Security company Certis hires 66 people with disabilities

Miss Yeo Hui Qing and Mr K. R. Teh work as library service assistants at the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library, shelving books, helping patrons find the right reference books, and retrieving collections based on requests.

The 29-year-old woman and the 30-year-old man found their jobs at National Library Singapore in Victoria Street through security company Certis in August.

The two workers have autism, and were among the 29 individuals with disabilities hired by the company that month. Certis now employs a total of 66 such people.

The company has come a long way since hiring its first two staff members with disabilities in 2020.

Deputy chief executive Lee Hock Heng told The Straits Times that the company continually looks for ways to support the employment of people with disabilities within the organisation and with its partners.

“What is equally important is fostering a culture of empathy and understanding, which is why we train our people to work inclusively and supportively alongside those with disabilities.

“Everyone deserves the chance to thrive, and we are committed to providing these opportunities,” he said.

Certis expanding its inclusive employment is in line with the national initiative Enabling Masterplan 2030, under which the Government and community work together to support people with disabilities.

The employment rate of people with disabilities aged 15 to 64 stood at 30.1 per cent from 2020 to 2021. The masterplan aims to increase this to 40 per cent by 2030, meaning an additional 4,500 people with disabilities are expected to be placed into a job by then.

In August, Certis worked with the Autism Resource Centre Singapore (Arcs) to hire 29 individuals with autism.

“We believe that inclusion is not just a responsibility, but a core part of our purpose at Certis. Sixty-six years on, we have evolved beyond our roots as a security firm with a diverse offering of solutions, from artificial intelligence-powered operations-technology and facilities management to outsourcing services like recruitment,” said Mr Robin Goh, senior vice-president and head of group communications and marketing at Certis.

Of the 66 individuals with disabilities hired by the company, 47 were hired under the business process outsourcing (BPO) services at Certis, trained and subsequently deployed.

The remaining 19 are currently employed with the company’s secure logistics services and integrated facilities management business units, where they work in different roles, from servicing the cash processing centre to providing IT helpdesk support. 

The 29 recruits with autism were deployed to the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library and a dedicated job site at the Enabling Village, where their skills and strengths would see them make valuable contributions.

Features such as dimmer lighting and a quiet environment in libraries make them ideal settings for those with autism to feel comfortable and thrive at work.

Mr Teh said this of his job at the reference library, where exclusively people with disabilities are employed: “For dispatch duties, I can venture out of the library. For new arrival duties, I get to see some new books before anyone else does. And as for reference closed collection shelving, I get to see old books that not many people get to see.”

 

His colleague, Ms Yeo, enjoys working at the library “because (my colleagues) are very helpful whenever I need help with shelving and retrieving items that are on high shelves, or with heavy items”.

Mr Muhammad Iqbal Buang, 32, from the business process outsourcing services of Certis, was assigned as the on-site supervisor for Mr Teh and Ms Yeo.

“It warms my heart when I see the interactions between the staff and members of the public, and I believe that seeing more people with disabilities taking on regular jobs in the workplace will make a big impact on improving inclusivity in our society,” he said.

“In fact, I also learnt from them... I can understand their social cues, gauging changes in behaviour or tone of voice as they do not really use words to express themselves,” Mr Iqbal added. 

Executive director of Arcs Jacelyn Lim said she was heartened by Certis’ support “to embrace inclusive employment”.

“They have shown how organisations can tap the strengths of individuals with disabilities and provide them the dignity of work. 

“Successful job placements are a win-win for both the employer and the employees. We hope more organisations can come forward to partner us and provide opportunities to enable those with disabilities to become contributing members of our society,” she added.

Mr Goh of Certis said: “Our people are the heart of our business, and by providing continuous training and support, we aim to make the employment journey seamless for both our employees and our clients.

“We look forward to expanding our partnerships and creating even more opportunities for people with disabilities.”