Nexus between Psychosocial Networks and Operational Factors in the Employment of Blind or Deaf Graduates from Technical Training Institutes in Kenya

Abstract

Persons with disabilities, who account for at least 15% of the world's population, face elevated challenges and vulnerabilities especially in gaining employment compared to typical persons in society. This study sought to examine the nexus between employment and psychosocial factors, social networks and operational factors for youth who are blind or deaf in Kenya. The objectives of the study were to (i) examine the relationship between self-competencies and employment of youth who are blind or deaf, (ii) establish the extent to which the self-determination of a youth who is blind or deaf influences their employment, (iii) determine the role of individual characteristics in employment of youth who are blind or deaf, (iv) assess the relationship between social networks and employment of youth who are blind or deaf and (v) evaluate the impact of employers’ attitude on employment of youth who are blind or deaf. The study used a cross-sectional survey design to trace the progression of graduates from technical training institutes from graduation to employment status. The target population was 239 youth who graduated from Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) between 2014 and 2018 (112 blind, 127 deaf). The sample size was determined using the Krejcie and Morgan technique. Quantitative data was collected from a sample of 146 graduates using a structured questionnaire while four TVET administrators and 22 employers provided qualitative data through interview schedules that used semi-structured discussions guides. Cronbach alpha test was used to test the reliability of the scales generated and all of them met the minimum threshold of α = 0.7. The main analysis procedures for quantitative data were cross-tabulation with chi-square test and binary logistic regression analysis. Qualitative data was analysed using six-stage thematic analysis model by Braun and Clarke. The study findings showed that youth who are deaf were almost twice as likely to be employed compared with those who were blind regardless of their sex and age. Employment is highly correlated with individual technical and soft skills while a combination of technical and soft skills increased employment by up to three times. Most employers indicated employing the youth out of a need to do good to society, but offered long term engagement after competencies were confirmed. 95% of the employers preferred in-person meeting of the youth before any job offer. This study recommends an improvement within training in the building of soft skills and self-efficacy for youth who are either blind or deaf and organised internship to introduce and retain employer confidence in youth who are blind or deaf. There could be college-orchestrated training of the industry on disability mainstreaming. This study recommends further research to establish why over 80% of the youth choose to stick to their initial employment without considering a change of employer and whether it is related to self-competencies.