Assistive technology was the central theme at this year’s Towards An Inclusive Workforce which was held at SPD Ability Centre on 27 September.

Assistive technology was the central theme at this year’s Towards An Inclusive Workforce which was held at SPD Ability Centre on 27 September. Over 100 participants attended the event and heard from people with disabilities who had gone on to be successful in their respective careers as a result of sheer determination and with the help of technology.

Addressing the audience, Dr Yeo Sze Ling, a Research Analyst at A*Star and Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Nanyang Technological University, reccounted how technology has helped her overcome her visual disability in school so that she could further her studies and pursue her love for mathematics. She is also a testimony of how with technology and job accommodation, people with disabilities can be part of the mainstream workforce.

Assistive Technology specialists from the SPD Specialised Assistive Technology Centre, Sarah Yong and Tan Chuan Hoh, and trainer at the Infocomm Accessibility Centre, Michael Lee, also shared the various assistive technology devices that are commonly used at the workplace to help employees with disabilities to carry out their duties effectively.

Ms Joyce Wong, director of Services Division, SPD, said, “SPD is committed to helping people with disabilities become self-reliant and financially independent. We hope that via the initiatives of the Infocomm Accessibility Centre, we can equip people with disabilities with practical skills that are essential for the workforce of today. We also hope to create a platform that opens doors to suitable employment opportunities that can enable them to play a part in contributing to the mainstream workforce.”