Social Landscape:
In a rapidly evolving global economy, as businesses navigate a changing social landscape, it is more important than ever for us to continue to embrace diversity and inclusion within the workplace.
While traditional diversity and inclusion initiatives have focused on race, gender, and sexual orientation, there is a growing recognition of the need to improve employment outcomes for individuals with intellectual disabilities—an area where significant gaps persist. In Ireland, less than 17% of people with intellectual disabilities are engaged in paid employment, despite the unique perspectives, talents, and motivation that they bring to the workplace.
Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities (TCPID)
The Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities (TCPID), based in the School of Education in Trinity College Dublin, has developed a pioneering model of university–industry cooperation that centres on its Business Partners programme.

Business Partners:
The TCPID Business Partners programme brings together over 50 organisations across diverse sectors, working together to develop inclusive employment pathways for students and graduates of the TCPID’s two-year academic programme. These partnerships go beyond traditional corporate engagement by providing TCPID students and graduates with a unique insight into a variety of industry environments through tailored workshops, guest lectures, work placements and a graduate internship programme.

Workshops:
Workshops delivered through the TCPID Business Partners programme provide a key platform for skills-building and personal development for students. Co-designed with partner companies, these workshops introduce students to diverse workplace environments, roles and expectations in a supportive, structured, but fun format. The workshops help to nurture confidence and give students a unique insight into possible future careers and environments where they might like to work.

Graduate Internships:
The TCPID Graduate Internship programme provides six-month paid internships within partner organisations, enabling graduates to build vital workplace skills and showcase their capabilities in professional settings. Through targeted training, personalised mentoring, and very careful role matching, the programme has consistently delivered successful outcomes—often leading to permanent employment opportunities for graduates.

Presentation:
This presentation will explore the structure and impact of the TCPID Business Partners programme, illustrating how collaborative initiatives—such as workshops, placements and internships are reshaping inclusive employment practices. It will highlight the transformative effects of this university–industry collaboration, demonstrating how these partnerships foster meaningful change not only in the employment landscape in Ireland, but in the lives of all participants, empowering individuals to realise their potential and enabling organisations to embrace inclusive practices that enrich their workforce and culture. As this model continues to grow, it serves as a compelling case for how strategic collaboration between academia and industry can drive systemic change and promote true equity in employment.

Keywords: Inclusive education, business partnerships, inclusive employment, intellectual disabilities, belonging, inclusion.