'Hidden talent' rewarding businesses

Northland employers are leaders in tapping into the skills and experience of disabled people.

Three Northland businesses are to be honoured for their roles in helping the region's "hidden talent pool" enter the workforce through the Workbridge programme.

Briscoes in Kerikeri and Whangarei's Country Taste Small Goods and Armourguard Security are to be honoured tomorrow to mark International Day of the Disabled Person.

The trio will be awarded the Above and Beyond Employer Award for helping people with disabilities to get into employment.

The Briscoes crew was nominated by Workbridge's Kerikeri employment consultant Susan Needham, who said the manager Wendy Towgood had been fantastic in supporting Workbridge and local jobseekers in Kerikeri.

She said one of her jobseekers had not worked since leaving college and had little confidence, but through Wendy's help and training has become a valuable team member.

Country Taste Small Goods, which has a small factory in Whangarei, has taken on three Workbridge jobseekers.

Manager Ian Andrad recruited on merit and was happy to provide people with opportunities to get into work.

Meanwhile, Armourguard provided a supportive environment for staff, keeping Workbridge up to date with new vacancies and providing feedback for jobseekers.

Workbridge area manager Katy Hetherington said it was "incredibly satisfying to look back at how many people we have placed in jobs throughout Northland over the past year".

Last year many of these people were facing Christmas uncertain about their future. This year they can make plans for the festive season and for 2016 based on having steady employment and income.

Northland employers were leaders in tapping into the skills and experience of disabled people, as a total of 309 disabled people in the region had been placed in jobs through the employment service in the 2014/15 year.

The figures had increased from 196 disabled people in 2013/14.