Employability of Disabled Graduates: Resources for a Sustainable Employment

• Main Authors: Maria Elena Magrin, Emanuela Marini, Matilde Nicolotti
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-03-01
• Series: Sustainability
• Subjects: sustainable employment; resilience resources; graduate employability; disabled graduates
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/6/1542

In the frame of the psychology of sustainability, this research aims at exploring how the related concepts of risk factors, protective factors, and resilience might inform our understanding of the postgraduate outcomes of disabled youth. The number of disabled students is growing steadily, nevertheless, relatively little is known about the employment experiences and skill development of disabled youth. Following the positive primary preventive approach, this explorative research investigates the role of resilience and employability resources both in preventing perceived negative impact of disability on the employment opportunities and promoting the perception of employability. Fifty disabled students responded to an online questionnaire and their responses were compared to those of a nondisabled sample (N = 190). Motivations and meanings associated with entry into the workplace are equivalent in the two groups, but perceived impact of disability is a risk factor that hinders perceived employability. Resilience resources and soft skills show their effectiveness in reducing perceived disability impact and improving perceived employability, but between group comparison shows differences in the set of available resources. Overall, results provide insights for implementing actions to promote sustainable employment in order to foster a positive, sustainable organizational development.