Presentation of Main Findings Kimberly Phillips, PhD Andrew Houtenville, PhD John O’Neill, PhD Elaine Katz, MS, CCC/SLP
Acknowledgements Thanks to the following for their contributions to the research being discussed : • Kimara Nzamubona, University of New Hampshire • Todd Honeycutt, Mathematica • Derek Nord, Indiana Institute on Disability and Community • Mikael Brooks, University of New Hampshire 2
BACKGROUND 3
Introducing the Study • Anniversary of ADA • Today’s recent college graduates grew up with the ADA 4
Increased Participation in Higher Ed • Since the ADA, number of college students with 20% 20% disabilities has more than tripled • 6% in 1995-96 6% 6% (Horn & Berktold, 1999) • 20% in 2016 1996 2016 (National Science Foundation, 2019) Undergraduates with Disabilities 5
Employment Gap Persists: Labor Force Participation Rate D = Disability 81% 81% 78% 78% 48% 48% 34% 34% D D Ages 20-34 Ages 18-64 (U.S. Bureau of Labor (Kessler Foundation & Statistics, 2020) UNH, 2020) 6
Research Questions • 30 years after the ADA, to what extent is college paying off for people with disabilities? • Are college students with disabilities engaging in career preparation during college in ways that are like their peers without disabilities? • Are they successfully transitioning to work after they graduate? • How do employment outcomes (job characteristics, job quality) of recent college graduates with and without disabilities compare? 7
SURVEY RESULTS 8
Sample Characteristics • 4,738 respondents from all 50 states • Ages 20 to 35 • Graduated in previous 5 years • 49% men, 49% women, 2% non-binary, trans • 61% White, 11% Black, 17% Hispanic • 35% annual household income < $45,000 • Quotas: 49.8% self-reported disability 9
Respondents with Disabilities Disability Type % Hearing 5.3 Vision 11.3 Lower mobility 10.9 Upper mobility 11.0 Cognition 17.8 Learning 12.2 Mental health 23.1 IDD 1.2 Other 1.2 10
DEGREE & INSTITUTION 11
Degree Type • Reported on undergraduate experiences, even if advanced degree D = Disability 64% 64% 61% 61% 21% 21% 19% 19% 20% 20% 16% 16% D D D Associate’s Bachelor’s Advanced 12
Institution Type D = Disability 61% 61% 56% 56% 26% 26% 25% 25% 18% 18% 15% 15% D D D Community Private college State college college or university or university 13
Reasons Degree from Community College Reason Dis. % No Dis. % Financial (lower cost) 48 44 Easier to get to* 38 29 Better chance of acceptance 28 28 Better match for interests 20 15 Schedule better fits commitments 16 15 Other 16 15 • RCG with disabilities more likely ever took courses at community college: 50% vs 44% 14
College Major D = Disability 35% 35% 30% 30% 23% 23% 18% 18% 13% 13% 12% 12% D D D Business Health & STEM management related sciences 15
CAREER PREPARATION DURING COLLEGE 16
Career Helpfulness of Internships Disability No Disability 82% 68% 88% 91% 81% 65% D D D Related to Helpful Related to Helpful Had Had intended to career intended to career internships internships field so far field so far 17
Career Services Used During College D = Disability 42% 40% 40% 38% 33% 32% 23% 23% 22% 21% D D D D D Met with Resume or Interview Job fair or Career career cover letter training, recruiter on explorations counselors training mock int. campus 18
Academic Advising 49% 49% 41% 37% 21% 16% 15% 16% 10% 9% Academic Informal Assigned Assigned Informal peer advising faculty peer faculty advisor or center advisor or advisor or advisor or mentor mentor mentor mentor 19
Work for Wages at a Typical Job During College Disability No Disability 68% 66% 62% 62% D D Related or Related or Work for Work for prepared for prepared for wages wages intended field intended field 20
Self-Employed During College Disability No Disability 76% 73% 11% 9% D D Related or Related or Self- Self- prepared for prepared for employed employed intended field intended field 21
POST-COLLEGE EMPLOYMENT 22
Striving to Work Disability No Disability Currently 79.8% 78.9% working Worked in past (since grad) 10.2% 10.6% Worked in past 4.9% 3.4% (not since) 2.3% 2.8% Never worked, looking for job 23
Sector Disability No Disability Private, 57% 63% for-profit Government 20% 18% Self-employed 11% 10% Nonprofit 11% 9% 24
Working Arrangement Disability No Disability Regular, 66% 72% permanent position Consultant, freelancer, intermittent, on-call, 34% temporary 28% agency 25
Top 5 Job Categories Job Category Dis. Job Category No Dis. % % Health 12 Health 12 Engineering 10 Engineering 10 Teaching 10 Computer-related 10 Clerical 15 Teaching 9 Sales, marketing 15 Sales, marketing 8 Subtotal 15 Subtotal 49 26
Job Category, continued • Bachelor’s degree: 29% 29% D Person- related, helping 22% 22% 19% 19% D STEM 23% 23% 27
Earnings (Hourly Wage) Hourly wage* Dis. % No Dis. % $7.25 or less 4 3 $7.26 – 14.99 28 20 $15.00 – 21.99 33 31 $22.00 – 40.00 27 35 > $40.00 9 10 Average $25.66 $27.99 Median $18.00 $20.00 28
Job Search Barriers Barrier Dis. % No Dis. % Not enough training 44 48 Employers assume can’t do job* 37 25 Lack of transportation 31 24 Less pay than others* 31 21 Negative employer attitudes* 29 16 Not enough education 21 22 Other 17 14 29
IMPACT OF COLLEGE ON POST-GRAD EMPLOYMENT 30
College Major: Impact on Employment D = Disability 85% 85% 85% 85% 81% 81% 79% 79% 78% 78% 73% 73% D D D D Health sciences Education vs. Computer science vs. other majors other majors vs. other majors 31
Services Used: Impact on Employment D = Disability 82% 82% 81% 81% 81% 81% 74% 74% 74% 74% 71% 71% D D D D D D Accessibility Academic Career services advising services 32
Internships: Impact on Employment Disability No Disability 72% 68% 54% 53% D D Currently Not currently Currently Not currently employed working employed working 33
Work during College: Impact on Employment Disability No Disability 72% 71% 53% 47% D D Currently Not currently Currently Not currently employed working employed working 34
PREVIEW OF FUTURE ANALYSES 35
Further Analyses Planned • Quantitative: – Outcomes by disability type – Variation by type and location of institution • Qualitative: – Advice for future college students to help prepare for work after graduation 36
Sample of General Comments • Examples of general advice given by RCG: “Learn how to interview...” “Experience is everything. If you can, job shadow someone in your field...” 37
Sample of Disability-Specific Comments • RCG with mental health disabilities: “Take everything a day at a time...” “Be open and do not be afraid to ask for help...” “Know you’re not alone...” “Your difficulties do not make you unemployable...” 38
KEY TAKEAWAYS 39
Employment Prospects Post-College • A college education pays off for people with disabilities • 90% of RCG with disabilities reported holding jobs after college • RCG with disabilities were as likely to be employed post-college as their peers without disabilities 40
Community College as Pathway to Employment • RCG with disabilities were more likely than those without disabilities to use community college as a steppingstone toward completion of a 4-year degree • About 1 in 5 RCG with disabilities earned their primary degree from community college • Reasons cited for attending community college include lower cost, greater ease of access 41
Engagement in Career Preparation Activities • RCG who engaged in career preparation activities like internships, career counseling services, and paid employment during college were more likely to be working after graduation • RCG with disabilities engaged in career preparation activities during college as much as their peers without disabilities 42
Engagement in Career Prep., continued • Because engagement in career preparation is associated with greater likelihood of post- college employment, and • Because RCG with disabilities are participating at equivalent rates as RCG without disabilities • Important to ensure that services (e.g., advising, career counseling) and opportunities (e.g., internships) at college are fully accessible, inclusive, and universally designed to benefit all students equitably 43
Striving to Work • RCG with disabilities are striving to work • About 1 in 5 who were currently employed overcame job search barriers related to transportation, negative employer attitudes, and employers assuming they could not do the job • Despite being as likely to be employed as peers without disabilities after graduation, inequities remain in average earnings, typical hours worked, working arrangements, and job satisfaction 44
Recommend
More recommend
