Development of Vocational Maturity in University Students with Disabilities to Access, Obtain an Internship and Complete University Studies

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a considerable increase in the number of university students with disabilities in Spain, as in other countries. Access to and completion of studies in higher education has been identified as a factor that improves the educational and labor inclusion of these people. However, this group of students faces difficulties in completing their studies, as they encounter problems in carrying out their internships, which is an obligatory element of many degrees. Our quantitative research study presents the results of the Generating Professional Skills (GPS) program for the development of vocational maturity based on training itineraries, carried out by the University Unit of Attention to People with Disability. The main results show an increase in vocational maturity and position tutoring as a fundamental part of the educational inclusion process, as well as a key role of the support services for those with disabilities to experience a more inclusive and quality education, thus aligning with objective 4 of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. SDG. The information collected allows us to conclude that these programs increase the vocational maturity and the knowledge and competencies of students with disabilities and, therefore, are key elements for the success in accessing and obtaining internships and for the successful completion of their studies.

Career Development of College Students With Disabilities: A Scoping Review

“…SWD reported that SLC helped them develop self-advocacy skills, meet other SWD with STEM interests, gain disability awareness, as well as learning disclosure/accommodations and resume building. In Espada-Chavarria et al (2020)’s quasi-experimental study, SWD interested in internship experience were enrolled in the tutoring project, where they received training, information, and practical activities. SWD’s vocational maturity and generic competencies significantly increased after the training program.…”

Inclusion in university contexts and the role of internships in the education of students with disabilities: Critical issues, perspectives and good practices

“…National (Bocci, Cajola and Zucca, 2020;Pace, Pavone and Petrini, 2018;Pavone, 2017;D'Alonzo and Carruba, 2016;Caldin, 2017;CNUDD, 2014) and international studies (Espada-Chavarria, Moreno-Rodriguez, and Jenaro, 2020;Buckley, 2019;Briel and Getzel, 2001) however highlight some critical issues related to the conduct of curricular and extracurricular internships by students with disabilities and SLDs at university.…”

Open Innovation for an Inclusive Labor Market for University Students with Disabilities

“…Studies such as [27] show how, based on university programs that promote the development of vocational maturity, higher rates of employability are achieved, resulting in a greater probability of gaining access to a job or an internship in a company. Both the capacity to look for a job or an internship and the capacity to obtain them, are factors that can be measured as indicators of the relevant level of professional maturity for employment.…”

“…We emphasise this aspect given that the degree of vocational maturity has been related to the work success achieved [31]. Therefore, a person with high levels of vocational maturity may have more opportunities to obtain and maintain a job [27].…”