Improving Employment Outcomes of Individuals With Disabilities Through Short-Term Postsecondary Training

Abstract

Young adults with and without disabilities who complete postsecondary education, including occupational training, significantly improve their employment rates and financial well-being. This study examined employment outcomes and predictors of success for transition-aged and adult vocational rehabilitation consumers who participated in a college short-term training program. This program included key characteristics, making it a unique postsecondary option: an individualized design, a primarily worksite-based curriculum, and a focus on the existing labor market and employment. Results demonstrated successful participants had higher wages and worked more hours per quarter as well as more quarters during the first year after exit. Critical predictors for positive results were receipt of financial support, career services, and vocational coursework. The need for extensive work-related accommodations reduced the likelihood of success.