From Pilot to Practice: A three-year review of the Inclusive Internship Programme

Introduction

Disabled graduates in Ireland continue to face a transition cliff between higher education and access to meaningful work, with persistent gaps in access to fulfilling, professional roles. This paper reports a three-year retrospective review (2022–2025) of Trinity College Dublin’s (TCD) Inclusive Internship Programme (IIP), which was developed by TCD’s Disability Service in direct response to this gap in transition. Using administrative records and follow-up data, all stages of the IIP, including application, interview, placement conversion, internship completion, early graduate outcomes, departmental adoption of inclusive practices, and feedback from interns and supervisors, were tracked. Results show steady growth in participation year on year, strong completion rate for interns, and early evidence of progression into professional roles. In addition to this, departments report sustained practice changes (for example, disability profiles among staff, continuous accessibility audits) and show increased engagement each year.

The Inclusive Internship Programme – A Three-Year Review

The Inclusive Internship Programme (IIP), established in 2022, aims to tackle a significant challenge faced by disabled students: the transition from higher education to meaningful employment. Grounded in Trinity College Dublin’s commitment to inclusivity and aligned with the HEA System Performance Framework 2023–2028 (HEA, 2023), this programme addresses the persistent underemployment of disabled graduates by providing structured pathways into the labour market (OECD, 2021). The ethos of IIP is rooted in empowerment, equity, and inclusion and was built upon the foundation of Trinity’s Fourth Space Model, which emphasises co-creation, representation and belonging, thought leadership and sustainability through the procedures and resources created and followed throughout the duration of the IIP each year. In short, the comprehensive approach of the IIP aims to ensure that accessibility is embedded from the outset, enabling interns and host departments to promote sustainable, inclusive workplace practices. Alongside inclusive practices, the IIP also emphasises connection with people as a core aspect of the programme. This is done through its focus on mentorship and representation through engagement with disabled mentors in Trinity Development and Alumni and previous disabled interns. By connecting interns with disabled alumni, industry professionals and peers, the IIP not only fosters confidence and self-efficacy in its participants but also enhances professional networks (Doecke Launders, 2025). The widespread use of specifically-developed accessible resources and these connections raises awareness within the broader College community, enhancing employability outcomes for individual students and contributing to a cultural shift toward accessibility and inclusion at Trinity. As such the IIP aims to align each action with UNCRPD articles 24 and 27, the EU Disability Rights strategy and Sustainable Development Goals 4, 8 and 10 (European Commission, 2021; United Nations, 2006; United Nations, 2015).

Participation and Programme Development

Over its three-year lifespan, the Inclusive Internship Programme experienced steady growth in demand and participation. Applications from students registered with TCD’s Disability Service increased year on year, reaching 322 in 2024 and 346 in 2025. This sustained and increasing interest suggests a significant unmet need for accessible, structured work experience among disabled students. Interview and placement numbers also increased, with 28 interns recruited in 2025 across fifteen departments. Each year a variety of disabilities were represented from across the following categories: autism, ADHD, specific learning differences, visual and hearing impairments, physical disabilities, neurological conditions, mental health conditions, significant ongoing illnesses, and speech and communication disorders.

The nature of participation evolved over time. Early iterations of the programme focused on establishing processes and building trust with departments. As confidence grew, the programme shifted from prioritising expansion in numbers to deepening the quality of engagement with academic schools and strategic units. This was done based on intern feedback regarding internship sites they were most keen to engage with. One notable change was an increase in full-time internships, reflecting student feedback about the need for financial security and the value of a long-term immersive workplace experience.

Although the number of participating departments fluctuated slightly, engagement was strong across all employers who attended several preparatory education sessions on disability awareness, inclusive recruitment and onboarding and inclusive language. Several departments returned year on year, applying learning from previous placements and extending inclusive practices beyond the internship itself. There was also an additional and unexpected increase in the number of staff members choosing to disclose disabilities to seek support through the Disability Service after engaging with the IIP and observing supports available to interns.

Intern Experience and Outcomes

Feedback from interns across the three years consistently highlights the importance of accessible recruitment and structured support. Alternative application formats, clear role descriptions, and adjustments to interview processes were frequently cited as enabling students to participate authentically without the pressure to mask or overcompensate. Efforts were made to minimise barriers to engagement in the recruitment process such as provision of interview questions in advance, provision of CV and cover letter templates, accessible interview locations, and provision of quiet spaces.

Once placed, interns described the value of structured onboarding tools such as Workplace Profiles (expanded upon below) and Workplace Passports, which supported clear communication around working styles, accommodations, and expectations. The Workplace Passports in particular proved a valuable means of communicating reasonable accommodations that had been explored during needs assessments with IIP staff. These recommendations were then agreed upon with the intern’s manager and a regular review of their implementation was set. Weekly peer meetings also facilitated reflection, mutual support, and skills articulation, helping students to identify and translate their learning into language relevant to future employment. Additionally, interns were invited to attend several mentoring events hosted in conjunction with Trinity Development and Alumni and lunchtime education sessions on employment law and legislation.

Early intern outcomes indicate a positive impact. Interns were from all academic years in TCD, and therefore, not all were aiming to immediately move onto employment. However, retention within host departments increased over time, with five interns retained in 2024 and seven in 2025. Two participants secured permanent roles within Trinity, while others progressed into graduate and professional roles externally. While these outcomes cannot be attributed solely to the programme, interns consistently reported increased confidence, clarity around career direction, and stronger professional networks as a result of participation. Most notably, interns expressed that having previous employment experience on their CVs when applying for other roles made a paramount difference.

Institutional Impact and Learning

The Inclusive Internship Programme has functioned as a catalyst for institutional learning in TCD. Participating departments proactively engaged in accessibility audits, inclusive onboarding practices, and supervisor training, often for the first time. These processes prompted broader reflection on how work environments, communication norms, and role design can champion inclusion or exclusion.

In several cases, departments began exploring the use of Workplace Profiles for all staff, reframing accessibility as a universal workplace consideration rather than a disability-specific adjustment. Workplace Profiles were designed as part of the IIP to serve as an editable document highlighting useful information about a workplace. This includes sensory information, practical information about fire exits, sick leave, and coffee breaks, and information regarding the social landscape of the workplace, such as dress code. This shift represents a move away from reactive accommodation towards proactive inclusive design. The success of the IIP has prompted a wider discussion in TCD as to how such practices can be embedded across the university into existing internship programmes to allow for universal access and to remove the requirement of disclosure or registration with the Disability Service.

Challenges and Limitations

Despite its successes, the programme faced some challenges. Staffing capacity limited the number of placements that could be meaningfully supported each year. However, these posts were also limited by the fact that the internship programme tasks take place in summer, a time when many staff members in TCD typically take annual leave and are therefore unavailable to supervise interns. Governance posed another challenge and administrative processes had to be developed in order to continuously assess risks as they arose. As a programme led by the Disability Service, the IIP risked being perceived as supplementary rather than integral to Trinity’s employability infrastructure. Addressing this required ongoing advocacy and collaboration to embed inclusive internship practices within mainstream HR and Careers services and processes, which has further driven the conversation surrounding the need to mainstream learning from the IIP.

Moving Forward

Looking ahead, the long-term success of the Inclusive Internship Programme depends on striking a balance between mainstreaming inclusive practices and maintaining targeted supports for those who would most benefit from them. While the programme has demonstrated that inclusive recruitment and accessible work practices can be embedded within standard university systems, it has also shown that disabled students may still benefit from individualised, tailored interventions to access opportunities on an equitable basis. Mainstreaming such principles and practices is essential if inclusive employability is to become part of the institution’s core practice rather than an optional initiative led by the Disability Service. At the same time, universal provision alone cannot meet the diverse needs of disabled students, particularly those with complex or fluctuating support requirements.

In this context, the future development of the Inclusive Internship Programme is explicitly aligned with the College Strategy under Strategic Commitment 2.5 (Extending Access) (Trinity College Dublin, 2025). There is agreement at institutional level to progressively mainstream the programme within the Careers Service, embedding inclusive employability practices as a core function of careers education, employer engagement, and placement delivery. This strategic positioning also provides a framework for extending the model beyond disability, enabling the programme to be adapted and scaled to support other access-targeted student groups, while retaining the specialist expertise, governance, and partnership model developed through the Disability Service.

Sustaining and further expanding the programme therefore requires a dual approach: building inclusive institutional structures that benefit all students, while retaining specialist capacity, layered supports, and co-designed practices for those who require them. Achieving this balance will be central to establishing the Inclusive Internship Programme not as a time-limited initiative, but as a permanent and evolving component of Trinity’s employability landscape.

Conclusion

The three-year review of Trinity College Dublin’s Inclusive Internship Programme demonstrates that inclusive employability initiatives can move beyond pilot status to generate meaningful outcomes for students and institutions alike. By embedding accessibility, co-creation, and layered supports into programme design, the IIP has supported disabled students’ transitions into employment while also reshaping departmental practice and understanding of inclusion. In addition to this, the programme’s increasing application numbers highlight both the necessity and complexity of mainstreaming inclusive internships within higher education. As such, for institutions seeking to address persistent employment gaps for disabled graduates, the IIP offers practical insight into how inclusive internships can function as strategic infrastructure rather than special provision, contributing to more equitable graduate outcomes and more inclusive organisational cultures.