Are You A PWD Looking For Work? Here Are Some Employment Opportunities For PWDs In Singapore
In Singapore, the unemployment rate for persons with disabilities is 12.9 per cent.
For reference, the overall unemployment rate is about 2.3 per cent.
That’s almost six times the difference!
Looking at both figures, it’s obvious that there’s an apparent gap in employment opportunities for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in Singapore.
Thankfully, with more Singapore companies striving towards inclusive employment and the implementation of training schemes, there are (arguably) more employment opportunities which PWDs can make use of to gain employability.
Employment Training Schemes For PWDs
1. Training Programmes For Persons With Disabilities
Whether you are looking for skills training to score a new job.
Upskill in your current one.
Or wish to upgrade your skill set to enhance your employability.
There are plenty of training courses which you can attend. And they range from computer literacy skills to training in hospitality and digital marketing, or even music training programmes.
Best of all, these training courses are subsidised up to 90% for eligible PWDs.
Depending on the type and duration of the courses, the price ranges from $0 to $642 after subsidies.
Here are some skills which you can learn:
- Barista Confidence Training Programme
- Digital Marketing Training
- Specialisation Programme In Computer Networks
- Mobile and Web Development Training
- Human Resource Career Accelerator Programme
- Desktop IT Support Training
- Guestroom Cleaning Training
- Supermarket Retail Assistant Training
Simply head over to the SG Enable website to look at the full list of Training Programmes for PWDs.
2. SkillsFuture Study Award For PWDs
If you’re a PWD who has demonstrated resilience and perseverance in pursuing your education, then great news!
SG Enable has a SkillsFuture Study Award for Persons with Disabilities which you can apply for!
SkillsFuture Study Award For PWD Eligibility Criteria
- Is a Singaporean with at least 2 years of work experience
- Has a permanent disability*
- Demonstrated efforts to upgrade skills and is committed to deepening skills
- Not a previous recipient of any SkillsFuture Study Award
- Has not completed the course of study at the point of application
* Disabilities supported by SG Enable for adult services are autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, physical impairment, hearing impairment, and visual impairment.
If eligible, you’ll receive a monetary award of $5,000 to help fund your education.
These courses include – but are not limited to – local and overseas executive courses, Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, and Specialist Diploma programs.
You can also propose your course of interest and it will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Applicants may also propose their course of interest and SG Enable will evaluate the course on a case-by-case basis.
3. Sheltered Workshops
Sheltered workshops are transitionary spaces that serve as a work training place for PWDs to undergo job preparation and work skills training.
The training provided allows you to practice in jobs or tasks at a suitable pace.
The processes involved are also made simpler or broken down into more manageable steps to help you gain confidence and experience.
Most sheltered workshop programmes are sponsored by the government.
Here are some support organisations which run sheltered workshop programmes
- BizLink
- National Council Of Social Service
- SG Enable
Employment Opportunities For PWDs
1. SG Enable Jobs Portal
If you’re looking for employment, you can try searching for jobs on the SG Enable Jobs Portal.
All you have to do is log in with your SingPass and you’ll have access to a variety of jobs in the market.
Some more unique jobs include Freelance Oyster Shucker (pays $8 per hour) and Full-Time Barista at LiHO (pays $1,450 to $1,600 per month).
If you prefer office-type employment, there are also positions in:
- digital marketing
- sales
- maintenance
- data access
- IT
across public and civil service sectors which you can try for!
Companies & Social Enterprises That Support The Hiring Of PWDs
For those seeking employment, take heart that there are companies and social enterprises that support the hiring of PWDs.
FYI: a social enterprise is a business seeks to maximise profits while maximising benefits to society and the environment at large. A win-win situation for all involve!
If you’re interested, here’s a list of companies and social enterprises to take note of:
| Company | What They Do | What Jobs Are They Hiring For? | Who Do They Hire? | How To Apply | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iFood | 30 Cafes and Restaurant in closed communities. A large number of our Cafes are located in learning institutions, hospitals and government buildings. | F&B services and related job scopes | Elderly and PWDs | Contact: [email protected] | |
| Caption Cube | Freelance jobs for persons with disability such as captioning for local TV series. | Captioning of subtitles for TV shows from Mediacorp and other external organisations. | Persons with Disabilities | You can sign up HERE | |
| Foreword Coffee | Asian specialty coffee cafe that trains and employs PWDs. | Baristas, Service Crew, Cashier, Marketing, Managers. | Persons from the Deaf community, Autism, Persons with Behavioral and Physical Disabilities | You can sign up HERE | |
| Jing Song | Selling of sell sous vide beef/chicken/salmon bowls at pop ups and events. | F&B, Sales | Persons from the Deaf community | Email: [email protected] | |
| The Art Faculty | The Art Faculty promotes and showcases the abilities of people with autism and related challenges. For every sale, their differently-abled artists earn royalties. | Arts and Craft | Persons with autism and related challenges. | Drop them an email at [email protected]. | |
| Project Dignity Pte Ltd | Project Dignity is an all-in-one platform to engage in positive impact through local cuisine. The company offers a range of unique experiences to do good through food from culinary courses and team building to food delivery and retail. | Culinary courses and training - Community-driven cooking team building - Food court and delivery – halal bentos and muffins - Retail outlets (upcycled books) | Differently-Abled Persons. | Project dignity starts off with a vocational skills training programme, followed by F&B or retail placements at places such as Dignity Kitchen or Kitchen Mama. | |
| Nox Dine In The Dark | Restaurant that offers a dine in the dark experience. | Guest Relations Manager, Bartender, Waiter, Part Time Staff | Visually Impaired Persons | Email [email protected] | |
| United Overseas Bank: UOB Scan Hub | UOB Scan Hub requires workers to scan and archive customers’ documents, and requires employees who possess a sharp eye for detail and a methodical approach. | Admin, Documentation Roles | People with autism, as well as those with hearing impairments | Through job openings available via the SG Enable portal | |
| Uniqlo Singapore | Retail clothing brand. | Retail | Anyone, including persons with disability. | Walk-in to enquire | Uniqlo has also created a buddy system that pairs staff with disabilities with store managers to help guide and mentor them in their training. |
| National Library Board | Digitalizing Library Resource Materials | Digital tasks, administration. | Persons with Autism. | Application through SG Enable job portal when positions are available. | These individuals will have to undergo training to do scanning and other digitising tasks at the Digital Services Centre in the Enabling Village in Redhill. |
| Singtel | Singtel is under SG Enable's RISE Mentorship programme. | Telecommunications | SG Enable participants that are part of the RISE Mentorship programme | You can find out more and apply for the RISE Mentorship program HERE | RISE Mentorship is a 12-week programme where students with disabilities from universities and polytechnics are matched with business managers from local companies or multinational corporations. |
| Personalised Love | Local leather atelier that produces personalised leather items and conducts regular workshops. | Retail, Fashion | Personalised Love employs people with special needs, like those with cerebral palsy, slight intellectual disabilities and autism, as its artisans. | Reach out to them: PLove Studio@Jurong 351 Jurong East Street 31 #02-93. Singapore +65 91994904 [email protected] |
What Are The Advantages And Additional Benefits Working PWDs Can Enjoy?
Workfare Income Supplement (WIS)
PWDs who engage in regular work are entitled to cash and CPF payouts rewards under the WIS scheme.
From January 2017, WIS is paid out in cash and CPF every month for employees.
Self-employed persons, on the other hand, are paid annually.
Eligible workers can receive:
- A cash supplement to meet short-term expenditure needs
- A CPF top-up to build up retirement savings
- Subsidies and cash awards when undergoing training to up-skill and improve employability
To qualify, you must earn an average gross monthly income of not more than $2,300 in the past 12 months.
Depending on wage and income, you can receive up to $4,000 in WIS payouts annually!
Here’s a quick breakdown on what you will receive, for work done from 1 January 2020:
| Age Band | Maximum Annual WIS Payout For Employees | Maximum annual WIS payout for self-employed persons |
|---|---|---|
| Below 35 | $1,700 | - |
| 35-44 | $1,700 | $1,133 |
| 45-54 | $2,500 | $1,667 |
| 55-59 | $3,300 | $2,200 |
| 60 & above | $4,000 | $2,667 |
Have Questions? Join Our Seedly Community for Persons With Disabilities!
For us to be truly inclusive, we have to instinctively take into account the needs of diverse individuals, be it on a social or professional front.
As such, we recognise the need to provide a resource of personal finance knowledge for the PWD community in Singapore.
That’s why we’ve launched a QnA platform on Seedly for you to talk about anything personal finance-related!
We’ll also be bringing onboard more organisations to give you more in-depth answers and hopefully help you with your job-related queries!
So stay tuned!
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