Finding & Keeping a Job with the NDIS: A Practical Guide

If you have an NDIS plan and want to work, the scheme can fund supports that help you get there. Employment supports under the NDIS cover things like building work-readiness skills, practising job interviews, and getting on-the-job assistance once you are employed. They are separate from the Australian Government's general employment services (like Disability Employment Services), so you can often access both at the same time. This guide explains what is available, who pays for what, how to choose a provider, and what warning signs to watch out for.

What are NDIS employment supports?

NDIS employment supports sit under the Improved Living Arrangements and Finding and Keeping a Job support categories in your plan. In plain terms, they fund personalised help that is directly related to your disability and that goes beyond what mainstream employment services provide.

Examples of what the NDIS can fund include:

• Work-readiness programmes, such as practising workplace communication or managing sensory needs in an office environment
• Assistance from a job coach or employment support worker while you are at work
• Help building skills for self-employment or running a small business
• Supports for school leavers transitioning into employment (sometimes called SLES - School Leaver Employment Supports)
• Assistance with travel training so you can get to and from work independently

What the NDIS does not fund is the job placement service itself. Finding you a job is the role of mainstream employment services, including Disability Employment Services (DES) providers, which are funded by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. The NDIS sits alongside those services, not instead of them.

School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES)

If you are a young person leaving school, SLES is a dedicated support type that can be included in your plan. It is designed to give you up to two years of focused preparation before moving into open employment or another pathway. Activities can include work experience, vocational skills training, and building social skills for the workplace. Ask your planner or LAC about SLES specifically if you are in your final years of school.

Who pays for employment supports?

This is where things get a little complicated, so it helps to understand the three-way picture.

The NDIS pays for disability-specific supports that go above and beyond what is available to everyone. If your support worker needs to be with you at work to help you manage tasks related to your disability, that cost can come from your plan.

Disability Employment Services (DES) pays for job placement and ongoing support for people with disability who are looking for work. DES is free to eligible participants and is funded by the federal government. You do not use your NDIS plan for DES.

Your employer pays for reasonable adjustments in the workplace under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. This might include modified equipment, flexible hours, or a changed workstation.

Because these three streams overlap, it is important that your NDIS planner, your DES provider (if you have one), and any NDIS employment support provider all know about each other. Double-funding the same support is not allowed, and the NDIA may ask for evidence that a support is not already covered elsewhere.

If you are working with a support coordinator, they can help you map out which costs belong where. You can learn more about how support coordinators approach this kind of planning on the support coordinator workspace at OpenWay.

How to find an NDIS employment support provider

Not every NDIS provider offers employment supports, and the quality and approach varies a lot. Here is a practical process for finding someone who suits you.

1. Check your plan first

Before you start contacting providers, confirm that your plan includes funding under the Finding and Keeping a Job support category. If it does not, speak to your LAC or support coordinator about requesting it at your next plan review.

2. Decide what you actually need

Employment supports cover a wide range of activities. Being clear about your goal makes it much easier to shortlist providers. Ask yourself:

• Do I want help preparing for work (resume writing, interview practice, workplace social skills)?
• Do I need support once I am already in a job (a job coach who comes with me)?
• Am I interested in self-employment or social enterprise?
• Do I need travel training to get to work independently?

3. Look for providers with relevant experience

A provider who specialises in employment supports will understand how DES and the NDIS interact, will have relationships with local employers, and will have experience supporting people with your type of disability. Ask directly: "Have you supported people with [my disability] into employment before? What did that look like?"

4. Ask about their approach

Good employment support providers take a strengths-based approach. They focus on what you can do and what you want, not just on barriers. If a provider leads with what you cannot do, that is a sign to keep looking.

5. Confirm their registration

If your NDIS funding is plan-managed or agency-managed, the provider you choose may need to be NDIS-registered. Check the NDIS Commission's provider register, or look for providers who display their registration details clearly. You can also browse NDIS providers across Australia on OpenWay and filter by support category to find employment specialists in your area.

What to look for in a service agreement

Once you have shortlisted a provider, you will need to sign a service agreement before supports start. This is a legal document, so read it carefully. Key things to check include:

1. Scope of support - exactly what activities will the provider deliver, and how often?
2. Hourly rates - do they match the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits?
3. Cancellation policy - what notice do you need to give, and what are the charges if you cancel late?
4. Travel and non-face-to-face charges - some providers charge for travel time or for admin work done on your behalf. These should be itemised.
5. Exit arrangements - how do you end the agreement if things are not working out?

Never sign an agreement that locks you in for a very long period with no exit clause. The NDIS is built on participant choice and control, and a good provider will respect that.

Red flags to watch for

Most NDIS employment support providers do the right thing, but there are some warning signs worth knowing.

• Pressure to sign quickly - a reputable provider will give you time to read the service agreement and ask questions.
• Vague about rates - if a provider cannot tell you clearly what they charge per hour and how that aligns with the NDIS Pricing Arrangements, that is a problem.
• Promises of job outcomes - no provider can guarantee you a job. Anyone who promises specific employment outcomes is overstating what they can deliver.
• Minimal contact with you directly - if the provider seems to be dealing mostly with your family or support coordinator rather than with you, that undermines your choice and control.
• No written agreement - supports should never start without a signed service agreement in place.
• Billing for supports not delivered - keep an eye on your plan spending (via the myplace portal) and query any charges you do not recognise.

If you have concerns about a provider's conduct, you can contact the NDIS Commission on 1800 035 544 or lodge a complaint through their website. For guidance on what safe and verified providers look like on OpenWay, visit our trust and safety page.

Tips for making employment supports work well

Getting the most from your employment supports is not just about finding the right provider. Here are some practical habits that help:

• Keep your goals visible. Write down what you want from work - the type of role, the hours, the environment - and share that with your provider from day one.
• Communicate changes early. If your job situation changes (new hours, new employer, new challenges), tell your provider so they can adjust their support.
• Stay connected with your DES provider. If you are using both DES and NDIS employment supports, make sure both providers know about each other and are not duplicating effort.
• Review regularly. Ask your provider for updates on your progress. If you are not moving forward after several months, it is reasonable to ask why and to consider other options.
• Use your support coordinator. If you have a support coordinator in your plan, they can help you troubleshoot, find alternative providers, or prepare for a plan review. Participants and families looking for general guidance can also start at the OpenWay page for individuals and families.

Frequently asked

Can I use my NDIS plan to pay for a TAFE course or vocational training?

Generally, no. The NDIS does not fund mainstream education or vocational training because that is the responsibility of state and territory governments and the federal education system. However, the NDIS may fund disability-specific supports that help you participate in a course, such as a support worker who assists you in the classroom or travel training to get there. Speak to your planner or LAC about what is and is not in scope for your specific situation.

What is the difference between a job coach and a DES provider?

A DES (Disability Employment Services) provider helps you find a job and can offer ongoing support once you are employed, all funded by the federal government at no cost to you. A job coach funded through your NDIS plan provides disability-specific, personalised support at work that goes beyond what DES covers. The two can work alongside each other. Your NDIS plan cannot fund the DES service itself, only the additional supports your disability requires.

My plan does not include Finding and Keeping a Job funding. Can I still get employment support?

Yes, in some cases. If you are eligible for DES, you can access those services regardless of what is in your NDIS plan. You can also raise employment goals at your next plan review and ask for the relevant support category to be included. If you have a support coordinator, ask them to help you build a case for why employment supports are reasonable and necessary given your disability and your goals.

How OpenWay can help

Finding an employment support provider who genuinely understands your disability and your goals takes time. OpenWay is a free-to-use marketplace where NDIS participants, families and support coordinators can browse and compare disability service providers across Australia, including those specialising in employment supports.

You can browse NDIS employment support providers on OpenWay, filter by location and support category, read provider profiles, and send enquiries directly. There is no cost to participants or families to use the platform.

If you are a support coordinator helping a participant explore their employment pathway, the OpenWay coordinator tools are designed to make shortlisting and sharing provider options straightforward.

OpenWay is not part of the NDIS, NDIA or NDIS Commission. Final scope, pricing, travel, cancellation rules and non-face-to-face charges must be confirmed in a written service agreement between the participant (or their authorised support person) and the provider.