Focus on Jobs has been providing occupational assessment and vocational consulting services to ACC and other accident insurers throughout the Auckland area since 1999.

Occupational Assessment Services

We have a team of experienced assessors who take pride in working with you to identify suitable work options and a pathway to becoming ready for these work options.

Occupational assessments are used by ACC and other accident insurers to find out what types of work may be suitable for you. We provide the three types of Occupational Assessment services to ACC and other accident insurers (which are explained in detail below):

  • Initial Occupational Assessment
  • Vocational Independence Occupational Assessment
  • Loss of Potential Earnings Occupational Assessment

Initial Occupational Assessment (IOA)

If you’ve been injured and are at risk of not being able to return to your previous employment, you may be referred for an Initial Occupational Assessment (IOA).

The purpose of the assessment is to determine what types of work may be suitable for you, and what help you need to become employable in these types of work.

In the assessment we gather information on your work experience, education and training, skills and work preferences. We will then identify suitable work options with you, including training or courses required for you to be able to do the work.

We then write this information into a report (often we prepare a CV at the same time).

The next step is for you to meet with a Medical Assessor to work out which work options identified in the IOA are suitable from a medical perspective. The outcome of the medical report will determine your next step in rehabilitation, which could include, for example, a Back to Work Service or further medical treatment. 

Vocational Independence Occupational Assessment (VIOA)

This assessment is very similar to the IOA.

However, you will only be referred for this service if you have been through an IOA and have completed your rehabilitation. Like the IOA, the purpose is to identify types of work you can do with respect to you work experience, education and training, skills and preferences.

The outcome is a report and the next step is to attend a medical assessment to determine what types of work are suitable from a medical perspective.

Loss of Potential Earnings Occupational Assessment (LOPE-OA)

This assessment is similar to the IOA and VIOA above, and is part of the ACC process to determine eligibility for loss of potential earnings compensation for you, if you are 18 years old or over, and suffered an injury under the age of 18.

We gather information on your work experience, education and training, skills and work preferences. We will then identify suitable work options with you (not taking your injury or medical matters into account). We then write this information into a report.

The next step is a medical assessment to determine suitability of the types of work identified.

Vocational Rehabilitation Services – Back to Work, Job Search and Post-placement Support

Focus on Jobs is the exclusive provider of vocational consulting services to Active+ in the greater Auckland area, which includes

  • Back to Work (BTW),
  • Job Search (JS) and
  • Post-placement Support

Back to Work Service

This service will prepare you for a return to the workforce in medically suitable work following injury. It is a multi-disciplinary service and can include input from Vocational Consultants, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, and Psychologists, as well as from other disciplines as required. Our Vocational Consultants coordinate the entire service, and provide all aspects of the service specifically related to career development (rather than for example physical rehab):

We co-ordinate and deliver programmes including:

  • Preparation for employment: Determining what type of work you would like to do, planning to get into that work, goal setting, preparing a CV and cover letters, and preparing for job interviews
  • Co-ordination of training through external providers, such as gaining of driver licences, or computer training
  • Sourcing, setting up and monitoring work experience, or work trials, to get you back out there and, hopefully, to find paid employment
  • Job search with you and on your behalf, including approaching employers directly, liaising with employers regarding contracts and providing ongoing support to maintain employment
  • Business planning services including facilitating market research and business offering decision making, action planning and business plan implementation
  • An exercise based programme specifically designed you prepare for the type of work you are aiming for (delivered by our Physio partners at Active+)
  • Psychology input to prepare you for a return to work from a psychological perspective (delivered by our Registered Psychologist partners at Active+)

We have an excellent track record of securing work experience and paid employment for the people we work with. We have strong employer networks throughout the Auckland area and maintain an active database of over 450 employers who we call upon to place our clients. We are also continually working to make new connections with employers.

Job Search Service

In this service we work with you to help you secure paid employment. This service is available to clients who have progressed through the Vocational Independence process and are nearing the end of their entitlement to ACC weekly compensation. This service can include but is not limited to:

  • CV modification
  • Providing job search advice
  • Preparing a job search plan
  • Job interview tips and training
  • Job application preparation and training
  • Liaison with potential employers

Our consultants tap into our networks and are skilled in making connections with employers to assist you to find the type of employment you want.

We can also assist you to gain employment if referred under the Back to Work Service.

Post-placement Support

Following successful placement into paid employment we provide support to help you maintain your new job. We are available to help you to address any concerns about keeping your job, either related to or unrelated to your injury. This can involve liaising with the employer, or providing other support such as arranging equipment to help you manage the job.