Employers’ Perspectives on Facilitators to Employment for Young Adults with Intellectual Disability

Abstract: Problem Statement and Research Questions
Individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) have made commendable progress in the employment sector, often bringing unique skills and abilities to a variety of job roles. For those with ID, employment is not merely a job but plays a pivotal role in community integration and enhances quality of life (Voermans et al., 2021). However, despite these advancements, unemployment rates for individuals with ID range between 66% and 95.3% (Randall et al., 2020). This is concerning, especially when compared to the U.S. unemployment rate, which was 3.6% in 2019 and 3.8% in August 2023 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023). Many report challenges in securing adequate support for employment. Addressing this, there has been a recent surge in post-secondary education (PSE) programs on college campuses, and research shows graduates from such a PSE program demonstrated significantly lower rates of unemployment around 16% (Ryan et al., 2019).
While it is evident that young adults with ID who undergo specialized training and education have significantly improved employment outcomes, there exists a significant gap in research concerning the employers’ perspectives. This leads to an essential query: how do employers perceive the facilitators to employment for these young adults who have undergone such training and education? This research proposal seeks to bridge this knowledge gap. The overarching research question is: What are the employers’ perspectives on facilitators to enhance employment opportunities for young adults with ID who have participated in PSE programs?
Methods
This study will employ a mixed-methods approach to gain a comprehensive understanding of the topic. In the initial phase, we will use Structural Topic Modeling (STM), a powerful tool for identifying themes and latent topics from large volumes of text, to analyze employers’ data (Roberts et al., 2014). This includes open-ended survey responses, performance reviews, daily notes, HR interview transcripts, and any other pertinent written records concerning employed individuals with ID. The objective of this phase is to identify both broad and nuanced topics that employers emphasize when hiring and collaborating with individuals with ID from the beginning and during the employment period. Building on the results from STM analysis, the subsequent phase will involve crafting interview questions derived from the identified topics. Semi-structured interviews will then be conducted with the individuals directly supervising these young adults and HR representatives to gather deeper insights and contextual understanding. Analysis of these interviews will provide a understanding of the specific qualities and values that employers regard as facilitators of employment for young adults with ID.
Implications
The potential implications of this research are manifold and far reaching. 1) Demographic significance: With over 7 million individuals with ID residing in the United States alone (National Disability Navigator, 2023) and a global prevalence ranging from 0.05% to 1.55% (McKenzie et al., 2016), the scope of impact is vast. Given the pronounced unemployment rates among this demographic, the findings promise to benefit a substantial segment of this vulnerable population. 2) Enhancing understanding and strategy: By shedding light on the facilitators from an employer’s perspective, this study equips individuals with ID, their families, support providers, and policymakers with invaluable insights. Such understanding can pave the way for refining existing training methodologies and strategies, ensuring they align more closely with employer expectations and needs. 3) Relevance to PSE programs: The findings offer valuable insights that can guide the refinement of program design and delivery, aligning them more closely with actual workplace needs. Additionally, these findings reinforce the credibility of PSE programs and highlight their crucial contribution to promoting inclusivity.
4) Alignment and Contribution to Human Resource Development (HRD) Inclusive Practices: This proposal aligns seamlessly with the AHRD 2024 conference theme, “Building a Better Future of Work: HRD’s Role for a Sustainable, Human-Centered Workplace”. Recognizing and advancing workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives are no longer just “nice to consider” but have become imperative for contemporary organizations (Thatcher et al., 2023). By employing individuals with disabilities, organizations cultivate an inclusive climate. This, in turn, bolsters their appeal to potential investors and talent, especially in light of the increasing emphasis on corporate social responsibility and its impact on an employer's brand (Alemany & Vermeulen, 2023). This proposed study highlights the potential for HRD to champion inclusive employment and to collaborate with human resource management in playing a strategic role in reinforcing a robust workplace DEI approach.