Finding meaningful employment shouldn’t be an impossible dream. Yet for many adults with disabilities across Queensland, navigating the maze of vocational support services, understanding available employment pathways, and accessing the right assistance can feel overwhelming. Whether you’re exploring options for yourself, supporting a family member, or simply seeking to understand what’s genuinely available in Cairns and Brisbane, the truth is that employment opportunities exist—they’re just not always easy to find or access.
What Employment Support Programs Are Available for Adults with Disabilities in Cairns?
The Australian Government has fundamentally restructured disability employment services to better serve people with disabilities. In November 2025, Inclusive Employment Australia replaced the previous Disability Employment Services program, bringing a renewed focus on personalised support and improved outcomes.
Inclusive Employment Australia operates across Cairns and Brisbane, connecting adults with disabilities to meaningful work through comprehensive support services. These include job search assistance, resume preparation, interview coaching, workplace modifications, and ongoing employment support once you’re working. The program recognises that finding employment is only the beginning—maintaining it requires continued assistance.
To access Inclusive Employment Australia in Cairns, you’ll need to meet specific eligibility criteria: have a disability, injury, or health condition; be an Australian resident; fall between 14 and 65 years of age; be capable of working at least eight hours per week; and complete a Job Capacity Assessment through Centrelink. Several providers operate locally, including APM Employment Services at 19 Aplin Street and MAX Solutions at 111 Grafton Street, both offering face-to-face support tailored to individual circumstances.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provides another essential pathway for vocational support. Unlike Inclusive Employment Australia, which focuses specifically on employment placement and support, the NDIS offers broader individualised funding that can include employment-related supports within your overall plan. NDIS employment funding can cover career planning, job-readiness training, workplace adjustments, on-the-job coaching, and support for complex needs.
Queensland participants can access NDIS supports through the national information line (1800 800 110) or by working with local support coordinators. The scheme’s flexibility means you can choose providers that align with your goals and preferences, creating a truly person-centred approach to employment support.
Understanding the Employment Assistance Fund
The Employment Assistance Fund (EAF) represents a frequently overlooked resource that can transform workplace accessibility. This government-funded scheme provides financial assistance for workplace modifications, assistive technology, Auslan interpreting services, and disability awareness training—essentially removing financial barriers that might prevent employers from making reasonable adjustments.
What makes the EAF particularly valuable is its accessibility: workplace assessments are free, and funding is available whether you’re preparing for work, actively job-seeking, or already employed. Employers can also access these funds, making it easier for businesses to accommodate employees with disabilities without bearing the full financial burden. Contact JobAccess on 1800 464 800 to explore what’s available.
How Can Apprenticeships and Traineeships Support Career Development?
Apprenticeships and traineeships offer structured pathways into skilled employment, combining paid work with accredited training. For adults with disabilities, these programs provide several advantages: earning whilst learning, nationally recognised qualifications, and integrated work experience that builds both skills and confidence.
Research consistently demonstrates that students with disabilities enrolled in apprenticeships achieve better employment outcomes compared to other vocational education pathways. With over 500 different apprenticeships and traineeships available across industries—from healthcare to hospitality, construction to business services—opportunities exist within virtually every sector of the Cairns economy.
The Disability Australian Apprentice Wage Support (DAAWS) program provides crucial financial backing for these pathways. Employers who engage apprentices or trainees with disabilities receive $216.07 per week for full-time positions (adjusted proportionally for part-time arrangements), along with tutorial assistance, mentoring support, and interpreter services delivered directly to Registered Training Organisations.
For young people still in school, School-Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships (SBATs) allow Year 11 and 12 students to commence apprenticeships whilst completing their secondary education. This early start provides a significant advantage, building workplace experience and industry connections before formal schooling concludes.
Queensland’s government commitment to free and reduced-cost training extends priority access to people with disabilities, recognising that financial barriers shouldn’t prevent skill development. Skills Disability Support provides specialised technology and support services to approved training providers, ensuring students with disabilities can access reasonable adjustments throughout their training journey.
What Is Supported Employment and How Does It Differ from Open Employment?
Understanding the spectrum of employment options helps in making informed decisions about career pathways. Open employment refers to mainstream workplaces where employees with disabilities work alongside colleagues without disabilities, typically with some level of accommodation or support. Supported employment, conversely, provides substantial ongoing support within specialised environments designed specifically to accommodate significant support needs.
Australian Disability Enterprises (ADEs) represent the primary avenue for supported employment, operating across approximately 600 organisations nationally and employing roughly 16,000 people with disabilities. These not-for-profit organisations work across diverse sectors—packaging and distribution, gardening and landscaping, food services, recycling, and commercial services—providing meaningful work with built-in support structures.
In Cairns, Endeavour Foundation Industries operates supported employment services, offering opportunities in general packaging, document destruction, and assembly work for both national and local clients. The organisation can be contacted on 1800 112 112 for those exploring this employment pathway.
Wages within ADEs operate under the Supported Employment Services Award 2020, using the Supported Wage System to determine remuneration based on productivity assessments. Whilst minimum wages sit at $2.90 per hour, actual earnings vary considerably based on individual productivity, with average weekly wages around $121.72. Approximately 90% of supported employees also receive Disability Support Pension, providing financial stability beyond employment income.
Hours within supported employment typically average 23 hours per week, offering a balance between work participation and other support needs. For some, supported employment represents a long-term career pathway; for others, it serves as a stepping stone toward open employment, building skills and confidence in a supported environment before transitioning to mainstream workplaces.
The Reality of Employment Statistics
Understanding where Queensland sits within the national employment landscape provides important context. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers released in 2024, labour force participation for people aged 15-64 years with disability reached 60.5% in 2022, up from 53.4% in 2018. Whilst this represents progress, it remains substantially lower than the 84.9% participation rate for people without disabilities.
Employment rates tell a similar story: 56.1% of working-age people with disabilities were employed in 2022, compared to 82.3% of people without disabilities. The unemployment rate for people with disabilities, whilst improving from 10.3% in 2018 to 7.3% in 2022, still runs more than double the rate for people without disabilities (3.1%).
| Employment Indicator | People With Disability | People Without Disability | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Force Participation (15-64 years) | 60.5% | 84.9% | 24.4% |
| Employment Rate | 56.1% | 82.3% | 26.2% |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.3% | 3.1% | 4.2% |
| Full-Time Employment | 33.4% | 57.9% | 24.5% |
| Part-Time Employment | 48.8% | Data not specified | Higher reliance |
| Median Weekly Income | $575 | $1,055 | $480 |
These figures illuminate both the challenges and the opportunities. Wages and salaries became the main source of income for people with disabilities in 2022 (48.9%), overtaking government pensions and allowances (28.5%)—a significant shift from 2018 when pensions dominated. This transition demonstrates that employment is becoming increasingly central to financial independence for people with disabilities.
What Workplace Accommodations Make Employment Possible?
The misconception that employing people with disabilities requires expensive, complicated modifications persists despite evidence to the contrary. In reality, 88% of employed people with disabilities require no additional employer support whatsoever. For the 12% who do need specific adjustments, accommodations are typically straightforward and cost-effective.
The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 requires employers to provide “reasonable adjustments” enabling people with disabilities to work productively and safely. These adjustments span physical modifications, equipment and technology, work method modifications, and support services.
Physical modifications might include adjustable desks, accessible parking, improved lighting, noise reduction screens, or wheelchair-accessible facilities. Equipment and technology encompasses screen reader software, screen magnification tools, speech recognition programs, assistive listening devices, and specialised keyboards. Work method modifications could involve flexible hours, remote work options, modified duty allocation, written instructions, or quiet work spaces.
Support services range from Auslan interpreters to job coaches, mentors, personal care assistants, and disability awareness training for team members. The Employment Assistance Fund covers many of these costs, removing financial barriers for employers considering reasonable adjustments.
What matters most is communication. When employees feel comfortable discussing their needs, and employers approach accommodations collaboratively rather than as compliance exercises, workplaces become genuinely inclusive. The Fair Work Act 2009 reinforces this by allowing employees with disabilities who’ve worked with an employer for 12 or more months to formally request flexible working arrangements.
How Do School-to-Work Transitions Work for Young Adults?
The transition from education to employment represents a critical juncture for young adults with disabilities. Statistics reveal that 18% of school leavers with disabilities don’t enter the labour force for up to seven years post-school, compared to just 5% of school leavers without disabilities. Young people with disabilities aged 15-24 face an unemployment rate around 24%—double the rate for young people without disabilities.
School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES) through the NDIS provides targeted assistance for up to two years post-school. These supports include work experience placements, skill-building workshops, career exploration activities, confidence-boosting programs, personalised employment planning, and practical preparation like resume writing and interview coaching.
Research consistently shows that transitions improve dramatically when career development starts early during schooling years, families engage actively in planning, work experience opportunities occur during school, and multiple sectors collaborate—schools, disability employment services, registered training organisations, and employers working together.
The Ticket to Work initiative has demonstrated significant success in improving school-to-work transitions through sector collaboration. By connecting young people with work experience, vocational training including School-Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships, and after-school work support, the program builds bridges between education and employment that might otherwise remain uncrossed.
For young adults in Cairns and Brisbane exploring these pathways, connecting with local Inclusive Employment Australia providers early—ideally during final school years—creates continuity of support through the transition period. This early engagement allows time to build relationships, understand individual strengths and aspirations, and develop realistic pathways matched to local employment opportunities.
What Barriers Still Exist and How Are They Being Addressed?
Acknowledging existing barriers represents the first step toward overcoming them. According to 2024 data, 44% of unemployed people with disabilities cite their health condition or disability as the primary barrier to employment. Other significant barriers include limited skills or qualifications (23%), insufficient work experience (18%), job type restrictions (18%), age discrimination (17%), and competition for available positions (25%).
Systemic barriers persist beyond individual circumstances. Alarmingly, 45.2% of employed people with disabilities report experiencing unfair treatment or discrimination from employers, whilst 24.5% identify employers as a source of discrimination when seeking employment. These figures illuminate the reality that attitudinal barriers—misconceptions about productivity, safety concerns, or simple discomfort with disability—remain substantial obstacles.
Transport represents another significant challenge, with 26% of people with disabilities reporting transport issues as barriers to finding work, compared to 16% of job seekers without disabilities. In regional areas like Cairns, where public transport options may be limited, transport challenges can effectively exclude people from employment opportunities despite possessing relevant skills and qualifications.
The Australian Government’s commitment to addressing these barriers includes the $52.7 million invested over four years (from the 2023-24 Budget) supporting the evolution of Australian Disability Enterprises, disability employment advocacy and information programs, and disability employment expos. Inclusive Employment Australia’s introduction in November 2025 reflects ongoing efforts to improve person-centred support and employment outcomes.
Queensland-specific initiatives include the Skilling Queenslanders for Work program, providing tailored, local community-based support to eligible job seekers (including people with disabilities) to gain skills, qualifications, and experience. These programs prioritise people with disabilities, recognising that targeted support improves outcomes.
Creating Pathways Forward: What Success Actually Looks Like
Success in disability employment isn’t measured solely by placement rates—it’s reflected in job satisfaction, career progression, financial independence, and long-term employment retention. When people with disabilities access appropriate vocational support, receive necessary workplace accommodations, and work within inclusive environments, employment becomes sustainable rather than transitory.
The data shows progress is possible: wages and salaries now constitute the main income source for nearly half of working-age people with disabilities, up from just over one-third in 2018. Educational attainment is rising, with 45.3% of people with disabilities now completing Year 12 or equivalent, and 19.7% holding Bachelor degrees or higher qualifications. These improvements create foundations for better employment outcomes.
Deloitte’s economic analysis suggests that if Australia reduced labour force participation and unemployment rates for people with disabilities by one-third to match better-performing OECD countries, the cumulative GDP increase would reach $43 billion over a subsequent decade. This isn’t just about individual lives—it’s about recognising and utilising the talents and contributions of people with disabilities to everyone’s benefit.
For Cairns and Brisbane residents exploring vocational support options, the message is clear: resources exist, pathways are available, and support is accessible. Whether you’re considering open employment, supported employment, apprenticeships, or vocational training, starting with an honest assessment of your goals, strengths, and support needs creates the foundation for informed decision-making.
Connecting with local Inclusive Employment Australia providers, exploring NDIS employment supports, investigating apprenticeship opportunities through registered training organisations, and understanding your rights regarding workplace accommodations empowers you to navigate the employment landscape effectively. The journey might not be straightforward, but with appropriate vocational support, meaningful employment is within reach.
Can I work while receiving the Disability Support Pension?
Yes, you can work whilst receiving the Disability Support Pension. Recipients can work up to 30 hours per week, and payments can be suspended (rather than cancelled) for up to two years if you earn above the income threshold. This flexibility allows you to try employment without losing pension access if circumstances change.
What’s the difference between Inclusive Employment Australia and NDIS employment supports?
Inclusive Employment Australia (which replaced Disability Employment Services in November 2025) focuses specifically on job placement and employment support—helping you find work, prepare for interviews, and maintain employment. The NDIS provides broader individualised funding that can include employment supports as part of your overall plan, along with other disability-related supports. You can access both programs simultaneously.
How do I access the Employment Assistance Fund for workplace accommodations?
Contact JobAccess on 1800 464 800 to access the Employment Assistance Fund. The process begins with a free workplace assessment to determine what accommodations or equipment you need. Once identified, funding applications can cover workplace modifications, assistive technology, interpreter services, or disability awareness training. Both employees and employers can access the fund, and you don’t need to be currently employed—the EAF also supports people preparing for or seeking employment.
Are apprenticeships realistic options for adults with disabilities in Cairns?
Absolutely. Over 500 different apprenticeships and traineeships operate across Australian industries, many with opportunities in Cairns’ economy including tourism, healthcare, construction, and retail sectors. The Disability Australian Apprentice Wage Support program provides employers with $216.07 per week for full-time apprentices with disabilities, along with training support. Research shows apprentices with disabilities achieve better employment outcomes than those in other vocational courses, making this a genuinely viable pathway.
What if I need ongoing support to maintain employment—is that available?
Yes, ongoing employment support is available through multiple pathways. Inclusive Employment Australia providers offer continued support after job placement, not just initial placement services. NDIS participants can include ongoing employment supports in their plans, funding on-the-job coaching, workplace communication support, or other assistance needed to maintain employment. The key is communicating your needs clearly to your support providers and employers.
