The transition from high school to the workplace for young adults who have a disability
Date
2022
Authors
Peake, Bronwyn Geraldine
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Abstract
A study of the transition from high school to the workplace for young adults who have a disability has been conducted to determine what enables or constrains a successful transition into the workplace. Transition is an important part of the process of moving from one life stage to another. Young disabled adults may find themselves unprepared for the expectations of their employers in the workplace, having unsuccessfully transitioned from high school to the workplace. This research investigates the three stages of the process of successfully moving from the school environment to the workplace. The first stage is the responsibility of the school to prepare the young adults for the transition. The second stage involves accessing employment and the employment process. The third and final stage of the process of transition is the transition into the workplace and the structures and processes that are in place to support young adults in this transition. This study critically interrogated the guidance and extent of the guidance received by learners in high school from their teachers in order to prepare them for a successful transition into the work environment. The results generated specific themes that emerge that either enable young adults in their transition, or hinder a successful transition process. The themes identified are; access to employment, preparation for the interview process and the nature of the interview, job preparedness, skills needed in the workplace, skills based support, a supportive environment, work satisfaction, transition and barriers in the workplace for young adults who have a disability and Government support. To address these themes mainly skills based intervention is required as well as the use of an adapted curriculum at a school level that includes, but is not limited to, emotional support and appropriate skills-based training to ensure that young adults who have a disability are employable and able to secure employment. This will also provide a guide for further research into this area
Description
A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the Faculty of Humanities, School of Education, University of the Witwatersrand, 2022