Through its Knowledge to Action team, MODC examined the persistent underemployment of young people with disabilities (YPWD), with particular attention to the role of digital skill development.
Digital skills are foundational to participation in nearly every sector of today’s economy. From leisure activities, job applications and performing core job functions, digital competency is increasingly required. Yet, many YPWD encounter limited access to structured digital skill development opportunities and face systemic barriers when pursuing tech-enabled employment.
A multi-phase, community-engaged research project “Creating Inclusive Employment (CEI) explored the current landscape of digital skill development in Canada and sought to:
a) Understand what enables and what inhibits YPWD in building digital skills and securing meaningful work
b)What gaps and opportunities exist within public, private, and non-profit sectors, and what structural and systemic changes are required to increase equity in employment.
Data was gathered in two phases. First was a ‘Needs Assessment,’ which included a rapid review of academic literature, an environmental scan of employment and digital skill programs across Canada, World Cafe and focus group sessions. The idea was to gather insights from experiences of youth and practitioners.
Journey mapping
In the second phase youth committee members co-designed seven personas representing diverse disability experiences, identities, and life circumstances. Together, they journey mapped realistic pathways that each persona would take for digital upskilling, to work towards educational, career, or personal goals. These maps were then thematically analyzed.
Assessment findings
The team analyzed existing systems, policies, and program offerings to understand the current landscape of digital skill development that YPWD are facing. There were three key findings:
1) Gaps exist in both formal education and workplace training
YPWD consistently reported that formal education systems are not equipping them with workforce-ready digital skills. While digital tools are often used in classrooms, structured instruction in applied digital competencies like software proficiency, technical troubleshooting, or industry-specific tools, is limited. Additionally, limited educator training on accessibility and inclusive teaching practices can create early setbacks that compound over time.
Similarly employers tend to assume young workers already possess necessary digital competencies. Thus it is rarely included in onboarding processes, reinforcing inequities for those who haven’t had skill-building opportunities in this area.
2) Accessible programming is limited and fragmented
The environmental scan identified 259 employment or digital skill development programs across the county. However, the offerings had limitations, indicating that upskilling through non-traditional pathways is not a perfect solution for acquiring employable digital skills. We found that:
• Most programs focused on general employment readiness not digital upskilling
• Of the digital-focused programs identified, the majority provided only basic digital literacy
• Very few programs were specifically designed for people with disabilities, and even fewer targeted youth.
The rapid literature review also revealed minimal academic research on YPWD’s digital skill development. The limited evidence base makes it difficult to inform best practices or scalable solutions.
3) Policy recognition without consistent implementation
While government strategies and policy documents acknowledge the importance of digital inclusion, accessible technology, and non-traditional credentialing pathways (e.g., micro-credentials, community-based programs, libraries). funding, coordination, and implementation remain inconsistent. Recognition of the issue has not yet been translated into comprehensive, accessible digital skill systems.
Journey mapping findings
This phase was heavily informed by the lived experience of young Canadians with disabilities. This activity revealed more about the systemic gaps that exist for YPWD, how these gaps are experienced in real life, and what is currently helping them work through these gaps.
1) Determinants of health are foundational factors
Income stability, housing security, transportation access, mental health supports, and access to reliable Internet significantly shape digital skill development journeys. When these foundational needs are unmet, progress can stall entirely. Skill development cannot occur in isolation from broader social and economic conditions.
2) The costs of non-traditional pathways
Due to gaps in formal systems, many YPWD pursue self-directed learning, community programs, or micro-credentials. While these pathways demonstrate resilience and initiative, they often require:
• Significant time and financial investment
• Complex navigation across fragmented systems
• Repeated trial-and-error attempts to find accessible options.
This process can lead to frustration, exhaustion, and burnout, particularly when youth are simultaneously managing health conditions or financial stress.
3) Accessibility as a systemic gap and employment barrier
• Across sectors, accessibility is frequently reactive rather than embedded from the outset.
• Technology evolves rapidly, yet compatibility with assistive tools and accessibility standards often lags behind
• Training and educational programs youth need to meet job requirements also frequently lack built-in accessibility
• YPWD must continually adapt to systems that are not designed with them in mind
• Job application processes illustrate this gap clearly.
Although postings often state that accommodations are available, applicants may face unclear processes, delayed responses, or inadequate support during recruitment. This can discourage disclosure and limit equitable participation.
4) Community enablers
Community emerged as the strongest facilitator of progress. Community organizations often fill gaps by providing accessible digital skill training, mentorship, and employment support. Informal peer networks offer resource sharing, problem-solving assistance, and emotional encouragement.
Strong referral networks and inter-organizational collaboration significantly reduce navigation burdens. Free programs and open online learning resources are particularly valuable.
Looking forward
YPWD have been shown to demonstrate resilience and creativity in forging their own digital skill development pathways. However, informal and self-directed routes should not be the default solution.
Digital inclusion must be embedded across education, workforce systems, and technology design. The following summarize our recommendations:
1) Address systemic determinants of health by strengthening income, housing, transportation, mental health, and navigation supports.
2) Develop a National Youth Digital Literacy and Technology Inclusion Framework with consistent standards, sustained funding, accessible curriculum design, and expanded experiential learning opportunities.
3) Establish national accessibility standards for digital products and technologies, ensuring accessibility is built in from the outset and maintained over time.
4) Support employers in building inclusive workplaces through training, accountability measures, and dedicated funding for accessibility improvements.
5) Increase access to technology and assistive tools, including lending libraries, funding for everyday devices, and accessibility navigators to support system navigation.
6) Expand employment supports beyond job entry, incorporating human rights education, transitional supports, mentorship, and career advancement pathways.
YPWD continue to face systemic, structural, and accessibility barriers that limit equitable
access to skill development and tech-enabled employment. Coordinated action across education systems, community organizations, employers, policy-makers, and tech developers is key. By embedding accessibility and digital inclusion into core systems Canada can create sustainable, equitable pathways that allow YPWD to participate and thrive.
To learn more about the ‘Creating Inclusive Employment’ project, visit Creating Inclusive Employment/March of Dimes Canada.
Photos: iStock. Curated Lifestyle.
