Career aspirations of deaf and hard of hearing young people: findings from the READY study

Historically, studies have shown that Deaf and Hard of Hearing young people are less likely to enter employment than hearing peers, have a restricted range of career opportunities and tend to do less well academically, often with default educational or employment pathways that tend to link DHH learners with the wider group of learners with SEND. <br/><br/>Most young people now entering adulthood in the UK were part of the newborn hearing screening programme leading to earlier identification and support with the potential to overcome developmental barriers to education and employment. A self-selecting sample of 163 DHH young people between the ages of 16 and 19 completed on-line surveys at three time points in a longitudinal study. This paper focuses on the questions relating to career aspirations, and whether these are influenced by educational attainments.<br/><br/>The findings suggest that study participants have done well academically and have high aspirations for their career choices that are broadly in line with the wider population of young people. The career aspirations are not influenced by academic qualifications nor by increasing age or experience. The findings challenge previous assumptions and places new responsibilities on professionals working with DHH learners.<br/>