Graduates
You've (almost) finished your studies! Now it's time to find a good job that suits you, that you are qualified for and that meets your financial expectations. For all graduates, starting a career is an exciting and sometimes challenging process; for graduates with a disability, it is sometimes even more difficult, even if job advertisements include the addition: "Severely disabled persons with equal qualifications will be given preference".
We will inform you here about career guidance services, advice centres, bridging options and special assistance.
Workshops and lectures
- Offers for blind and visually impaired graduates of the German Association of Blind and Visually Impaired Students and Graduates (DVBS)
- Offers for hearing-impaired and deaf graduates from the Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Hörbehinderter Studenten und Absolventen e.V. (BHSA)
- Services offered by the Information and Counselling Centre for Study and Disability of the German National Association for Student Affairs, DSW
Self-test: Am I saying it?
As part of a project at the University of Cologne, information and a self-test were developed on how to deal with one's own impairment in professional life, which can also be helpful for students or prospective academics. The self-test helps to find an individual path between concealing and disclosing a health impairment at work (or during studies). Decisions are often difficult, especially for people with mental and chronic somatic illnesses that are not immediately recognisable to others, and are accompanied by fear of stigmatisation and discrimination. The website and its content were developed and implemented by research assistants from the Chair of Work and Vocational Rehabilitation at the Faculty of Human Sciences at the University of Cologne.
myAbility talent programme and job exchange
myAbility is the first barrier-free career programme to support students and academics with disabilities in their career planning. The companies looking for employees on myAbility are expressly interested in applications from people with disabilities. In addition, myAbility brings you together with companies in numerous major cities such as Munich, Hamburg and Berlin as part of a talent programme.
The myAbility job portal can be used to search for specific job vacancies.
iXnet
iXnet is the network of and for academics with disabilities. You can get advice on individual questions about finding a job, funding opportunities or starting a business, exchange ideas with others in forums or take part in the mentoring programme. iXnet cooperates with the Federal Employment Agency, among others.
Central International Placement Services of the Federal Employment Agency
The International Placement Services (ZAV) of the Federal Employment Agency supports severely disabled graduates individually and clarifies the respective possibilities for support and financial assistance.
Graduates can obtain advice from the employer service regarding application documents, application strategies, funding opportunities, labour market analysis, etc. During this counselling process, the jobseeker's personal qualifications, ideas and interests are also addressed individually.
Furthermore, the ZAV submits suitable job offers, carries out targeted job acquisition in the nationwide network of companies and organisations and opens up additional employment opportunities by initiating projects.
