Former Paralympic swimmer, Liz Johnson has started a new business venture set to challenge assumptions about the role disabled people can play in the job market.
Credit: TAP
GAP
“The disability employment gap in this country stands at over 30% and has for over a decade. It’s an outrageous figure,” explains Liz on the current job market for the disabled community.
“Many people living with disabilities would love to secure full-time work, but employees consciously and unconsciously discriminate against them when it comes to hiring. There is a huge amount of misinformation out there, including a belief that someone with a disability just couldn’t do a good job.
CAREER
The Paralympian, who took gold for ParalympicsGB in Beijing in 2008, silver in Athens in 2004, and bronze in London 2012, has set up a recruitment constituency called The Ability People (TAP), which will be exclusively staffed by people living with a disability.
Recruiting both disabled and able-bodied candidates, TAP is set to change the face of recruitment to make the much-needed change to inclusivity. Candidates will be able to apply for roles within HR, engineering, technology and software. Graduates and school leavers will also be able to benefit from the services TAP provide.
CAN DO ATTITUDE
Founder fo TAP, Liz Johnson
“With TAP, we want to focus on what people can do and prove that a disability-led business can not only be a viable venture but also outperform traditional firms. We’re not a charity; we’re an ambitious new business that will be striving to compete with traditional incumbents, staffed by a team of bright, talented people who happen to be living with a disability. We’re not looking for the sympathy vote from clients, just a chance to prove what we can do and what our model can achieve,” adds Liz.
Finding the best candidate for any role, TAP is set to deliver bespoke, tailored solutions that will work for both professionals and businesses. Everyone has the right to work and TAP is hoping to eradicate the current employment gap within the disabled community.
Liz concludes: “I hope that the personal experiences of the team will help inform an empathetic, open-minded approach to recruitment, which in turn will see even more diverse candidates securing positions with top UK companies.”
Make the first step to your dream job with TAP. Visit their website here to find out more information on how to get involved.
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