Job seekers with disabilities attending ‘Selecting the Right Job’ soft skills training at IAC on 25 March 2013

Infocomm Accessibility Centre (IAC) launched a series of soft skill courses in February this year to help people with disabilities seeking employment stand out from the rest during their job search. Sixteen individuals with different disabilities attended the 48-hour training series over eight weeks.

“Many job seekers with disabilities have the necessary knowledge and skills for the job, however they face difficulties in areas like communication, grooming and interviewing techniques,” said Lee Hui Lin, Head of Programme and Service Development, Employment Support Programme (ESP) ,SPD. The training series was developed to help people with disabilities prepare themselves for the workplace.

Muhammad Zahier, 27, lost his sight at 17 due to retinal detachments. Despite having a Diploma in English from Stansfield College, Muhammed Zahier has faced difficulties in securing a job.

“After attending the soft skills training, I have learnt how to handle interviews better from mock interview sessions conducted by the trainers,” said Muhammad Zahier.

“It has also boosted my confidence in communicating with job interviewers.”

The soft skills training conducted by IAC includes:

-Selecting the Right Job

-Preparing for the Interview

-Looking Right for the Job

-Communicating Effectively

According to news reports in Channel News Asia, Singapore’s job market has remained tight. This makes finding a job even more challenging for people with disabilities.

“The IAC Certificate in Office Skills provides training in ICT competences as well as soft skills such as communications and personal effectiveness,” said Michael Lee, IT Trainer with IAC. “This training enabled people with disabilities to remain competitive in today’s labour market,” he added.

The IAC Certificate in Office Skills (ICOS) is a six-month structured programme to prepare people with disabilities for office based jobs. The next intake for ICOS commences in July 2013.