Tímarit um menntarannsóknir - 01.01.2013, Page 102

Guörún V. Stefánsdóttir
Abstract
The employment of young people who have completed the
semi-professional diploma programme at the University of
Iceland
The autumn of 2007 was a turning point
in the history of education for people with
intellectual disabilities when the Iceland
University of Education, now the School
of Education within the University of Ice-
land, offered for the first time a semi-pro-
fessional diploma programme for people
with intellectual disabilities. That same
year, Iceland signed the United Nations
Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities, thereby acknowledging their
full human rights including their equal
right to an education at all levels of educa-
tion. The main objective of the semi-pro-
fessional diploma programme is twofold:
on the one hand it is to prepare students
for specific work within preschools, in
the area of leisure activities, in libraries
and in the general environment of the
disabled people, while on the other hand
it is to enable students to gain practical
knowledge and social ability in a study
environment without segregation in order
to promote their increased participation in
society (Guðrún V. Stefánsdóttir & Vilborg
Jóhannsdóttir, 2011). The studies are not
segregated and the students attend cour-
ses with non-disabled university students.
In the article the employment participa-
tion of those who have completed their
studies is examined. Two groups have gra-
duated, in total 39 students. The article ex-
amines the way in which the studies have
been useful for the people in the workforce
and in what way they participate and re-
ceive support in the workplace. Data was
collected through telephone interviews,
focus groups and individual interviews.
The data was analysed using a simple
thematic analysis which is often referred
to as phenomenology (Creswell, 2007).
The results of the study show that about
70% of students who graduated with the
diploma are active in the open job mar-
ket, and more than half of those are in
employment that relates to the content of
their studies. The results indicate that the
studies have increased the self-confidence
and respect of the students, which benefits
them in the workplace. Half of the studies
are practical and work-related and parti-
cipants felt that the practical work study
prepared them well for employment. In
spite of these positive outcomes it also
highlights the need to provide increased
support to students during their studies,
not least during their period of practi-
cal work study. Additionally a greater
selection of courses should be offered to
strengthen the employment aspect of the
studies. It is worth noting that eight parti-
cipants (20,5%) are employed in sheltered
workplaces but one of the main aims of the
programme is to promote full participa-
tion in society, including participation in
the job market. It appears that the group
employed in sheltered workplaces has
limited possibilities for employment in the
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