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A new quarterly report from the NDIA sheds light on the outcomes of school leaver employment supports (SLES) from July 2023 to June 2024. The results? Uneven.

It’s the moment of truth. You’ve left school, full of ambition, clutching a support plan from the NDIS—and now you’re expected to find your place in the working world. But for thousands of young people with disability, the dream of paid employment remains elusive, despite targeted programs aimed at smoothing the transition.

More than 7,300 young people received tailored supports to prepare them for work, with almost half that number starting this financial year. These supports include everything from communication training and job-seeking skills to actual work placements. In theory, the model works. In practice, the path to employment remains steep.

Out of 2,165 young people who exited the program, only 22% found open employment. That’s fewer than one in four. Most left without a job.

This is despite what seems like a strong pipeline: nearly half of participants’ time was spent on building critical workplace behaviours and social skills. Just under half received one-on-one support. Yet the numbers tell a story of a system struggling to deliver on its promise.

It’s not all bleak. Those who did find paid work largely landed jobs in retail, hospitality and the trades, with many using their NDIS supports to stay employed. The message is clear: when young people are supported early and well, they can succeed.

But the rising number of school leavers entering the program, combined with stagnant employment outcomes, raises a bigger question. Are we simply training for the sake of training?

We reported most of the Honours recipients this year, but missed Max Burt!

He’s received an OAM for dedicating his life to improving public attitudes and practical outcomes for disabled people, drawing on his own lived experience of multiple disabilities to advocate for greater inclusion and accessibility. Burt founded WheelEasy after a near-fatal collision with a London fire engine, and has pushed access and inclusion initiatives in both the UK and Australia.