Sourcing Understanding Through Research for Future Talent (SURF) | 2023-2026

SURF was a three-year research study exploring how students with disabilities experience the transition from postsecondary education into employment.

More people with disabilities are attaining college and university credentials than ever before, but they still face worse employment outcomes than their peers without disabilities. Through surveys and focus groups with students and new graduates across Canada, we found that post-secondary students with disabilities frequently felt anxious and unprepared to enter the workforce. After graduating, their job searches often took longer than expected, and many struggled to find permanent, full-time employment. We learned that graduates found it difficult to find available entry-level jobs, and many encountered discrimination from employers.

We identified several barriers – including fragmented support systems, gaps in career development resources, limited entry-level opportunities, and employer discrimination – as well as practical strategies to improve school-to-work pathways. The findings from SURF clarify the need for more accessible work-integrated learning opportunities; stronger cross-sector coordination between schools, employers, and community organizations; and disability-informed career supports that help graduates with disabilities enter the workforce with confidence.