Disability has been identified by the Ministry of Women, Children and People with Disabilities, the Employment Equity Commission as well as in the National Disability Strategy document (currently at NEDLAC) as probably the most pressing need in the context of all designated persons. Hence, all stakeholders will be placing increasing emphasis on this area.

Disabled persons only comprise 0.8% of the workforce and most of these represent the physically disabled. Intellectually disabled persons face significant challenges and for them the world is a small place comprising only close family and friends.

It is necessary to adopt a progressive approach towards integrating these learners into mainstream economy and society – this mostly starts with detailed assessments, sheltered education and assessments and thereafter more effective job-carving for productive and meaningful employment.

A disability intervention can be quite intimidating given the sensitisation activities, resource allocations, management and systems required. However, at the same time, it is urgent that disabled persons are provided with an opportunity to develop and to grow self-esteem and to contribute in the economic and social mainstream.

Disability Academy

PMI in partnership with I-Can has therefore established a Disability Academy that addresses all of these concerns and more. Basically, it operates as follows:

1. PMI sources and conducts initial assessments on disabled candidates.
2. PMI facilitates the signing of agreements with them.  This would be a Fixed Term Contract for the 12 months based on a learnership agreement.
3. PMI engages in the implementation of a learnership.   All of this is done on site at PMI campuses where the skills transfer and practical facilitation takes place.  It is fully project managed by PMI – off site.
4. During the 12 month process PMI will request an opportunity for these learners to possibly spend some time on your site to get vocational exposure in appropriate settings.  This will be relatively limited and will probably be around 2 – 4 weeks a year.
5. After the 12 month process the employers are free to look at appointing the learner(s) permanently if they desire to do so or they can continue on the same model and progress the learners to other learnerships.

Disability Academy Campuses

PMI has campuses nationally and its Disability Academy operates from Durban, Johannesburg (Kempton Park) and Cape Town (with expansion plans for the Eastern Cape). When PMI started the Disability Academy the main focus was on individuals with intellectual disabilities, but we have recently expanded to include various other disabilities. These include intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities emotional disabilities as well as certain physical disabilities.

PMI’s first disability academy was launched in November 2010. In this short time period, we have been able to support many organizations and learners in respect of their objectives and have had BBBEE verification agencies successfully verify clients in respect of the disability proposition.

Contact us to learn more on our learnerships and facilities.