Careers for disabled

Raising awareness of universal opportunity for all is the key to the success for Encompass Community Services.
Encompass College of Education and Training was recently acknowledged for its achievements as a finalist in this year’s Victorian Training Awards.
The nomination recognises Encompass’s dedication to providing real opportunities for people with disabilities as well as training a future workforce in the growing community services sector.
The college began in 1998 when avenues to higher education were limited for people with disabilities.
The college provides an environment enabling people of all abilities with access to training that is personalised to their needs so they can achieve their goals.
Now the disability training provider of choice in the Barwon region, Encompass is recognised as one of the best in the field of community services, with over 90 per cent of its graduates gaining employment.
The college’s trainers are industry leaders, often working full-time in their areas of expertise and committed to training a future workforce. The students benefit from this lived experience.
As the college has grown so has the organisation, with Encompass now providing opportunities in six business enterprises for all its students to gain work experience in a supported environment as a pathway to employment.
Students go onto placement with confidence in the learning they have received.
“We have a student satisfaction rate over 90 per cent,” says college manager Debi Hope.
“We often see a student being offered employment before placement is completed – industry knows the quality of education our students receive.
“We have generations of families enrol at our college.”
More information about the college is available by phoning 5222 2819 or visiting encompass-cs.org.au/services/college.