Employability of University Graduates with Disabilities in Spain

Abstract

One of the most important challenges that Spanish universities face is the employability of graduates, a key factor to socioeconomic development. The analysis of the relationship between higher education and employment is a topic of obvious relevance, with greater interest in vulnerable groups—such as graduates with disabilities—who have a lower relative participation in university studies, a lower relative number of graduates, and lower employment rates. Thus, based on the Labor Insertion Survey of University Graduates (EILU-2019) by the Spanish National Institute of Statistics, this study addresses the influence of academic factors on the success of the employability of graduates in Spain, differentiating its effect in the case of people with disabilities. The results show the great importance of work experience during one’s studies and a knowledge of ICT to increase the employability and quality of employment among graduates with disabilities. This should become a key aspect of university training to reduce the economic vulnerability of this group.