as his overall attitude and work ethic can be adapted and implemented to meet our needs.

Experience and evidence therefore suggest that employing a Disabled Apprentice will be an asset to any business and help to develop new and innovative ideas, products and services, as well as promoting your brand as an employer of choice through investing in a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Maybe you're now considering taking on a disabled apprentice to help your business work better. If you'd like more information contact:

Marty McLoughlin, Project Manager (Interim) Job Match, T: 028 9029 7880, M: 07951 601938, E: [email protected]

Transform your business with an apprentice.

Read David’s full story