Centre for Disability Employment Research an

Centre for Disability Employment Research and Practice provides disability focused employment training and systems research, helping organisations develop practitioners who deliver inclusive employment support. Their ACRE aligned Customised Employment Practitioner certification and Employment Counsellor programs train specialists to deliver high fidelity employment outcomes across Australia. The Centre brings 15+ years of applied practice in disability employment, with proprietary framework tools (ESME, IEFF, PIE CF) developed in disability services and now used across wider employment systems.

• Two accredited practitioner programs, grounded in framework tools tested across two decades in delivery.
• Trains nationally and internationally through experienced practitioners deployed as training associates.
• Conducts research on employment systems design and provider capability, publishing in peer reviewed journals.
• Hosts two annual community gatherings: the open Customised Employment Conference (capped at approximately 50 people) and closed CE Practitioners’ Retreat for active practitioners and trainers.

Best for: Disability employment services, NDIS providers, and government agencies seeking to build workforce capability in inclusive employment practice and systems design.

CDERP College delivers Australia’s only ACRE aligned Customised Employment Practitioner certification and clinical grade Employment Counsellor programs, training employment specialists to a standard rarely taught in general services. Both programs are grounded in proprietary framework tools developed across two decades in disability employment, now applied across broader employment systems. The College trains nationally and internationally through experienced practitioners deployed as training associates in each region.

• Credentialed programs with ACRE alignment; practitioner certification takes specialists from Discovery through to durable placement at fidelity.
• Employment Counsellor Program blends vocational support and clinical psychology for fragile employment journeys.
• Research informed, led by Dr Peter Smith (Director; doctorate in employment systems, University of Sydney).

Best for: Disability employment services and NDIS providers seeking accredited professional development in employment practice design and practitioner capability.