We need to better understand potential barriers if we are to attract more apprentices with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND), explains Suzanne Slater, Director of Operations for Apprenticeships at the educational charity and leader in vocational and technical learning NCFE.
When it comes to providing opportunities for learners with SEND to find jobs, as a country we’ve historically been very poor. For example, data released by the Office for National Statistics in 2021 showed that only 22% of autistic adults are in any kind of employment.
If we examine some of the reasons behind this, what’s clear is that there’s a fear among employers around SEND – particularly when it comes to supporting people in the workplace.
The National Autistic Society’s report – The Autism Employment Gap – highlighted that the majority (60%) of employers were worried about getting support for an autistic employee wrong, and the same proportion didn’t know where to go for help or advice about employing an autistic person.
