Job Fair Results in Jobs for People with Disabilities in Sri Lanka

Bodyline, a subsidiary of MAS Holdings, one of Sri Lanka's major employers, needed a quality inspector who could also operate computer assisted design (CAD) software. On 3 July, 2003, the human resource recruiter found two qualified candidates at the Employers' Network on Disability Job Fair in Colombo.

The Employers' Network on Disability, an activity of the Employers' Federation of Ceylon (EFC), joined forces with Motivation, a United Kingdom-based non-governmental organization which operates in Sri Lanka. Together with other partners, they ensured that the country's first Job Fair for people with disabilities was a roaring success.

"We hoped that at least 10 people would get hired," said EFC Director Gotabaya Dasanayaka. On the day of the Job Fair, however, 14 of the 75 job seekers with disabilities left with jobs. Three weeks later, the tally of hires reached 44, before all of the hiring data from the 24 participating companies had been received.

Among those hired on 3 July was 22-year old Rajeeva Perera. Speech impaired, Mr. Perera has more than a year's training in computer operation. He was hired by the Commercial Bank as a cashier. Even those who were not hired on 3 July thanked the organizers for the staging the event. "I would not have had the confidence to approach these prestigious organizations on my own," said one female job seeker. The fact that she had interviews with them gave her confidence to continue her job search.

The preparation for the Job Fair was considerable. The Employers' Network, in collaboration with the Department of Social Services, developed a list of job seekers with disabilities. Motivation, with technical assistance from the ILO, screened and offered training to the people with disabilities - a total of 79 in all - in job seeking and interview skills. (The trainers used Getting Hired: A Trainer's Manual for Conducting a Workshop for Job-Seekers Who Face Barriers to Employment and the trainees Getting Hired: A Guide for Job Seekers Who Face Barriers to Employment.)

A Department of Social Services staff member, trained in evaluating and counseling people with disabilities, assisted Motivation in its efforts. The Employers Network on Disability members conducted mock interviews to help the job seekers get ready for the big day. The EFC notified employers and organized their participation in the Fair.

The day began with a half-day orientation and awareness-raising session for employers. Among the opening speakers were ILO, EFC, Motivation, US-AID (Motivations' donor) and the Secretary of the Ministry of Social Welfare. The programme included an airing of AbilityAsia, an ILO video featuring employers and workers with disabilities from across the region, including many from Sri Lanka.

Representatives of employers, disabled workers and NGOs presented the Sri Lanka situation and offered successful examples of hiring disabled workers. An ILO official and members of the Employers' Network on Disability provided guidance and suggestions to employers about interviewing and hiring workers with disabilities. ILO guidance was based on the Code of Practice for Managing Disability in the Workplace, which was also distributed to all participating companies.

While the employers were engaged in the morning programmes, job seekers with disabilities attended a final practice interview session in another room. After a lunch, where job seekers and employers had a chance to mingle informally, the Job Fair got started. It lasted for three hours. Most employers had a chance to interview about eight candidates. Each job seeker had at least three interviews.

The Galadari Hotel, the site of the Job Fair, provided semi-private interview stations with tables for each employer. Staff from the participating organizations selected job seekers according to the employers' needs (e.g., computer trained, sewing machine operators, clerks and office workers, unskilled, etc.). Interpreters for the hearing impaired were on hand and kept busy throughout the afternoon.

His Excellency the Honorable Mahinda Samarasinghe, Minister of Employment and Labour, visited the Job Fair site in the afternoon. He offered encouragement to the job seekers, applauded the participating companies and conducted two media interviews.

Thanks to the success of the Job Fair, participating organizations have agreed to work together again to offer similar job fairs in the provinces.

top of the page