SUNDAY, MARCH 27, 1994
5-
DISABLED ABLE TO UNDERTAKE MANY JOBS
WIDE
DISABLED PERSONS ARE ABLE TO UNDERTAKE SUCCESSFULLY A RANGE OF JOBS FROM UNSKILLED TO PROFESSIONAL LEVELS WITH THE PROVISION OF SUITABLE VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND APPROPRIATE TECHNICAL AIDS.
TO HELP THEM COMPLETE THE REHABILITATION PROCESS, NOT ONLY THE FREE PLACEMENT SERVICE PROVIDED BY THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT DIVISION OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT IS REQUIRED, BUT ALSO THE ACCEPTANCE OF DISABLED WORKERS BY EMPLOYERS AS WELL AS RECOGNITION OF THEIR ABILITIES BY THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
ACCORDING TO THE RESULTS OF A QUIZ CONDUCTED BY THE DIVISION DURING THE RECENT FOURTH EDUCATION AND CAREERS EXPO, SOME 30 PER CENT OF THE PARTICIPANTS HAVE MISCONCEPTIONS TOWARDS. THE MENTALLY ILL, MENTALLY RETARDED AND BLIND PEOPLE.
"GENERAL MISCONCEPTIONS ON THEIR WORKING ABILITIES WOULD DEFINITELY. POSE A HINDRANCE FOR EMPLOYERS TO EMPLOY DISABLED PERSONS, SENIOR LABOUR OFFICER (SELECTIVE PLACEMENT), MRS JENNIE CHOR, SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).
IN FACT, MOST OF THE MENTALLY ILL PATIENTS ARE NOT PRONE TO VIOLENCE AS MANY PEOPLE BELIEVED. SHE SAID.
"LIKEWISE, THE MENTALLY
PRODUCTIVE.
RETARDED ARE NOT TOTALLY NON-
"THEY CAN PERFORM MANY KINDS OF JOBS SUCH AS MESSENGERS AND WAITERS AFTER TRAINING."
MRS CHOR NOTED THAT MANY PEOPLE TENDED TO BELIEVE THAT BLIND PEOPLE COULD ONLY BE EMPLOYED AS TELEPHONE OPERATORS.
■
"THIS IS AGAIN NOT TRUE. SHE SAID.
"THE ADVANCEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY ENABLES THE BLIND то READ DOCUMENTS WITH THE HELP OF PERSONAL COMPUTERS AND BRAILLE DISPLAY UNITS.
++
THEREFORE, THEY CAN TAKE UP DIFFERENT KINDS OF JOBS INCLUDING THOSE AT THE PROFESSIONAL LEVEL, SUCH AS EXECUTIVE, ACCOUNTING AND COMPUTER JOBS, SHE ADDED.
++
MRS CHOR SAID THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT WOULD SPARE NO EFFORT IN ASSISTING THE DISABLED TO FIND SUITABLE JOBS.
"TO
ACHIEVE THIS GOAL, STAFF OF THE DIVISION KILL CONTINUE ΤΟ PERSUADE EMPLOYERS TO ACCEPT DISABLED EMPLOYEES AND PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE TO THE DISABLED.
/"WE WILL