The NDIS and Employment Supports: How to Prepare For, Find and Keep a Job
NDIS employment supports explained in plain English: what your plan funds, SLES for school leavers, and how it works with mainstream job services.
What "NDIS employment supports" actually cover
NDIS vs mainstream job services: who pays for what
School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES) for young people
Finding a job: what the NDIS can fund
Keeping a job: on-the-job and in-work support
Supported employment and Australian Disability Enterprises
How to get employment supports into your plan
A real-life example
How the 2026-27 reforms affect employment supports
Common pitfalls and practical tips
What to do next and where to get help
Frequently asked questions
Can the NDIS find me a job?
Not directly. The NDIS funds disability-specific help to build your work skills and to support you on the job. Finding the actual job and dealing with employers is usually the role of the free mainstream disability employment service, which you can use at the same time as your NDIS plan.
What is the difference between the NDIS and the mainstream disability employment service?
The mainstream service is a free Australian Government program that helps people with disability search for and get a job in the open workforce. The NDIS funds the extra, disability-specific support around that — building your skills beforehand and providing tailored help on the job. They are meant to work together, and you are not choosing one instead of the other.
My child is finishing school — how do we start with SLES?
Raise employment as a goal at the plan meeting before their final year of school, so School Leaver Employment Supports can be in place in time. Bring the school's transition report and any therapist reports that describe their work-related support needs. A support coordinator can help you find a SLES provider once the plan is approved.
Will the 2026 changes cut my employment supports?
The main spending reset is aimed at social, civic and community participation supports, not employment and not personal care. That said, how supports are categorised and how much you use can affect your individual plan. Don't assume your work supports are cut or untouched — confirm your own situation with the NDIA, especially as dates are still changing.
Can I get NDIS help if I already have a job?
Yes. Supports-in-employment funding can pay for disability-specific help to keep you in work, such as a job coach or support worker who helps you learn tasks and settle in. The amount can be higher at first and reduce as you become more independent.