Enhancing transition to work for students with disability, A guidance methodology. The synthesis report

Résumé 0

Although the number of students with disabilities is increasing in higher education, this has a limited impact on the student’s with disabilities employment rates and opportunities. In some countries, the gap between disabled persons and others in employment is increasing (OCDE, 2003; OCDE, 2008; Ebersold, 2008). Moreover, the present economical slowing down is reinforcing the importance of developing transition to employment strategies and considering the possible bridges that can be created between higher education and employment in order to enhance the students with disabilities chances to get a satisfactory professional life. Indeed, until now Universities admission policies hardly ever included the targeting of people with disabilities in their strategies. As a result, the identification of the means and necessary supports that the students with disabilities would need during their academic journey is made difficult. Moreover, University Disability Support Services are not usually designed to include the employment systems (like internships or the development of special skills between academic studies and employment) in their students with disabilities guidance strategies. Therefore, and especially in the context of the present economic crisis, the development of a disability specific career guidance system dedicated to combining academic success and achievement and access to employment strategies seems to be crucial. These are the reasons why, the Univers’ Emploi project European partners proposed, on the basis of the innovative and successful experience of Aarhus University, to develop a guidance methodology that could contribute to the transition to employment for students with disabilities.