CHENNAI: The job fair for candidates with disabilities, organised by the NGO ‘We Are Your Voice’, saw over 200 companies registering and over 3,000 enthusiastic job-seekers thronging the venue.The event, which was pulled off with an active participation of over 1,000 volunteers, was a platform for ITI (Industrial Training Institute) graduates, diploma-holders or other graduates to interact with employers from diverse fields, ranging from State Bank of India and Life Insurance Corporation to Bank of America and Wipro. No fee was collected from either the job-seekers or employers, and candidates came from all over the country.
“We came here from Bengaluru,” said Uma Bangadi, who had accompanied her son Chetan Bangadi for the job fair. “Chetan received a message from a friend and we thought we should try, so we came down. It has been a very good experience and it is the first time I am seeing a job fair solely dedicated to differently-abled candidates. The companies were very supportive and we got a couple of positive responses, so it has been fruitful.”For others, it provided a platform that was a “level playing field”, one where they felt they had an equal chance.
“I have attended other job fairs for graduates, but there, they do not even give differently-abled candidates a second glance,” said M Menaka, who earlier worked on data entry at a firm in Kancheepuram for three years before taking a break because travelling to and fro was tough. “I feel so comfortable being here because generally, I always have a complex when I am at job fairs. Here, I feel we are all equals and am more at ease. I have been told by the employers to work on my English so I will work on that and come back more confident next year.”For companies too, this proved a good way to reach out to skilled candidates.
“This is the fourth year of the job fair and every year, we have seen the response getting better,” said Kasim Basith, founder of ‘We Are Your Voice’. “More companies are coming forward and being a part of this initiative as it provides a great way for them to find deserving candidates, who will help make their workplaces more diverse and inclusive. It is heartening to see that people and companies are coming from across the country with just some emails and WhatsApp messages being forwarded from our side.”
According to the organisers, as per the Indian census of 2011, about 2.68 crore people are differently abled and this segment of unemployed people suffers not just from their disability, but from lack of income. They felt that though they may be qualified to work, they are restricted because the world thinks their disability defines them. Hence, the NGO looked to provide them with employment opportunities.
“I am amazed at the enthusiasm and passion that the candidates had,” said Preethi R, who was one of the interviewers for WNS, a global provider of Business Process Management and Outsourcing solutions.