Jakarta (ANTARA) \u2013 A man\u2019s frail hands steadily pushed his daughter\u2019s\nwheelchair along corridor after corridor at a job fair in the Smesco\nBuilding in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
With every push came a father\u2019s determination to see his only\ndaughter have a future and the chance to stand on her own feet. He\nknows, however, that the world of work does not always make room for\nher.<\/p>\n
Armed with a degree in communications, internship experience at RRI\nand a stint working at a private bank, his daughter had sent more than\n10 applications since graduating in 2024.<\/p>\n
But she had yet to find the job she hoped for. Her father was not\nasking for special treatment; he simply wanted opportunities to be open\nto her, so that she would not be ruled out before she had a chance to\ndemonstrate her abilities.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf it can be for people with disabilities, it\u2019s not that we\u2019re\nasking for special treatment. There should be opportunities, so they\u2019re\nnot at a disadvantage compared with able-bodied people,\u201d said the\nfather, Ami.<\/p>\n
His voice shook and he was unable to hold back tears as he expressed\nthis hope.<\/p>\n
He had travelled from Tanjung Duren by TransJakarta, hoping his\ndaughter, who has a disability, would find work soon after graduating in\n2024.<\/p>\n
Amid the crowds at the job fair, Ami said he was still unsure which\ncompanies offered jobs to people with disabilities, particularly\npositions suited to his daughter\u2019s communications background.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve already asked whether there are vacancies specifically for\npeople with disabilities. They said they can apply for everything, but\nwe don\u2019t know which ones,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Ami said he and his daughter, 24-year-old Amelia Zuhalmi, had visited\nseveral company stands. They were also advised to attend counselling or\ntraining, but had yet to receive clear information about suitable\nvacancies.<\/p>\n
Technical problems also hindered their efforts. When they tried to\napply to a retail company, they could not proceed with registration\nbecause a poor internet connection prevented the barcode from being\nscanned.<\/p>\n
For Ami, attending the job fair was one way to help his daughter\nsecure a steady income.<\/p>\n
After graduating, Amelia completed an internship but had not found a\njob with a reliable monthly salary.<\/p>\n
Asked what she hoped the government would do, Ami said he wanted a\ndedicated pathway to make it easier for people with disabilities to\naccess employment opportunities.<\/p>\n
Amelia, meanwhile, continues to look for work that matches her\nabilities. A graduate in communications from Dian Nusantara University,\nshe is interested in communications, particularly working as a radio\npresenter.<\/p>\n
She also enjoys writing and is interested in producing podcasts.\nDespite this experience, Amelia said she had yet to find work.<\/p>\n
Since graduating, she has applied to more than 10 companies and\nattended interviews, but has not been hired.<\/p>\n
\u201cPerhaps it\u2019s because of the limitations. Not every company is\nwilling to hire people with disabilities, so it\u2019s still quite\ndifficult,\u201d Amelia said.<\/p>\n
Amelia, who has used a wheelchair since birth, admitted that she\nsometimes feels self-conscious when she sees other applicants moving\naround more freely.<\/p>\n
But she tries not to let that feeling stop her from continuing to\nlook for work.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do feel self-conscious sometimes. But then again, if I keep\nfeeling that way, I\u2019ll never move forward,\u201d Amelia said.<\/p>\n
In her view, employment opportunities for people with disabilities\nneed to be expanded. She hopes more companies will offer accessible\nvacancies, including roles suited to applicants\u2019 skills and educational\nbackgrounds.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope that in the future some companies will set aside positions\nfor people with disabilities and be willing to hire disabled workers,\u201d\nshe said.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/seeking-employment-opportunities-for-people-with-disabilities-1792738620", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }