Investigating the experience of students with disabilities in Australian engineering and information technology work placements.

Work-integrated learning (WIL) placements seek to improve employability for all, but increasing evidence suggests equity groups see significant barriers in accessing WIL, in part due to existing barriers to work and study. This project sought to investigate the experiences of students with disabilities in engineering and IT WIL through a participatory research approach. Students with disabilities were invited to join a series of workshops to investigate WIL experiences through shared reflection and critique. The group was led through a Design Thinking process using numerous tools including empathy mapping, journey mapping, and yarning, to help elicit and frame the experiences. Participants identified significant discrimination and a lack of connection, community, and support as key issues. To address these, participants recommended developing community and connection among students, providing workshops on employment tailored for disability, greater support from universities, and greater training for university and industry staff on accessibility, inclusion, and legal requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]