Only One-Third of Graduate Employers Work to Attract Graduates With Disabilities

Survey highlights the fact some recruiters are not doing enough to attract graduates with disabilities

A new survey carried out by Employment Opportunities, which is part of national employment charity Shaw Trust, shows that only one-third (33%) of graduate employers are working to attract graduates with disabilities. The findings reinforce previous research evidence of the employment gap for students with disabilities, who are 1.5 times more likely to face unemployment than non disabled students.

Most of the companies surveyed (76%) had diversity programmes in place, and were large organisations with formal graduate programmes. Strikingly, while over half (54%) of surveyed employers with diversity programmes said that they attached a high degree of importance to disability as a dimension of diversity, only 37% of those believed that a good representation of disabilities has been achieved within their organisation.

When asked what the most demanding aspects of recruiting, managing and developing staff with disabilities were almost half of respondents (45%) said that support for the hired person with disabilities was the most demanding issue while 42% indicated that it was keeping up with the legislation.

The market sectors represented by employers who responded to the survey were: Legal; Financial Services, Banking and Accountancy services; Construction and Engineering and Government and Public Services. The balance of respondents were from the IT, marketing/sales related services, science and healthcare sectors.

Karin Pappenheim, Director of Shaw Trust’s Work and Independence division, said:

“This survey shows that many employers who recruit graduates are still missing out on the talent pool of students with disabilities. There are nearly 16K students with disabilities graduating from British universities each year. This research shows they are facing an even tougher time in the recession in securing the career opportunities for which they have studied and worked so hard.”

The good news is that major employers are still recruiting graduates, albeit not in such large numbers as pre recession, and are still committed to diversity at work. But this research shows they will need to try harder on disability in their diversity and graduate recruitment.”

She continued: “Shaw Trust’s graduate programme links employers and disabled students through internships, work experience and targeted recruitment campaigns and these examples could be followed by many more private and public sector employers.”

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Notes to editors:

1. For further details, please contact Shaw Trust Press Manager Samantha Jobber on 01225 716300 or 07595 214649.

2. Employment Opportunities and Shaw Trust merged in 2009. Shaw Trust is a national charity, formed in 1982, which helps people with disability or disadvantage to find work and achieve independence. We do this not only by delivering government programmes, but also through our own self-funded initiatives, and by campaigning to change attitudes at all levels. Across the UK around 1,400 staff now oversee a diverse range of more than 200 projects.

3. If you would like to support the work that Shaw Trust does to help disabled and disadvantaged people find work and achieve independence please visit our website

4. The research was carried out by GTI Research on a pro-bono basis. Surveys were sent out in May 2009 and the findings were collated during August 2009.

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