Bright Futures at APM: How a disability-employment specialist is hiring its own young talent

The challenge

APM had a solid Disability Inclusion Action Plan in place.   Very few employees, however, identified themselves as having a disability, and even fewer were in the early stages of their careers.

One of the barriers the APM team had identified was an assumption that suitable roles for people with disability were limited. Additionally, some managers lacked clarity on how to implement adjustments or offer practical support. Finally, there was the issue of candidates choosing not to disclose their disability, fearing stigma or discrimination.

“We realised there were gaps in leadership understanding of disability inclusion,” the project team recalls.

Building the pilot

With support from APM’s Head of People and Culture- ES, the team collaborated with SVA and CYDA to develop a pilot that could be tested quickly and repeated successfully.

They started by choosing two roles, one in South Geelong and one in Lake Haven. The job descriptions were stripped of jargon and rewritten using inclusive design principles. Recruitment was also reworked: the ads were rewritten in plain, everyday language, and the interview process was simplified.

Next, the focus shifted to training. Before the new recruits started, managers completed disability awareness training delivered by CYDA, ensuring that when the first new team member joined, they would feel confident in supporting them from day one. The young person was matched with a mentor, given short induction modules, and shown a clear pathway into a traineeship. A second hire followed the same model a few months later.

We were exposed to different people and perspectives, including employers, other participants, youth consultants, the SVA, and the CYDA team. Having everyone in the same room was extremely helpful – we received good input. ” Michelle Edwards • Head of People & Culture, APM

Lessons learned and looking ahead

A few key lessons stood out from the pilot. Some were expected. Others were surprising.

Bringing young voices in early made a huge difference.

The Lab’s youth consultants helped shift mindsets quickly by challenging outdated assumptions, often within a single session. Their real-life experiences landed more powerfully than any policy document, says the team. In that sense, the pilot helped reshape APM’s perspective on support and capability. Managers realised roles could be more flexible than expected. What previously felt out of reach was now in sight.

The pilot highlighted learning and communication needs that surfaced after hiring. However, starting small gave the team room to adjust quickly and gave the new employee space to learn and adapt in a safe, supportive environment.

Staff welcomed the new hires. Their presence lifted confidence across the board.  Leaders also grew more confident, especially when it came to talking about inclusion and working with senior decision-makers.

A highlight was when the youth consultants entered the Lab. It was a moment of myth-busting, giving us some of the misconceptions young people experience. ” Erin Edwards • Operations Manager, APM

Key takeaways for employers

What’s next

Both hires are on track, and the pilot’s playbook is now feeding into APM’s national recruitment review.

As part of new outreach strategies, APM is launching job ads that explicitly invite young people with disability. These are designed to reach candidates missed by standard job boards. In targeted areas, each role will be advertised twice – once as a general listing, once with targeted language, so more people see themselves reflected in the ads.

The team is confident their approach is now improved. Every step in the hiring process is reviewed to make sure it meets real needs and helps build a workforce that reflects the people APM serves every day.