Like all of us, persons with disabilities have unique skills and experiences to contribute meaningfully to the workforce. With sufficient job support and an inclusive work environment, many of them can thrive and perform well in their respective roles. This Labour Day, we hear from two youths with disabilities who shine in their work through their passion, abilities and aspiration.

Alwyn Keng

Investment Product Specialist at HSBC Singapore,

Asia Pacific Breweries Foundation Scholar 2014

Tell us your occupation and what you do:

I am an investment product specialist with HSBC Private Banking, specialising in mutual funds and exchange traded funds. I provide advisory and sales support to private bankers and ultra high net worth clients on the investment products that I specialise in, according to the investment climate.

What do you like about your work:

Apart from being able to apply my financial knowledge, I love the daily challenge posed to me in a fast-paced and numbers-driven environment where no two days are identical. The fact that I am able to grow the wealth of ultra high net worth clients – individuals whom I believe have the ability to truly make a difference in the future of the world we live in – gives me the satisfaction that I am indirectly making an impact or contribution. In addition, I am also very fortunate to be afforded autonomy in how I carry out my work where my feedback and opinions are valued.

How do you think employers can be more supportive in working with or hiring persons with disabilities:

The Social Model of Disability holds that an individual is ‘disabled’ because of the physical and attitudinal barriers in society – prejudice, lack of access adjustments and systematic exclusion, and not because of their impairment, health condition, or the ways in which they may differ from what is commonly considered as the ‘norm’. All it takes is more frequent two-way conversations (to seek alignment on needs and expectations) between employers and persons with disabilities to increase awareness and understanding of the spectrums of disability. With a little more understanding and patience, and equipped with the right tools, persons with disabilities can function similarly or in fact, better than their able-bodied peers as they do bring something different – resilience amidst adversity – to the table. 

Kishon Chong

Customer Experience & Inclusivity Officer at Tower Transit,

Former client from SPD’s Transition to Employment programme

Tell us your occupation and what you do:

My job focuses on making our public buses more inclusive for people with mobility challenges. A part of this involves working with our training department to develop materials to guide new bus captains on inclusion.

I am also very involved in our inclusive initiatives such as the Public Bus Confidence Course (PBCC) and Public Bus Inclusivity Course (PBIC). The PBCC helps commuters with mobility challenges regain their confidence in commuting on public buses, while the PBIC allows participants to learn more about the difficulties that commuters with mobility challenges face and how they can help as fellow commuters.

What do you like about your work:

I feel heartened to see inclusive initiatives that have been started which can genuinely help our commuters. My role also allows me to help others with similar needs as I can relate to their struggles while commuting on buses. By helping commuters through my work, I appreciate that this may help to change certain perspectives that some may have about wheelchair users being on the receiving end of help.

How do you think employers can be more supportive in working with or hiring persons with disabilities:

• Give them a chance. Prior to any considerations about challenges, it would be great if employers can start by giving persons with disabilities a chance to try the job first before dismissing the idea of hiring just because we have a disability.
• Employers must also understand that everyone have strengths and weaknesses, regardless of disabilities. By focusing on the strengths of the individual who has disability, people may very much be surprised at what we can do.
• Have an open mind and ask. I believe people fear what they don’t know. People tend to avoid interactions with PWDs in fear of saying something wrong and offending them. Instead of avoiding, ask away. More often than not, we are willing to talk and share about ourselves.

Did You Know?

• In Singapore, almost 3 in 10 persons with disabilities who are in the working age are employed and two-thirds in this age group are outside of labour force (Source: Channel News Asia)
• In Financial Year 2019/2020, SPD placed 201 jobseekers with disabilities in open employment
• 141 persons with disabilities were trained for employment

An open mind and a willing heart from employers to include persons with disabilities in the workplace are sometimes just what persons with disabilities need in order to thrive. As in the case with Alwyn and Kishon, having an inclusive employer helped to open their doors to a rewarding and meaningful career. By welcoming persons with disabilities as co-workers, employers can also benefit from the strengths and experiences that persons with disabilities offer, and also create a more diverse and empathetic culture in the workplace.