SINGAPORE - Mr Muhamad Faris Muhd Rosbaha has Tourette syndrome and dystonia, a movement disorder where muscles in his right hand and neck contract involuntarily. He studied mechanical engineering at Singapore Polytechnic, but was worried about finding a job after completing national service in 2021.

“I was at my lowest after I finished NS… It was super tough on my neck, my hand. I was in pain the moment I woke up,” said the 26-year-old. “In that state, I didn’t even have the energy and strength to look for a job.”

His condition is triggered by fatigue, stress and changes in the environment, including hot weather.

In September 2022, Mr Faris joined Bizlink Centre as a trainee under the Train and Place programme in the Data Management and Contact Centre.

The programme allowed him to work at his own pace, and trainers made the effort to understand him.

Mr Faris is now working in sheltered employment as a data entry operator and has grown confident enough to look out for other trainees with disabilities – for instance, in helping to calm them down when someone has a meltdown.

“I am a completely different person from how I was like a year ago,” he said. “The programme and trainers allowed me to explore and do things I thought I was unable to do.”

For instance, he tried pasting stickers on packing goods, a task which was difficult for him due to the limited dexterity in his hands – and found that it was not as tough as he had thought.

He also became less afraid to ask questions and sought help when he needed it.

Mr Faris, who hopes to become financially independent enough to pay his medical bills himself, was commended by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat on Nov 24 at Bizlink’s Enabling Employment Appreciation Dinner, held at the Genting Hotel Jurong.

In his speech, DPM Heng, the guest of honour, highlighted a new programme by Bizlink to train and place at least 60 persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the logistics and e-commerce fulfilment sector.

Bizlink’s Train and Place programme has helped individuals with various disabilities find jobs in growth industries such as e-commerce, creative graphic design, and food and beverage.

“Yours is an empowering model focused on training and enabling employment, to give your clients the dignity of inclusion and independence through work,” he said.

The new programme is supported by the Enabling Lives Initiative Grant by disability agency SG Enable.

In December, Bizlink will open a simulated logistics and e-commerce fulfilment training centre, aimed to better prepare people with disabilities for the work environment.

DPM Heng said Bizlink Centre is partnering Amazon and Republic Polytechnic to train the first batch of five clients for two to six months before referring them to potential employers in the logistics industry, including Amazon.

“This partnership is commendable, as it supports the Government’s broader effort to provide more structured lifelong learning opportunities with meaningful career pathways for everyone, including persons with disabilities,” he said.

DPM Heng said organisations such as Bizlink help raise the employment rate of PWDs from the current 31 per cent to the Government’s aspirational target of 40 per cent by 2030. This would mean placing about 10,000 PWDs in jobs.

Bizlink chief executive Ang Li May said it has conducted job training for 150 persons with disabilities and mental health conditions, and placed about 90 in jobs. But she noted that most of them are people with mental health conditions rather than people with disabilities.

She said trainers make use of the training period to get to know PWDs before referring them to employers.

“We want to understand the environment that best suits them, the job roles that best meet the interests and their ability.”

Bizlink also has trainees do job trials with companies for a few days before letting the company decide if the client is a good fit.

To help with settling in, a job coach follows up with the person with disability for up to a year. Companies can also help introduce the person to the workflow, the work environment and colleagues to prevent him from becoming overwhelmed and quitting early on.

She said employers can also pair PWDs with a “buddy” colleague to help with work etiquette and workflow. 

“They may not be so comfortable approaching the supervisors for things that they don’t know. And a lot of times for persons with disabilities who have certain conditions like autism or intellectual disability, they do need repetition of workflow.”

Other ways to help PWDs include allowing them flexible hours, such as letting them start with four hours a day and gradually increasing the amount of time at work, or allowing them to take half-hourly breaks to self-regulate.

Ms Ang said companies are expected to pay PWDs fairly, and pro-rate pay according to their working hours or tie it to their productivity.

She said companies should hire PWDs not just to fulfil their corporate social responsibility obligations, but because they are able to get the job done. “Employers should look at PWDs as part of their core workforce... Opportunities for promotion then should be aligned with the rest of the workforce.”