More than three million South Africans live with disabilities. As such, promoting inclusion, independence, and equal participation in society is essential. Equally important is exposing learners with disabilities to the wide range of career opportunities available to them after school.
The Disability Summit and Career Expo is Africa’s largest gathering for promoting and enabling employment opportunities for people with disabilities. It took place last week at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. This two-day event helps learners from over 45 schools to build confidence, set meaningful goals, and envision a future where they can contribute meaningfully to the economy.
This annual event sees thousands of learners, graduates, and entrepreneurs living with disability attending and connecting with over 30 corporate exhibitors. These include the likes of Santam and Vodacom. The expo also includes career demonstrations from leading companies, opportunities for employment, exposure to corporate programmes for people with disabilities, and inspirational speakers.
The Road Accident Fund (RAF) was one of the headline sponsors for this year’s Disability Summit and Career Expo. Partnering with this annual initiative once again provided valid and relevant information to these students, graduates and entrepreneurs with physical or intellectual disabilities.
RAF’s Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Noluthando Mvabaza, emphasised that meaningful progress in the disability sector requires collaboration. The event, she noted, served to motivate learners and reinforce the message that individuals with disabilities have much to offer to the corporate world.
Some of the highlights from this year’s Disability Summit included: presentations about how creating a genuinely inclusive workplace for persons with disabilities requires going beyond regulatory compliance; insights into transitioning students with disabilities from education to employment; and a panel discussion about the importance of accessibility, inclusion and co-worker education.
Other speakers including Thembi Manyike (Head of Talent Acquisition and Employer Branding at Sanlam), Justene Smith (Disability Specialist at Progression), Lana Leas-Roy (Head of Disability Inclusion at Afrika Tikkun), Kally Mabe (Diversity and Inclusion Lead at Vodacom) and Mpumi Otieno- Oyola (L&D at ACSA).
In South Africa, only one in nine individuals with disabilities is employed. The Disability Summit and Career Expo plays a crucial role in promoting workplace inclusion and advocating for greater employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
Sanlam was another of the headline sponsors, with Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) being a Gold Sponsor and Afrika Tikkun a co-sponsor.