NDIS Employment Supports: How to Find and Keep a Job

For many Australians with disability, finding meaningful work isn't just about income — it's about independence, social connection, and building a life on your own terms. The NDIS recognises this and can fund a range of employment-related supports to help you find and keep a job. But the system can be confusing, especially because the NDIS shares the employment space with another government program — Disability Employment Services (DES).

Does the NDIS cover employment supports?

Yes — but with an important boundary. The NDIS funds the disability-specific supports you need to prepare for, find, and maintain employment. It does not fund the job itself (wages are the employer's responsibility), and it does not duplicate what mainstream employment services already provide.

In practice, this means the NDIS might fund things like a job coach who helps you learn workplace routines, or assistive technology that lets you perform your role. It won't pay for a job listing service or your salary — those sit outside the scheme's scope. Understanding this boundary is key to making a successful case in your planning meeting.

What employment supports the NDIS can fund

Employment supports sit under the Capacity Building budget, specifically in the "Finding and Keeping a Job" category. Here's what can be covered:

• Individual employment support — One-on-one job coaching to help you learn specific workplace tasks, navigate workplace social dynamics, or develop routines that support consistent attendance.
• Workplace assessments and modifications — An occupational therapist or specialist assessing your workplace and recommending changes — from ergonomic equipment to software that supports your communication or mobility needs.
• Assistive technology for employment — Devices, software, or equipment you need specifically to perform your job. This is separate from general assistive technology for daily living, and must be directly linked to your employment goals.
• Travel training — Learning to use public transport to get to and from work independently. This can include practice sessions with a support worker travelling your route with you until you're confident doing it alone.
• Employment-related counselling — Support from a psychologist or counsellor focused specifically on workplace challenges, such as managing anxiety in a work environment or building confidence for job interviews.
• Micro-enterprise support — If your goal is self-employment, the NDIS can fund support to help you set up and run a small business, including mentoring and administrative assistance.

School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES)

SLES is a specific NDIS-funded program for young people in their final years of school or who have recently left school — typically ages 16 to 22. Its purpose is to bridge the gap between school and work by building employment readiness skills before you transition into longer-term employment supports.

SLES funding is typically provided for up to two years after leaving school. During that time, a SLES provider helps you explore different types of work, gain work experience through placements or volunteering, develop skills like time management and communication, and build a clearer picture of what kind of employment is realistic and fulfilling for you. SLES is not job placement — it's preparation and exploration. Once the two-year period ends, the expectation is that you transition into mainstream employment services (DES) or, if your disability requires it, ongoing NDIS-funded employment supports.

NDIS vs Disability Employment Services (DES) — what's the difference?

This is the most common source of confusion. DES is a separate federal government program (run through the Department of Social Services, not the NDIA) that helps people with disability, injury, or health conditions find and keep jobs. DES providers do things like résumé writing, job matching, interview preparation, and post-placement support.

The key distinction: DES handles the employment side (finding jobs, applying, employer liaison), while the NDIS handles the disability side (the specific supports you need to succeed at work because of your disability). In a well-coordinated case, your DES provider and your NDIS-funded supports work alongside each other — DES finds the opportunity, NDIS-funded supports help you thrive in it.

If you're unsure which program to approach first, start with DES if you need help with job searching and applications. Bring the NDIS in when you need disability-specific supports that DES can't provide — like specialised job coaching, workplace modifications, or assistive technology directly tied to your employment.

How to get employment supports into your plan

Employment supports are not automatic. You need to make a case during your planning meeting or plan review. Here's how to prepare:

1. Set a clear employment goal — Your plan needs a specific goal like "I want to find part-time work in retail within 12 months" or "I want to build skills that prepare me for supported employment." Vague goals like "I want a job" make it harder for the NDIA to determine what supports are reasonable and necessary.
2. Gather evidence — Reports from allied health professionals (occupational therapist, psychologist) or your existing support coordinator that explain why you need disability-specific employment support, not just general job-seeking help.
3. Show what you've already tried — If you've attempted mainstream employment services (like DES) and they haven't been sufficient, explain why. This strengthens the case that NDIS-funded supports are necessary.
4. Be specific about the support you need — Instead of requesting "employment support," name the type: "10 hours per week of individual job coaching for the first three months of employment, reducing as independence builds."

What employment support looks like in practice

To ground this in reality, here's an example. Sam is 24, lives with an intellectual disability, and has a goal of working in a café. His NDIS plan includes:

• 8 hours per week of individual employment support — a job coach who attends Sam's shifts, helps him learn the sequence of tasks (opening, food prep, cleaning, closing), and gradually fades support as Sam becomes more independent.
• A one-off workplace assessment by an occupational therapist, who recommends a visual task board (a laminated checklist with pictures for each step of the coffee-making process).
• Travel training — 6 sessions with a support worker, travelling Sam's bus route to and from the café until he can do the trip independently.

Six months in, Sam's job coach only attends one shift per week. After 12 months, Sam is working independently with occasional phone check-ins. That gradual reduction of support is the model: the goal is always to build capacity, not create permanent dependence.

Key takeaways

• The NDIS funds disability-specific employment supports — not job placement and not wages.
• Employment supports sit under Capacity Building, and you need a specific employment goal in your plan to access them.
• SLES is the dedicated pathway for school leavers aged 16–22, providing up to two years of employment preparation.
• DES and the NDIS are separate systems — they work alongside each other, not as alternatives.
• Strong evidence and a clear goal are essential to getting employment supports approved in your plan budget.

Employment is a realistic goal for many NDIS participants — but it requires the right scaffolding. If you're exploring this path, start the conversation with your support coordinator or LAC well before your next planning meeting so there's time to gather the evidence and craft a goal that gives you the best chance of approval.