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Education and employment are basic human rights and during the past decade in Ireland, the number of students with disabilities progressing through universities has dramatically increased as a result of improved support (AHEAD 2012. Survey on the Participation Rates of Students with Disabilities in Higher Education for the Academic Year 2011/2012. AHEAD). However, embarking on the transition from college to employment can be fraught with challenges (Fichten, S. Jorgensen, A. Havel, M. Barile, V. Ferraro, M. È. Landry, D. Fiset, et al. 2012, "What happens after graduation? Outcomes, employment, and recommendations of recent junior/community college graduates with and without disabilities.". Disability and Rehabilitation 34 (11): 917-924). Therefore, this qualitative study aimed to explore the perspectives and needs of students and graduates with disabilities as they transition from college to employment. Semi-structured interviews were employed to hear the voices of thirteen students and nine graduates. Content analysis guided data analysis. Five themes were identified in the student group and four in the graduate group. This study concluded that students and graduates with disabilities need support in transitioning into the world of work and higher education institutions need to listen to the voices of students in developing and refining career-related resources.

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PurposeWork-based placements are central to the university education of allied health and social work (AHSW) students. As a result of COVID-19, the clinical learning environment of students' work-based placements was dramatically altered resulting in numerous documented challenges. This inter-disciplinary study aimed to evaluate AHSW students' perceptions and experiences of completing a diverse range of work-based placements during COVID-19.Design/methodology/approachThis study was a mixed-method inter-disciplinary study using an anonymous online survey consisting of multiple choice, Likert scale and free text questions. Mixed-methods design supported amalgamation of insights from positivism and interpretivism perspectives and enabled research questions to be answered with both breadth and depth. 436 students were invited to participate who were enrolled in five AHSW educational university programmes: speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, radiation therapy and social work. Data collected was analysed using both quantitative (descriptive and analytical statistics) and qualitative (thematic analysis) methods.Findings118 students participated (response rate: 27%) representing a range of AHSW disciplines who attended diverse placement settings. While there was extensive disruption in the learning environment leading to increased levels of stress and concern, a triad of individual and systemic supports helped to ensure positive work-based placement experiences and student success for the majority of AHSW students during COVID-19: (1) university preparation and communication; (2) placement site and supervisor support; and (3) students' resilience and capacity to adapt to a changed work-place environment.Originality/valueThis inter-disciplinary study reports the work-based placement experiences from the professional education programmes of healthcare students during the COVID-19 pandemic, giving a unique view of their perspectives and learning during this unprecedented crisis.

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