Written evidence from Brandon Fuller (DEG0015)

I’ve been looking for work since Ii completed my degree ion 2009, I’ve been looking ever since.  I am physically disabled.  Every time Ii speak to a “Job Recruitment” company and mention the ‘D’ (Disability) word, they either:

A.)   Run a mile

B.)   Say they keep our job profile on file, never to be heard again

C.)   Say to do things, forgetting that whatever I’ve tried isn’t going to get me any step further to my ultimate goal.

I’ve enclosed one of the 100’s of job applications that I’ve applied for the committee and if given the opportunity would like to appear to give further evidence, because the laws (currently) simply doesn’t reflect how hard disabled applicants has to go through, to get the role without the awareness coming from the company that is being applied to.  I appreciate that there is competition out there, buts its getting so bad, by the time we apply, its either, the job has gone, not enough experience (in my case not a lot to say there), or we are so far at the back of the queue, we are nothing more than a dot in the landscape.  I’ve been trying for the games industry to give me a little experience due to my physical disability, but they say they haven’t the time or make up some other excuse, to either boost up your skills, by re-training, go to Game Jams etc.  There simply need to be a level playing field, something we as disabled can reach for, however we are left to do it ourselves.  That I find unfair, and have been in that situation since my degree, getting all the talk, but simply no action.  Therefore, it begs me to ask the question, is it me?  If not why is the barriers still there, and have always been there?

I have lots of examples of inquiries and applications I have made for jobs.

December 2020