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Kiwis with disabilities can look forward to even more employment opportunities thanks to a partnership between Z Energy and specialist employment service Workbridge, announced today.

A new Workbridge Employer Ambassador role, created in partnership with Z Energy, will play a key role in helping employers across New Zealand proactively create more opportunities for people with disabilities.

From 18 April, former Z retailer from the Waikato Region and the winner of this year’s Kiwibank Local Hero of the Year award, Selwyn Cook, will be taking on the role.

“I’ve always been committed to reflecting diversity in the workplace, and to ensuring businesses are more inclusive of those living with disabilities,” Selwyn says.

“My own experience operating a number of Z service stations in the Waikato region has shown me that people with a disability take fewer sick days, stay longer in their jobs and bring no performance management issues.

“Taking up the new Workbridge Employer Ambassador role will enable me to work alongside other New Zealand organisations to help them build inclusive workplaces that more accurately reflect our society, and I’m really excited to have that opportunity.”

Workbridge Chief Executive, Grant Cleland, says both the partnership with Z and the creation of this Workbridge Employer Ambassador role is an exciting opportunity for employers to get support from Selwyn to access the often hidden talent pool of Workbridge jobseekers.

“At Workbridge, our focus is simply on linking the right people with the right jobs. That means looking beyond any disabilities our jobseekers may have and simply ensuring the jobseekers we put forward have the best skills and attitude for that role.

 

“Selwyn has employed over 85 of our jobseekers so he has personally experienced the benefits of employing our jobseekers and has found that this has improved his bottom line.”

Z’s Community Manager, Christine Langdon, says the decision to partner with Workbridge was a really easy one.

“We’re committed to creating employment opportunities for people living with disabilities in our communities – we reckon it’s good for business, good for customers, good for communities and good for New Zealand.

“We’re thrilled to have been able to team up with Workbridge to create this new Employer Ambassador role, and we’re even more thrilled that we’ve been able to put one of our own, Z retailer Selwyn Cook, into this role – given his commitment to the employment of people with disability over the years, we reckon he’s a perfect fit.”

Tags: disabilities, living with disabilities, work, Youth