After maneuvering through higher education or TAFE, is employment in the open market happening or people with disabilities. With the statistics on employment by people with disabilities at lower than recommended targets in the private and public sector, can the Federal Governments National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy truly address employment participation for people with disabilities in the open job market across professions, trades or skilled and unskilled jobs?

This paper will look at how, where and when people with disabilities are employed and identify what strategies are being discussed to improve employment participation by people with disabilities across the job market.

The paper will also discuss when people with disabilities are employed in the disability sector and why this occurs. It will address the strengths and opportunities of people with disabilities working within the disability sector as well as highlight the challenges this poses for those employed. It will ask and attempt to answer questions such as why do people work in the disability sector; can or could they work in the non-disability related position? what is the perception of people with disabilities working in the disability sector.

Finally the paper will look at and discuss a personal story of working and living with and in the disability sector. It will highlight the strengths and challenges of this interconnected journey.