New employment “passports” will help students with disabilities to find and stay in work, it has been announced.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said the scheme will help ease the transition from university into employment.
According to the report, the new identity cards will act as a one-stop-shop for employers, reducing the need for repeated health assessments when starting a new job.
The “passport” will include information such as what specialist equipment the worker needs and what adjustments they will benefit from.
The initiative – announced as part of the new National Disability Strategy – is currently being piloted at the University of Wolverhampton and Manchester Metropolitan University.
It forms part of the Access to Work scheme, through which people with disabilities can apply for grants of up to £62,900 to purchase specialist equipment and make reasonable adjustments.
Commenting on the scheme, Minister for Disabled People Chloe Smith said: “Everyone deserves an equal opportunity to thrive at work, starting from the moment they take their first steps on the career ladder.
“By working with University of Wolverhampton and Manchester Metropolitan University on this trial, we can find the best way to for these new passports to support their students into employment.”
If successful, the scheme will be rolled out across the country to support thousands of disabled people.
Click here to learn more about the Access to Work scheme.
