Tired of hearing that inclusive hiring is “too hard” or “too costly”? We sat down with Jigsaw Australia’s Canberra hub manager, Lucas Tyson, to unpack a model that proves otherwise: real workplace training through digitising projects, award wages from day one, and structured support that makes placements stick. This is a ground-level look at how to turn paperwork backlogs into purposeful work and transform hesitation into confident hiring.

We walk through how Jigsaw blends an NDIS-backed mission with a social enterprise engine, giving participants hands-on experience while delivering reliable results to councils, schools, and businesses. Lucas explains why paying award wages is non-negotiable, how loyalty and focus show up on the job, and where part-time pathways help people build stamina without overwhelming teams. You’ll hear exactly how their support scales—from pre-start education for supervisors to on-the-job coaching—and why that approach helps managers overcome the fear of added workload.

We also demystify job carving, with practical examples of tasks that boost team productivity: data entry, report prep, online research, and records management. As technology evolves, we tackle the AI question head-on—how to train people to use basic AI tools to speed up workflows while keeping human judgment at the center. Lucas shares where placements are growing across government and private sectors, what Canberra’s disability employment targets look like in practice, and how new programs like Inclusive Employment Australia open the door with wage subsidies and real guidance.

If you lead a team or advise hiring managers, this conversation gives you the playbook: educate your leaders, design roles around strengths, and partner with experts who stand beside you through the transition. Ready to see how inclusive employment can be both ethical and efficient? Follow the show, share this episode with a colleague, and leave a review with the one role you’d carve first—we’d love to hear what you’d try next.