Employment Resources for Disabled Students

Recruitment processes and working environments can sometimes feel intimidating, or even inaccessible, to individuals with disabilities and long-term health conditions. However, there are many resources available to help you navigate potential challenges within the graduate job market and aid your success within your chosen career path.

The University of Dundee already has an array of support in place, both internally through the Careers Service and in partnership with external organisations. This guide provides an overview of the resources that we believe will be of great value to you as you take your first steps into the job market.

Finding Jobs

The Careers Service has several resources that UoD students and graduates can use to look for jobs. These might include making an online or in-person careers appointment, dropping into a quick query session, or browsing the jobs, internships, and other opportunities advertised on JobShop or GoinGlobal.

However, there are also many external organisations that provide job boards and opportunities, tailored specifically to students and young people with disabilities and long-term health conditions. 

10,000 Able Interns

Run by the 10,000 Interns Foundation, the 10,000 Able Interns programme offers paid internship opportunities to disabled students and graduates across a range of UK industries. Throughout the application process 10,000 Interns Foundation provides application training sessions, pre-internship training and development opportunities, and in-work mentoring once in the role.

Change 100

As the flagship initiative of Leonard Cheshire, the Change 100 programme offers the opportunity for current students or recent graduates with a disability or long-term health condition to apply for paid summer internships, professional development, and mentoring with progressive employers, and access a peer network of fellow Change 100 participants. Throughout the application process Change 100 provides support and guidance in disclosing your disability and requesting workplace adjustments.

Disability Confident Employers

When searching for a new job, it can be helpful to consider the type of working environment that you wish to join. For many disabled individuals, this may include applying to companies that have a commitment to hiring, supporting, and retaining disabled employees. Through exploring the UK Government’s list of Disability Confident Employers, you can see which companies have signed up to the Disability Confident scheme, as well as their current scheme status, to help you prioritise which employers to apply for.

To find out more about Disability Confident Employers, visit the Government website.

Disability Jobsite

The Disability Jobsite is an online job board of opportunities open to disabled candidates. The website additionally provides interview advice and a list of inclusive employers. 

Evenbreak

Another job board for disabled candidates, Evenbreak advertises a range of opportunities across the UK. The website contains a blog with helpful employability and recruitment advice, and a list of inclusive employers. 

Inclusion Scotland

Alongside their policy and research work, Inclusion Scotland promotes internships and external job opportunities designed for, or that welcome, disabled applicants. Through their We Can Work Internships, you can apply for paid internship opportunities in the private, public, and third sectors that have been designed for disabled individuals, and receive tailored advice and support during the recruitment process and within the workplace.

Explore the opportunities promoted by Inclusion Scotland.

MyPlus Students’ Club

MyPlus Students' Club to provide disabled students with the advice and support you need to navigate the recruitment process and achieve your career potential. MyPlus Students’ Club provides you with access to jobs and internships with disability confident employers, as well as guidance and resources on how to apply with a disability, answer tough questions, and request adjustments.

To access the support provided by MyPlus Students’ Club, register on their website.

Vercida

With helpful employment advice for individuals across a range of marginalised groups, Vercida publicises inclusive employers and job opportunities available to disabled candidates.

Explore the opportunities promoted by Vercida

The Recruitment Process

Recruitment can be a highly stressful time for applicants with disabilities and long-term health conditions, with individuals often facing difficult dilemmas, such as whether to disclose their disability, how to ask for adjustments, and how to best navigate challenging assessments or interviews. While there is no easy solution to many of these concerns, the Careers Service has many resources available to you, so that you can develop your confidence, understand and advocate for your rights as a disabled applicant, and submit applications that reflect your skills and talents.

Online Advice 

For quick career related questions, you can submit a query through the CareersPortal ‘Ask a Question’ and a careers adviser will get back to you within 5 days. This feature can be especially useful for the initial steps in the recruitment process as you can upload your CVs, applications, or personal statements, and receive quick feedback.

EmployAbility

As a Next Generation Inclusive University, the UoD partners with EmployAbility to ensure that students with mental health conditions, neurodivergences, long-term health conditions, or other disabilities can access support and advice for a barrier-free recruitment process. As a current student or recent graduate, EmployAbility can speak to employers on your behalf and help you:

• Understand your rights and protections under the Equality Act 
• Determine which adjustments would best support you 
• Request adjustments for tests, interviews, and assessment centre exercises 
• Explain gaps in your education or limited work experience positively
• Access skills workshops and Disability Empowerment resources
• Work with Next Generation Inclusive Employers through events, first year programmes, internships, graduate programmes, and scholarships

To access the support provided by EmployAbility, register on their website and then contact contact EmployAbility directly, requesting an appointment.

Practice Interviews

Securing a job interview can be both exciting and nerve-wracking, but the Careers Service can help you to develop confidence with this aspect of the recruitment process. As well as providing an informative guide on how to best prepare for a job interview, the Careers Service offers practice interviews to help you develop your interviewing techniques. Practice interviews can be booked by emailing the Careers Service, and these can be arranged online or in-person to suit your preferences. Alternatively, if you want to practice for interviews by yourself you can access Shortlist.Me, a safe and secure professional platform that allows you to practice video interviews across a range of subjects, sectors, and organisations.

Practice Assessments

If you are applying to large recruiters, you may have to take recruitment tests or participate in an assessment centre as part of the recruitment process. While aspects of these tasks can be challenging for some disabled individuals, and adjustment-related advice can be sought through EmployAbility, practice can often be helpful to best prepare and gain confidence. 

The Careers Service has guides about both recruitment tests and assessment centres, that outline the different tests and exercises that you may be asked to undertake within recruitment, and provide links to help you practice these activities.

The Workplace

Although focused on finding or applying for jobs, many of the resources previously mentioned within this guide can continue to support you within the workplace. For example, if you have applied for opportunities through external organisations listed in this guide, you may receive advice on requesting workplace adjustments or ongoing support. Additionally, as a student or graduate of the University of Dundee, you have ongoing access to the full range of support offered by the Careers Service.

However, there is also government support available to help you get and stay in work.

Access to Work

Access to Work is a UK-wide, government grant scheme that supports people with disabilities, illnesses, or health conditions within work. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you may be able to claim for:

• A grant to help pay for practical support within your work (such as specialist software, adapted equipment, or a support worker)
• Support managing your mental health at work 
• Communication support at job interviews

Support is available for most paid jobs, regardless of type, duration, or earnings. To check your eligibility and access this support, check the government website.

Additional Resources

While the resources shared above are accessible to all students and graduates with a disability or long-term health condition, there are many more external resources, available only for individuals with specific disabilities, in restricted locations, or that are pursuing distinct career paths. These resources are as follows:

• ADHD Welfare Pack - pack to help people with ADHD have conversations about adjustments in the workplace. 
• Ambitious about Autism - paid work experience and supported internships for autistic young people.
• Auticon - technology-based jobs for autistic individuals and support in work through job coaches and project managers.
• Blind in Business - bespoke careers assistance, advice, and support for blind and partially sighted students and graduates.
• City Disabilities - mentoring scheme for young disabled people in London. 
• Civil Service Fast Stream - paid Summer Diversity Internships for disabled undergraduates and Early Diversity Internship Programme for disabled graduates.
• Deaf Unity - job board for individuals within or wanting to work with the deaf community.
• Disabled Solicitors Network - network for disabled law students and professionals with specialised events, training and mentoring.
• Enna - recruitment agency for neurodivergent individuals, with a job board and job coaching services, and workplace coaching when in work.
• Exceptional Individuals - support for neurodivergent individuals, with recruitment advice, a job board, job coaching services, and workplace coaching when in work.
• Extend - ongoing permanent and fixed term contracts across the BBC, with support for workplace adjustments, integration into the role, and ongoing training and development opportunities.
• Health Adjustment Passport - form created by the UK Government to help identify and discuss potential adjustments and apply for Access to Work. 
• Into Work - employment support for people with disabilities and long-term health conditions who live in Edinburgh and the Lothians. 
• Kaleidoscope - mentoring, recruitment, and financial support for disabled entrepreneurs. 
• Mencap - supported internships for young people with learning disabilities, with support to secure a job at the end of it.
• Moving Up - work experience placements in London for young disabled people.
• MyPlus Student Pathway - student educational pathway on the CareersPortal for disabled applicants.
• Next Steps Foundation - employability support, skills development, and mentoring for autistic jobseekers.
• Pact Indie Diversity Training Scheme - paid placement in Glasgow or London with an independent production company for diverse candidates to enter film and TV industries. Participants receive a senior-level mentor and bespoke training.
• Production Training Scheme - TV industry training and paid placement at a production company for diverse candidates.
• Scope - online and in-person employment support for disabled individuals living in England or Wales.
• Sense - employment support for people with disabilities in the UK. 
• Think Talent - placements for neurodivergent aspiring solicitors.
• Udemy - free online on employability skills for autistic students and graduates.
• Vitae - advice and support for disabled researchers.
• Work and Health Programme - voluntary programme that helps disabled people in England and Wales find and maintain employment.