Centre for Inclusive learning Support

Dr Val Chapman (NTF), DirectorDr Michelle Webster, Project

Coordinator/Researcher (NTFS project)Charlie Wise, Project Officer (EU Validating

Mentoring 2 project)

National Teaching Fellowship Scheme project

Title: ‘Employability and Disability’

Aim: to enhance graduate employability by equipping disabled students with skills to match employability competencies

Employability“A set of achievements - skills,

understandings and personal attributes - that make graduates more likely to gain employment and be successful in their chosen occupations, which benefits themselves, the workforce, the community and the economy.“ (Yorke, 2005, p 8)

Background more diverse workforce in UK by 2010, 40% will be over the age of 45, and less

than 20% of those working full-time will be white, non disabled men under 45

6.8 million disabled people of working age in UK; only 50% of these are in employment compared to 81% of non-disabled people

disabled graduates continue to be more likely to be unemployed (9%) than non-disabled graduates (6.3%)

54.9% of non-disabled graduates work full-time compared with only 48.9% of disabled graduates

Obstacles faced by disabled students in gaining employment:

anxiety about disclosing disability to potential employers;

lack of awareness about the work place due to a lack of work experience - also increases their levels of anxiety;

negative views about employment - that it will be too tough;

lowered self confidence due to unsuccessful job applications, coupled with concern that disability was a deciding factor in their not receiving a job offer;

poor self marketing. (Matosic 2008)

Student Employability Profiles (Kubler et al, 2006)

produced by the Higher Education Academy (HEA) with the Council for Industry in Higher Education (CIHE)

a model that maps employability skills, competencies and attributes that CIHE employer members said they value when recruiting against skills developed through the study of a particular discipline as described in Subject Benchmark Statements (QAA,2004).

USEM model (Knight &Yorke , 2004) Understanding Skilful Practices Efficacy Beliefs Metacognition

Project’s Deliverables Literature review Audit of existing resources Web based resource titled ‘USEMYABILITY’

target users: academic staff careers staff Employers disabled students work-based mentors

A set of case studies of good practice A series of dissemination activities

SCIPS Strategies for Creating Inclusive Programmes of Study