Autistic students face challenges in higher education, including navigation, sensory overload, and limited awareness of support services. This study examines an Assistive Online Toolkit as a solution to these barriers. Findings from a qualitative study with 13 students from 5 universities indicate that its mapping and location features reduced stress and enhanced students' confidence and autonomy on campus. The Toolkit also provided clear guidance on reasonable adjustments and self-advocacy, encouraging and improving access to support. Additionally, it fostered social adaptation and well-being by normalising help-seeking behaviours and strengthening the sense of belonging. These results underscore the need for digital assistive technologies to support autistic students within a disability-inclusive framework.

This study explores the potential of No-Code (NC) platforms to enable people with disabilities to develop customized workplace tools. While NC platforms allow individuals without IT experience to create applications, their usability for people with disabilities has been underexplored. Conducted in collaboration with a sheltered workshop in Germany, the study consisted of three phases. Phase I involved a brainstorming session with employees, which influenced the study design and product development. In Phase II, six participants with disabilities received one week of training to develop chatbots. Phase III involved implementing the chatbots in the sheltered workshop. Each participant successfully developed four chatbots during Phase II, which increased their digital skills and social competencies. In Phase III, fourteen users rated the chatbots highly, with a mean System Usability Scale (SUS) score of 88.9 (SD=11.2), indicating their user-friendliness. Users found the use of clear, easily understandable images in place of text to be highly beneficial. The findings suggest that, with appropriate training, individuals with disabilities can effectively use NC platforms to create useful and accessible tools that are well-received by their workplace peers.

The transition into the workplace can be particularly challenging for individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and intellectual disabilities. Many face unemployment or underemployment due to difficulties in social interaction and workplace adaptation. This study aimed to design and evaluate a tablet-based training program to improve work-related social skills for adults with NDDs. Developed in collaboration with workers with NDDs and their caregivers, the program incorporated 66 co-constructed social scenarios transformed into interactive quizzes. A two-month evaluation with 22 participants showed significant improvements in social knowledge and workplace social interactions. Participants appreciated the interactive format, and caregivers found it engaging and easy to use. These findings suggest that digital training tools can facilitate professional integration for individuals with NDDs by enhancing their understanding of social situations in the workplace.

The 2023 report on Cyprus’ employment for persons with disabilities highlights an increasing disability employment gap and challenges in social inclusion. Despite legislative frameworks, like Recruitment of Persons with Disabilities in the Wider Public Sector Law of 2009 and various subsidy schemes aimed at improving employment opportunities, the effectiveness of these measures is questioned due to limited application and scope.

Significant barriers include inadequate workplace accommodations and persistent employer biases, which lead to discrimination during hiring. Moreover, persons with disabilities face barriers due to low literacy rates, impeding their participation in an increasingly digital economy despite national efforts to enhance digital skills among vulnerable groups. The report also notes insufficient support for assistive technologies and reasonable accommodations, with a lack of public funding and employer engagement. It calls for a comprehensive strategy to enhance employability for disabled individuals in Cyprus through accessible workplace creation, discrimination combat and the promotion of inclusive policies and specific vocational training.

The digital age, characterized by rapid technological advancements and the pervasive influence of Industry 4.0, has brought about a paradigm shift in the workplace, necessitating a profound reassessment of the skills and competencies required for successful employment. As industries undergo digital transformation, integrating advanced technologies into their processes, the demand for a digitally proficient workforce has skyrocketed. This surge in demand, coupled with the relatively slow pace of skills development, has resulted in a critical digital skills gap, posing a significant challenge for individuals, organizations, and nations alike [1]. This gap not only hinders economic growth and innovation but also exacerbates social inequalities [2]. To bridge this divide and ensure inclusive and sustainable development, a concerted effort towards upskilling and reskilling is imperative. This paper presents an overview of the digital skills gap, the importance of lifelong learning, and the role of micro-credentials in addressing skills mismatches. Drawing from the findings of the CONVERT Erasmus+ project, which examines the labor market’s demand for ICT skills across five European countries, the study explores the efficacy of micro-credentials in addressing this skills gap.