Employment programs and professionals with a disability

It is unclear whether or not open (competitive) employment programs are meeting the needs of the growing numbers of people with a disability seeking professional employment. OBJECTIVE: To understand and describe the experience of a newly graduated professional (Michael) who was seeking open employment support and to analyze those experiences in relation to principles of effective open employment support. Participant: Michael a recently graduated accountant who also has a physical disability. METHODS: A review of the literature was undertaken to identify recommended principles and practices for the conduct of effective open employment and career development programs. A case study was used to describe Michael\u27s experiences as he sought professional employment. Michael\u27s experiences were analysed in relation to recommended principles and practice. RESULTS: The analysis confirmed that the concerns Michael experienced about the supported employment program compromised the effectiveness of the support he received. CONCLUSIONS: Employment services based on models of independent living, disability service standards and remediation are likely to focus on the \u27pathology\u27 or performance \u27deficits\u27 of the person with a disability. Successful open employment models are more likely to place pre-eminence on the perspective of the person with a disability and effective practices for securing employment