Survey by Tokyo Recruiting Firm Finds People with Intellectual Disabilities Struggle to Find Jobs

From The Kobe Shimbun

August 26 2023

A survey by the Tokyo-based recruiting firm ‘Leverages’ found that 26% of people with disabilities who are working took “more than a year” to find their first job. 42% of those who answered “more than a year” were intellectually disabled, the highest percentage by disability.

A person in charge at the company said, “The support needed for job hunting and in the workplace differs depending on the characteristics of the disability, so it is necessary to provide support according to each individual. The survey was conducted in May, and a total of 300 full-time and contract employees with physical, mental, and intellectual disabilities responded.

When asked how long it took them to find a job, 58% said “less than six months,” 15% said “six months to a year,” and 26% said “a year or more.

Looking at those who answered “more than a year” by disability, those with intellectual disabilities accounted for 42%, followed by those with mental disabilities at 31% and those with physical disabilities at 13%.

The most common difficulty in job hunting (multiple responses) among people with intellectual disabilities was “not knowing which industry, company, or type of work would suit me”. For the mentally challenged, “I can’t find a company that offers the consideration I want,” and for the physically challenged, “I can’t find a company that offers the kind of work I want” were the most common responses, respectively.