ERIC Number: EJ1383752
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2379-7762
EISSN: EISSN-2328-3343
Available Date: N/A
Recent College Graduates with Disabilities: Higher Education Experiences and Transition to Employment
Phillips, Kimberly G.; Nzamubona, Kimara; Houtenville, Andrew J.; O'Neill, John; Katz, Elaine E.
Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, v35 n3 p213-228 2022
Although the well-known employment gap between people with and without disabilities persists, employment prospects are more favorable, in general, for individuals with college degrees. In the 30 years since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the number of disabled people who attend college has steadily risen. This study investigated how college characteristics and engagement in career preparation activities during college affected the transition to work and employment outcomes of recent college graduates, comparing the experiences of people with and without disabilities. A convenience sample of n = 4,659 U.S. residents ages 20 to 35 who had completed their first undergraduate degree within the last 5 years responded to an online survey about college and work. Results showed that recent college graduates with disabilities engaged in academic and career preparation services at least as much as their peers without disabilities. After college, 80% of recent graduates with and without disabilities were currently employed at the time of the survey. Yet, inequities in the type and quality of employment were evident. Recent disabled graduates were less likely than recent non-disabled graduates to work at a job that was related to their college degree or to hold regular, permanent positions. Disability services educators can contribute to positive post-college employment outcomes by encouraging college students with disabilities to engage in career preparation activities during college and helping to ensure that such services and activities are appropriately accessible for all.
Descriptors: College Graduates, Higher Education, Educational Experience, Disabilities, Adjustment (to Environment), Employment, Education Work Relationship, Career Readiness, Mentors, Institutional Characteristics, Job Satisfaction, Outcomes of Education
Association on Higher Education and Disability. 8015 West Kenton Circle Suite 230, Huntersville, NC 28078. Tel: 704-947-7779; Fax: 704-948-7779; e-mail: JPED@ahead.org; Web site: https://www.ahead.org/professional-resources/publications/jped
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Laws, Policies, & Programs: Americans with Disabilities Act 1990
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A