How to support disabled graduates into the world of work

This article was a shortlisted entry for The Heywood Foundation Public Prize 2021 and is republished with their permission. The Heywood Prize inspires and stimulates conversation amongst policymakers. If you plan to use any of these ideas within government (which is encouraged), please contact heywoodfoundation@gmail.com so the author can be informed their thinking has been put to good use.

• The problem: Disabled students are disadvantaged because of their disability.
• Why it matters: Without voices in the world of work, they become more marginalised.
• The solution: Support for disabled graduates to navigate the shift is vital.

Since leaving university in 2012 and 2018 with a BA in Politics and MA in International Relations, as of 2021, I remain unemployed. This is despite applying for 2000 jobs and attending 200 interviews. Like 14.1 million other people in the UK, I am registered as having a disability and have found finding getting into paid work almost impossible.

For those living with various disabilities, the process of graduating from university is often more challenging than for their non-disabled peers, as they complete the same assignments whilst dealing with extra complications and burdens. Throughout school and university, many disabled people receive extra support to better manage these issues. Upon graduating, this support is withdrawn, and disabled people are left alone for the first time.

Post-graduation, there needs to be more assistance to ensure that disabled graduates have both the qualifications and experience to fill roles.

As Young Powell (2019) says: “Rather than getting help to navigate these challenges, many disabled students experience a sudden drop-off in support during the time between graduating and entering the workplace.” When students graduate, they may receive a normal careers interview but no practical support on how to discuss their disability or any reasonable adjustments. It is the first time no transition plan is in place for that disabled person, and many do not make the leap into employment. The effort put in is wasted.

Solving the issue

As we hopefully leave the Covid-19 pandemic behind us and begin to rebuild the UK’s workforce, maybe it is time to examine how we can better support disabled graduates getting into work. Firstly, we need to ensure that a disability is not a barrier to getting a job. “A survey of 2,000 disabled people found that 51% of applications from disabled people result in an interview, compared with 69% for non-disabled applicants.”

We need to ensure that as many people as possible can use their skills and demonstrate their full potential. How do we achieve this, and is it possible? By engaging with disabled people earlier, whilst they’re still undertaking their studies, it is possible to ensure a smoother transition into the workplace and make the process less daunting.

Most students undertake periods of work experience, either whilst in year 10 or at college. Can this not also be offered to university students during their studies? Many universities offer students with disabilities some sort of academic support whilst at university. By working with the learning support services at the university, a student could contact an employer in their field of study and set up a meeting or interview at the university or their home university.

Meeting them on their home turf

Following this, a meeting or interview would take place with the student and their university support team to discuss how to ensure the placement is a success. The work experience program would take place during parts of the Easter and Summer holidays and allow students to be fully supported by a PA from the university but gain the valuable experience of a professional environment.

For the employer, I believe that these work placements would be a useful opportunity to better understand both the needs and skills of disabled people once they graduate. Giving them a PA during the process ensures that people with more complex disabilities, such as cerebral palsy or autism, gain something from the process but still have a safety net around them, which can help build confidence.

Post-graduation, there needs to be more assistance to ensure that disabled graduates have both the qualifications and experience to fill roles. At present, it’s risky for employers to offer such a job and justify a reasonable adjustment to a disabled candidate when someone without a disability is also applying. A supported graduate scheme for disabled people may offer a better transition from university into work. These schemes aim to allow disabled graduates time to reduce their support and gain vital experience in their chosen field, without the pressure of going for a job alone for the first time. The scheme would last six to 12 months and be in the graduate’s chosen field. By the end of the scheme, a job seeker would have built up enough experience to be successful in future job interviews.

The responsibility lies with us all

Businesses also have a responsibility to normalise disability and reduce some of the barriers people face in getting into work. The lockdown has proven that people can work effectively from home. This offers a unique opportunity for employers, as it removes barriers to adapting workplaces for disabled people.

In general, more support for disabled workers would make the office more accessible. Some examples of this could be a business hiring several PAs, which disabled staff could utilise, for help with note-taking at a meeting or on a phone call. Ensuring that better training is offered surrounding equipment such as Dragon Dictate and reading equipment to assist a blind employee. Such equipment should be made more accessible to the workplace.

Disabled people are just as capable and equally skilled as those without disabilities; however, they often face insurmountable difficulties when entering the workplace. This change would have a positive impact on society as well. Firstly, it will unlock a vast bank of presentable untapped skills and afford dignity to thousands of disabled people. At present the government spends £10-£20,000 per disabled student for no reward: the money is simply wasted. The talents and effort of the students are not utilised to their fullest.

Finally, the change would have an impact on welfare spending. Although in the short term, the government may need to spend more to support graduates into work, it is a net gain in the long term. This person will be a long-term contributor to the economy and not seeking benefits such as Universal Credit and ESA. So, this will cut costs by £12,000 a year.

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(Picture credit: Unsplash)