PHIL FRIEND

I hadn’t been to NAIDEX for a long time. Years, in fact. So when I wheeled into the NEC in Birmingham last week, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. What I found was extraordinary. And not just for the reasons you might think. Standing or sitting room only I was there to speak. Three of us on a stage — me, Simon Minty, and Abbie Brown — on the subject of employment. The stage was open to the exhibition floor. There were stands all around us, people rolling by, the general hub

I watched the International Women's Day speeches in the House of Lords recently. Baroness Jane Campbell wasn't in the chamber. She joined via Zoom, supported by her personal assistant. It was a small but telling moment. A great demonstration of what happens when barriers are removed, talent can flourish. Jane used her speech to reflect on a "first break" she received decades ago. That single decision started a career that changed disability rights in this country. It's a r

Disabled Entrepreneur AI is threatening the jobs that disabled people depend on most. But their lifetime of navigating a world not built for them might be exactly the skill set the rest of us now need. Nearly a million young people in the UK are currently not in work, education or training. The highest figure in a decade, and still rising. At the same time, entry-level job postings are running 45% below their five-year average. Graduate roles in banking and finance have falle