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The Careers Centre recognises the importance of disability and inclusivity to careers-related issues. This page focuses mostly on disability, but the Careers Centre can also support you if you are a student of the University of St Andrews from a care-experienced background or supported pathway programme, with the Employability Bursary.

In England, Scotland, and Wales, the requires employers to treat disabled people fairly, both during the recruitment process and in employment.

You are disabled under the Equality Act if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities. This includes depression, anxiety, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and autistic spectrum disorder.

EmployAbility

EmployAbility is a non-profit organisation that supports neurodiverse and disabled students and graduates into employment. to access free support and a range of opportunities.

Reasonable adjustments

Under the Equality Act, employers must make reasonable adjustments for your disability, whether you are applying to an organisation or already working for one.

Examples of reasonable adjustments include:

• being giving more time to complete any psychometric tests or written exercises during the recruitment process (read Psychometric Tests - a guide for disabled candidates (AGCAS) (Word))
• allowing someone who uses a wheelchair to work on the ground floor of an office building
• providing assistive technology to someone who has dyslexia
• allowing someone with diabetes to take more frequent breaks to meet their dietary needs
• giving someone with social anxiety their own desk, rather than requiring them to share a desk with others.

For more details on reasonable adjustments, see Acas’ .

Sharing your disability

Deciding to share your disability with an employer is a personal choice. In England, Scotland, and Wales, you are under unless you wish to do so, and it is for you to determine at which stage you wish to share. 

• .

You may also find it helpful to  to discuss being open about a disability.

Finding internships, work experience and graduate jobs with disability-inclusive employers

• - filter results by learning, mental, or physical disability
• – for neurodivergent job seekers
• – for neurodivergent job seekers
• - global disability jobs board

Professional associations, mentorship, networks, and skill development

• – work mentoring programme for graduates in Ireland
• – networking hub for disabled employees, employee network leaders, and their allies.
• The Image Project’s 

Support schemes and organisations

• - a government scheme that can help you get or stay in work if you have a physical or mental health condition or disability. The support you get will depend on your needs
• – seeks to improve the education rehabilitation, training, and employment opportunities available to disabled people.
• - professional resources for women