Working life may seem uncertain – maybe even nearly impossible – but in reality there are many, many jobs for PWDs to thrive in.
Plenty of jobs promising decent pay do not actually require great physical effort. Other jobs may involve technical expertise, yet carrying out related tasks isn’t necessarily made difficult due to learning disabilities.
In fact, some jobs require these “limitations” to be more effective than abled individuals.
While there are hundreds of jobs that PWDs can find suitable, here are some that are catered toward certain circumstances in mind:
Human Resources
Among the higher-paying office jobs available, PWDs can find much satisfaction in the process of managing employee life cycles, recruiting and training staff, as well as administering employee benefits.
As HR personnel naturally have to work closely with people, having empathy is crucial, though this is a trait many PWDs have in spades. This career option is also a great choice if you find it empowering to support a company’s most defining asset – it’s people.
Counselor
By extension, empathy can guide others toward their better selves, rationalize their struggles, or simply provide emotional support. PWDs can opt for this role in hopes of helping others, such as those with similar challenges.
Improving the lives of adults and children is not only extremely rewarding, but tends to pay reasonsably as well. After all, the average monthly salary for counselor jobs ranges from RM2,600 to RM3,800, enough for a modest living.
On-the-phone jobs
This is a great option that doesn’t require any prior knowledge or education-specific skills. All you need is a headset, a communication device and a PC.
On-the-phone jobs also allow for great flexibility and ease. Since this can be done from home and the work hours are not rigid, plenty of PWDs opt for call center or customer service jobs.
WFH-oriented jobs
Other work-from-home jobs include freelance writing, sales and data entry. The options are wildly varied in scope, but are similar in that you usually need a laptop and little else.
While pay isn’t as stable as permanent or office employment, the freedom to set your own work hours can create a much healthier work-life balance.
People with learning disabilities are often naturally artistic with unique perspectives on life. With this in mind, such individuals could consider one of the many WFH-jobs that are creative-oriented, graphic design being one example.
Accounting Specialist
This career path is great to harness your wit, organizational skills, and expertise with finance. While the skill-set required is highly technical, plenty of PWDs have shown to be more capable in this regard than their abled counterparts. In fact, multiple studies indicate that those with developmental limitations are more productive and organized at work.
Accounting is also very repetitive by nature, which can be a positive for people with certain learning disabilities. You can also hop into practically any industry as an accountant, which drastically lowers your chances of suffering from prolonged unemployment.
No matter your skill-set and employment preferences, there is almost certainly a career option you can be effective in. Don’t write off a potential job as impossible to do so quickly. The worst thing you can do is to discriminate against yourself.
References
disABLEDperson (2021) The Seven Best Jobs for Physically Disabled People in 2021 [Accessed 13 December 2022] Available at: https://www.disabledperson.com/blog/posts/182
Taylor Tobin (2022) 21 Great Job Options for People With Disabilities [Accessed 13 December 2022] Available at: https://fairygodboss.com/career-topics/jobs-for-people-with-disabilities
TalentDesk (2018) 25 Great Jobs for People with Disabilities [Accessed 13 December 2022] Available at: https://www.talentdesk.com/resources/jobs-for-people-with-disabilities