Employment support services

Key points

• Many employers are committed to providing inclusive workplaces that enable all employees to succeed and thrive.
• There are two main kinds of employment support services: Disability Employment Services, funded by the Australian Government, and general employment support or recruitment services, which may or may not be only for people with disabilities.
• Employment support services can often help you apply for a job, so don't hesitate to ask for help.

Employment support and recruitment services

Applying for and getting a job can induce complicated feelings! Sometimes even the thought of updating a resume or attending a job interview might be enough to put you off applying. Luckily, many helpful organisations offer employment assistance and recruitment services. This article is about employment support and recruitment services specifically for people with disability.

Employment support and recruitment services for people with disability might be able to connect you with employers who understand disability. There’s also a good chance these employers will know how to make reasonable adjustments to their recruitment practices and working conditions so people of all abilities can be successful in the workplace. Some disability employment services offer workplace training for employers and staff to understand autism, disability, neurodiversity, and the reasonable adjustments necessary to support autistic employees.

Disability Employment Services (DES)

Disability Employment Services is a free service funded by the Australian Government to help people with a disability find work and maintain employment. A person with a disability, injury, or health condition may be able to receive assistance to prepare for employment, find a job, and receive support in the workplace.

Organisations that provide Disability Employment Services are often referred to as DES providers. DES providers are a mix of large, medium, and small for-profit and not-for-profit organisations. They can provide support to both the person with a disability and employers.

In late 2025, the Disability Employment Services program will be replaced by the Inclusive Employment Australia program . These changes mean the program will:

• Improve and simplify services for those using the program
• Be open to more people, including people who can only work less than 8 hours per week due to their particular condition
• No longer have a two-year limit.

To find more information about how DES programs can help you, including how to find a DES provider, click on this link . You may need to go through an Employment Services Assessment to receive support using these services.

More information

Here are some Disability Employment Services, available in Australia. Some offer assistance to people with a range of disabilities and some provide autism-specific services. Many of these services are funded through a NDIS plan. You can learn more about how to receive employment support through a NDIS plan at the Supports in Employment webpage .

Here is a selection of the Disability Employment Service providers available:

atWork Australia

With over 300 locations across Australia, atWork Australia provides a Job Coach to help you secure meaningful work that suits your needs.

MAX Solutions

MAX Solutions can support you from job application to full employment and beyond. They have offices in every state and territory across Australia.

EPIC Assist

EPIC Assist mainly helps school leavers find apprenticeships, traineeships, and other forms of entry-level employment. They have offices across Queensland, Tasmania, and northern New South Wales.

CoAct

CoAct offer a specialised DES program for neurodivergent individuals. They are based in Queensland.

Aurora Neuroinclusion Project

The Aurora Neuroinclusion Project is a pathway program designed by Services Australia specifically for people with autism or ADHD for work in the Australian public services.

DXC Dandelion Program

The DXC Dandelion Program is an employment program for neurodivergent individuals specialising in areas such as technology, cybersecurity, and analytics.

Specialisterne

Specialisterne operate all over the world to create new jobs for neurodivergent individuals. They work with businesses to build their capacity and confidence to adopt and implement neuro-inclusive recruitment and workplace practices. They also offer neurodivergent leadership training.

Aspect Pathway Program (VIC)

The Aspect Pathway Program operates in partnership with Victoria University TAFE. It offers autism-specific mentoring and support with:

• increasing attendance in the classroom
• finding work, or
• transitioning into university.

AIM Employment Program (WA)

AIM Employment is run by the Autism Association of Western Australia. This program helps autistic people aged sixteen and over, offering support to find and keep work and help for students transitioning from school to work.

With this many Disability Employment Services available (and more!), you’re sure to find an organisation that can support you through the job application, interview, and commencement process. Plus, you can add your career coach as a Supporter to your myWAY team so they can view your profile and career strengths to better support you!