Moving to Tertiary Study/Employment

Information to make the move!

Many thanks to the Tasmanian NDCO for permission to use some information from the 'Getting Started' page, part of the Gateways website.

Moving Forward

So you have a disability and you're wondering where to go from here. If it all seems a bit confusing, don't worry. It just takes a bit of time to work out which option is best for you. The first thing to get straight is that your disability need not limit your options. You have the right to the same education, training and employment opportunities as every other Australian. These rights are protected by the Disability Discrimination Act - for more information follow this link http://www.ddaedustandards.info to a one-stop website.

Sometimes it isn’t easy gathering all the information you'll need to make informed decisions about future directions. The best thing to do is plan ahead and talk to staff at your school - from the Support Unit, Careers Adviser, School Counsellor, Year Adviser - or, for those who have left school and are looking for work or considering further education, other agencies focussed on assisting people with a disability obtain employment, and contacts at TAFEs and universities >> click here

Let's start by deciding whether you want to do some further study to improve your chances of getting a job. Whether you are going straight from school, or are a mature age student, there are a number of options open to you. Each of the educational institutions listed below have staff who can advise you about the support that is available, help you to decide which course to choose, and assist you with enrolment and so on. You may be worried about what it's going to cost or what financial assistance is available.

For those who may be moving into employment a new website - Education to Employment - produced by the National Disability Coordination Officers at UWS is a goldmine of useful information.

You should also visit the Centrelink page 'Services and Programs for Injured, Ill or Disabled People' which links to a range of important information.

TAFEs

.........are great places to learn skills for work. They have a variety of courses and there are TAFE institutes in each of the major centres. Visit the Regional Higher Education Contacts page on this website for local information.

  • The TAFE NSW Site also contains comprehensive lists of TAFE courses available, and college locations in NSW. It contains an "on-line" database where you can select courses by areas of interest or colleges by geographic location

Universities

.........are the way to go for those professions which require a degree. There are Universities throughout Australia, and many also have courses that you can do from home. The following links will be useful ...

  • Get Ready for Uni  -  NSW website for students with a disability preparing for uni
  • Career Moves  -  NSW DET site for students with a disability moving to further study, work, or other programs
  • Year 12 - What Next?
  • Towards Success - a series of study guides which contain study skills and resources for students with a range of disabilities. They are applicable to students who are currently studying, or intending to study, in higher education
  • Going to Uni - a directory of courses, and the universities which offer them, is also a useful resource

When it does come time to enrol in University, if that's what you've decided to do, the Australasian Network of Students With Disabilities (ANSWD) (for tertiary students) may be useful to participate in - go to http://www.answd.org for information on how to subscribe.

Adult Education

.........if it's been a long time since you were at school, your study skills or literacy are a bit rusty, or you are just wanting to do a short course for interest, Adult Education may be the place for you. It may also be a stepping stone to further study at TAFE or University. Have a look at:

Other Training Providers

.......if you are unemployed and you think tertiary education might be a bit much for you at this stage, there may be other options available through training providers such as Group Training Companies. Many of these also provide support for people who have a disability.

Contact your local Australian Apprenticeships Centre for more information - looks up this section in the School Leavers Directory.

Employment

The Education to Employment package, produced by NSW NDCOs, is an excellent first stop for graduates seeking employment. It also has loads of useful information for secondary students and people in the community as well.

The Commonwealth Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs webpage - Support for People with a Disability - is also worth a look, along with their Disability Program page. There is also assistance in finding employment Disability Employment Services, refer to the Employment Section in the School Leavers Directory for a full list of employment services >> click here

Don't forget the Australian JobSearch Site - a Government website where you can access every job advertised throughout Australia region by region, state by state, or in the whole of Australia at once. The site is updated daily, and has useful information about resume preparation and much more. DEST also has the book, the 'Job Guide', available on the web as well - go to http://www.jobguide.dest.gov.au.

Hunter Region

Employment Assistance for People with a Disability

Go to the School Leavers Directory, and search for "Employment" for a list of regional providers.

Resources and Publications

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