Enhancing Accessibility in Post-Secondary Education Institutions
Employment Resources
This section contains resources and references that can be implemented to assist students with disabilities in transitioning to employment after they have completed PSE.
Programs
Below are a sampling of resources and examples of programs that are utilized to help students with disabilities transition to employment after completing PSE.
College/University Resources
- The Career Development Centre at Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU) launched the RBC Career Transition Program for Students with Disabilities. Services included are: career planning, workshops, individual appointments, alumni sharing knowledge (ASK) program, career resource centre, job postings, career/job fairs, and accessible learning. http://www.lauriercc.ca/career/students/disabilities.htm
- The Wilfrid Laurier Career Development Centre website provides information specifically for students with disabilities seeking employment. Included is information on finding work, disclosure options, accommodations, roles and responsibilities, and client testimonials. http://www.lauriercc.ca/career/students/disabilities.htm
- The Wilfrid Laurier Career Development Centre also offers the Career Immersion Program, which is to help students determine a fulfilling career path and find work successfully upon graduation. Career immersion strategies include informational interviews, internships, co-op placements, job shadows, volunteering, part-time and summer jobs. For more information contact the WLU Career Development Centre at 519.884.0710 ext. 4495 or careercentre@wlu.ca.
- Learning Disability Services at York University offer a Mentorship Program. It offers students with disabilities and employers and opportunity to work together to develop career goals. Together they can work towards understanding employment equity issues. http://www.yorku.ca/cds/lds/mentorship.html
- York University also offers a Work Shadowing Program which provides students with an opportunity to learn more about potential careers by spending up to one week in a relevant work setting in order to observe and ask questions. http://www.yorku.ca/cds/lds/careerservices/workshadow.html
- The York website provides ‘success stories’ of graduates with learning disabilities who have gone on to rewarding careers. http://www.yorku.ca/cds/lds/careerservices/secretsforsuccess/
- Douglas College has a Transitions Program, which is a 16 week program for students in Grade 12 or Grade 12+. The program is designed to assist students in making successful exits from secondary school into training or workplace settings. http://www.douglas.bc.ca/programs/basic-occupational-education/transitions.html
- Simon Fraser University offers a Work Study Program, which provides part-time, on-campus jobs to help students earn money while getting career related experience. http://students.sfu.ca/financialaid/workstudy/students.html
External Resources
- Shaw Media is offering internships for broadcasting and journalism for students with a permanent physical disability. http://shawmedia.ca/careers/internship.asp
- The youth2youth website, hosted by the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada, has a section titled Gaining Work Experience While Completing Your Education which provides links and information on a variety of employment programs and services that might be useful for students with disabilities. http://www.youth2youth.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=205&Itemid=240&lang=en
Guides
Included below are resources and examples of guides that have been developed to assist students with disabilities transition to employment after completing PSE.
College/University Resources
- The University of Northern British Columbia has written an extensive guide outlining the issues surrounding when to disclose a disability to employers. It also provides information on developing career skills, looking at possible careers and identifying your needs for employment. http://www.unbc.ca/assets/disabilities/disclosure_and_self_advocacy_issues.pdf
External Resources
- Workplace Accommodation Toolkit provides information about different assistive technologies, services and accommodations that are available to people with disabilities. http://www.apt.gc.ca/wat/wb10000e.asp
- The youth2youth website, hosted by the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada, has a ‘Moving On’ section which provides those with learning disabilities with strategies on job search techniques, help finding job postings and responding to ads, and preparing for job interviews. It also provides information on when and how to disclose a disability and how to request accommodations. http://www.youth2youth.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=71