Paraplegia, Quadriplegia and Employment in Australia
The educational and vocational achievements of a sample of Australians with spinal cord injuries are described in this study. Of the 180 working-age people surveyed, 36% were holding full-time or part-time employment at the time of the survey and one-third had gone on to obtain further qualifications post-injury. The most frequent methods of finding a job post-injury were informal rather than formal, with only 5% of jobs gained through advertisements or employment services. Of those who gained work, 49% did so within 12 months of discharge, but another 14% obtained their job more than five years after initial hospital discharge. The results indicate that there is considerable scope for employment and education achievements following spinal cord injury.