A ray of light beckons from the realm of choices we make to build a better society. There seemed to be almost unstoppable sucking of young professionals to the world of banking, law, finance and the endeavors thought to have the most earning power. But, maybe because of the influence of the Global Financial Crisis, there’s been a nice bump in people drawn to a different line of work—disability and community care.

You’d have to gather that from checking in on projectABLE, a free program offering high school students interactive disability awareness and career workshops. Coordinator Jillian Black says National Skills Week—on right now until September 2 —is an ideal time for young people to explore the benefits of choosing a career in the disability and community care sector.

Black says students love finding out how they can use their skills and passion in the sector, with a pretty exciting development:

Nearly 800 students from  more than 40 schools participated in the program in  NSW this year – more than double the number in previous years.

True, that’s still, in strict numbers, small compared to the tens of thousands training their thoughts on other professions. But, doubling the number of participants says something. And coupled with the push by the government to launch the National Disability Insurance Scheme, this is not only a great development but something that indicates a shift in the way people may be thinking about what makes a good society—and where they can contribute.