Labour market reintegration of individuals with a physical and cognitive disability by a company-based work-experience program

As in many other countries, individuals with disabilities in the Netherlands have difficulties in establishing sustainable careers. In the Netherlands, Royal Philips offers a work-experience program with the possibility to follow vocational education. Based on national register data, a control group was constructed that includes individuals with a disability with a similar labour market history as participants of the company-based program before entry but who were involved in public rehabilitation. This study compared the labour market outcomes up to ten years later (i.e., the level of employment and employment on a competitive salary) of individuals with a disability that participated in the program (N = 552) with those of a matched control group engaged in public rehabilitation. The long-term impact of participation in the programme on the level of employment appears to be firmer for individuals with a physical disability (N = 283) than for those with a cognitive disability (N = 269). Contrariwise, a more substantial effect was found on employment on a competitive salary for individuals with a cognitive disability than for those with a physical disability. Following vocational education, while gaining work experience, explains the long-term impact found for former participants of this company-based program partially.