Centrelink is an Australian Government agency that offers a 'one-stop shop' for a range of services for Australians including people looking for work, people with a disability, families, sole parents, retired people, carers, widows, primary producers, students, young people, Indigenous people and people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

As a TAFE graduate with a disability who is seeking employment, Centrelink can assist you with:

• financial assistance
• referral to appropriate employment services and/or
• access to an online job database

Centrelink have Senior Customer Service Officers who work across ALL Centrelink offices to assist you by:

• advising on the best employment services to help you get a job.

  They have knowledge of disabilities; how disability affects your work skill; the labour market; employment assistance options; employment services; and access to training and vocational rehabilitation

• advising and assessing your eligibility for disability and carer related payments

  Payments may include the Disability Support Pension, Newstart Allowance, Youth Allowance, Mobility Allowance and Sickness Allowance

• referring you to specialised employment services and other organisations that can help with training, vocational rehabilitation and non-work related issues

  A Senior Customer Service Officer will meet with you to decide what type of employment service would suit your needs. They will ask you to meet with them or an independent Job Capacity Assessor to assess the level of your disability and what type and level of support you may require. To determine this, you will need to complete a Job Capacity Assessment with them.

  The outcome of the assessment will help decide what service you should access. The service may be a Disability Employment Network Service , a Vocational Rehabilitation Service (such as CRS Australia) or a Job Network .

• linking you with local disability and carer organisations appropriate to your needs

  Senior Customer Service Officers have an extensive listing of disability and carer organisations within the local area that they can refer you to if you require additional support.

• referring you to other specialist officers within Centrelink such as Social Workers

How Do I Make Contact with a Centrelink Senior Customer Service Officer?

To make contact with a Senior Customer Service Officer:

• Go to your local Centrelink Customer Service Centre and ask to meet with a Senior Customer Service Officer. You may need to make an appointment. Click here to find out where your local Centrelink Customer Service Centre is located.
• Telephone Centrelink to make an appointment with a Centrelink Senior Customer Service Officer, Telephone: 13 27 17.

Further Information:

Centrelink Australia website
Centrelink Senior Customer Service Officers