Much focus has been placed in international and national policy efforts about increasing access to tertiary education for people with disabilities, (HEA, 2022; SOLAS, 2020; UN, 2006). Efforts at a national and institutional level have led to significant increases over the last decade in the number of disabled students enrolled in further education and training (FET) and higher education (HE) in Ireland for example, (AHEAD, 2024; HEA, 2023; SOLAS, 2023).

However, despite this success, the employment gap for disabled people remains a significant issue across Europe, (EDF, 2023), and less explored is the role of tertiary education within society in more intentionally addressing this gap.

The figures across are stark. In Ireland for example, just 34% of people with disabilities aged 15 years or over were employed, compared to 56% of people without disabilities. Furthermore, the employment rate of people with a disability ‘to some extent’ (44%) was more than double that of people with a disability ‘to a great extent’ (17%), (CSO, 2023).

This conference will explore the many ways that FET and HE institutions can contribute to addressing the disability employment gap, highlighting good practice initiatives and creating space for the sharing of ideas.

Bibliography:

• AHEAD. (2024). Students with Disabilities Engaged with Support Services in Higher Education in Ireland 2022/23. A. E. Press. https://www.ahead.ie/userfiles/files/AHEAD_Research_Report_23_digital_supplied.pdf
• CSO. (2023). Census 2022 Profile 4 - Disability, Health and Carers. C. S. Office. https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-cpp4/census2022profile4-disabilityhealthandcarers/disabilityandeverydayliving/
• EDF. (2023). The Right to Work: The employment situation of persons with disabilities in Europe (European Human Rights Report, Issue. E. D. Forum.
• HEA. (2022). National Access Plan: A Strategic Action Plan for Equity of Access, Participation and Success in Higher Education 2022-2028. H. E. Authority. https://hea.ie/assets/uploads/2024/07/National-Access-Plan-2022-2028-FINAL.pdf
• HEA. (2023). Key Facts and Figures 2022/23. HEA. Retrieved 01/03/2024 from https://hea.ie/statistics/data-for-download-and-visualisations/key-facts-figures/
• SOLAS. (2020). Future FET: Transforming Learning -The National Further Education and Training (FET) Strategy 2020-2024. R. Department of Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Science. https://www.solas.ie/f/70398/x/64d0718c9e/solas_fet_strategy_web.pdf
• SOLAS. (2023). This is FET: Learners with Disabilities 2022. SOLAS. https://www.solas.ie/f/70398/x/dfa32cd975/disabilities-fet-report.pdf
• UN. (2006). Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. U. Nations. https://social.desa.un.org/issues/disability/crpd/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities-crpd

Leaving aside their general role in building the field-specific skills and qualifications needed to access employment for all students, the role of tertiary education institutions in addressing the disability employment gap is two-fold. It relates to both their status as employers of a large staffing cohort, and their responsibility to prepare disabled students for the workplace.

Theme 1: Education institutions and their role as employers of disabled people

Tertiary education institutions play a vital role in fostering inclusive workplaces by ensuring their recruitment, retention, and promotion practices are universally designed and disability-friendly. By hiring diverse talent, institutions can lead by example, creating workplaces that are accessible to all.

Theme 2: The role of education institutions in preparing disabled students for the workplace

Contributors were invited to explore the many ways tertiary education institutions can support disabled students, including:

• Providing accessible CV-building opportunities, such as programme-based work placements, study abroad, and extracurricular activities.
• Offering inclusive career guidance informed by the lived experiences of disabled people and promoting accessible routes to employment.
• Leveraging their role as employers to create opportunities for disabled students through initiatives such as paid internships and targeted work placements.

Stay tuned for the release of the 2025 AHEAD Conference Programme. We have an exciting blend of discussions, exhibitions, workshops and presentations to engage this year's themes.

Check if Your Organisation is a Member Here.

In-person Registration Fees:

Members - €150.
Non-Members - €300.

Online Registration Fees:

Members - €100. 
Online Non-Members €200.

Conference contributors will have received a discount to attend Conference. 

Click Here To Register for the 2025 Conference