Howard Trotter, general manager of Birmingham-based PVC-U window and door manufacturer, Shelforce, has said he is delighted with recently released figures that claim 973,000 more disabled people are in work since 2013.
Shelforce is reported to have been leading the way in inclusivity in the glazing industry when it comes to training and employment opportunities, with 75% of its workforce disabled.
The latest figures from the Office of National Statistics show more than half of disabled people are now in work, outnumbering those who are not in work. Official figures also show that one in five new enterprise business start-ups are run by disabled entrepreneurs.
Howard commented: “What these figures show is that employers are waking up to the fact that disabled workers are hugely talented and can really help boost businesses.
“It’s great to hear that attitudes are changing across the country as workplaces become more inclusive and that hundreds of thousands more disabled people are benefitting from new career opportunities.”
Howard continued: “We’ve benefitted hugely from the inbuilt resilience of disabled workers throughout our long history. They overcome bigger obstacles every day than many of us will face in a year – and that means they’ve got a toughness and a determination that’ll see them through any business or production issue in the workplace.
“They make exceptionally loyal, dedicated, hard-working employees in this and any other industry, so why wouldn’t you want to pick from a huge talent pool?”
Shelforce is set to open a dedicated training facility at its factory in Erdington to provide regular work experience placements for students from nearby schools, including special needs schools.
