Job-mapping Studies In The Disability Sector
A state-level sensitisation workshop on employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, jointly organised by the National Institute for the Visually Handicapped (NIVH) and the UDIS Forum recently, resolved to commission a study for mapping jobs available in industries and skills required in persons with disabilities. M. Manickam, Managing Director, Sakthi Sugars, said parents needed to be involved in providing comprehensive education and rehabilitation services to persons with disabilities. L. Sivasamy, Assistant Director, District Employment Exchange, said sensitisation workshops went a long way in making persons with disabilities and their parents aware of the opportunities open to them. More than 50 participants representing industries, voluntary organisations, persons with visual impairment and professionals attended the workshop held at CSI Bishop Appasamy College. Suseela Williams, Secretary of the College, stressed the importance of making work and education environments more disabled-friendly. Non-Governmental Organisations and private sectors should come forward to provide more employment opportunities, observed I. Arivanandam, Regional Director in-charge of the NIVH.
Employers who attended the workshop offered jobs to persons with disabilities on the condition that they would acquire the necessary skills. The UDIS Forum would undertake an extensive study in Coimbatore district to find out jobs in industries, which may be performed by persons with disabilities and design training activities to provide requisite skills, said M.N.G. Mani, president, UDIS Forum.
