--- title: "Addressing Vulnerability and Inequality: A Closer Look at the Global Workforce" description: New research highlights that 61% of the global workforce, comprising mainly vulnerable and informally employed individuals, face normalized inequalities, often concealed due to fear of discrimination. Institutions need to address these challenges, especially among vulnerable student groups such as those with disabilities, chronic illnesses, mental health issues, and more. image: https://blog.fundfive.com/hubfs/vulnerable%20student.png --- [Skip to content](https://blog.fundfive.com/beyond-the-classroom/addressing-vulnerability-and-inequality-a-closer-look-at-the-global-workforce#main-content) [![fundfive-logo-for-dark-bkgd](https://blog.fundfive.com/hs-fs/hubfs/fundfive-logo-for-dark-bkgd.png?width=1799&height=312&name=fundfive-logo-for-dark-bkgd.png "fundfive-logo-for-dark-bkgd")](https://www.fundfive.com) - [OUR SOLUTIONS](https://www.fundfive.com/) - [CONTACT US](https://resources.fundfive.com/contact-us) - [Student Challenges](https://blog.fundfive.com/beyond-the-classroom/tag/student-challenges) # Addressing Vulnerability and Inequality: A Closer Look at the Global Workforce ![](https://blog.fundfive.com/hubfs/vulnerable%20student.png) - February 21, 2024 ![Matt Christian, Ed.D.](https://blog.fundfive.com/hubfs/IMG_0133.jpg) [Matt Christian, Ed.D.](https://blog.fundfive.com/beyond-the-classroom/author/matthew-christian) According to a recent report by the International Labor Organization (ILO), about 2 billion workers globally, translating to 61% of the global workforce, are categorized as vulnerable and informally employed (ILO, 2020). This startling statistic underscores an overlooked reality. A research team comprised of scholars from the United States, Australia, and the Philippines have noted that this group deals with a set of at times intersecting, normalized inequalities. These vulnerabilities often remain undisclosed for fear of discrimination (Restubog et al., 2021).     This large section of workers share a common phenomenon: a higher subscription to the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory. This theory posits that individuals strive to acquire, retain, and safeguard valued resources, leading to stress and burnout when such resources are perceived as threatened or depleted. It highlights the struggle these workers endure with underemployment and poverty, often accepting jobs they are overqualified for, underpinned by the belief that their unique differentiating factors compel them to take what they can.     One segment of these vulnerable workers includes students with disabilities, a demographic faced with additional challenges. A longitudinal study by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) from 2009 showed that roughly 11% of college undergraduates reported a disability (Hinz et al., 2017). When juxtaposing this finding with the number of college-eligible students who had an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) in high school, a sizable portion could be enrolled without revealing their disability.      Given the ILO's and the NCES's findings, we can postulate that over half of the undergraduate population could potentially fall into the vulnerable bracket. This includes, but is not limited to those:     - Suffering from chronic illnesses - Dealing with mental health issues  - Immigrants and migrants - Refugees - Victims of violence - Ex-offenders - Disabled - Members of the LGBTQ+ community    To tackle these issues, Career Services and Academics must bridge their efforts to confront the socioeconomic challenges that vulnerable students face. The goal being to secure future employability and combat issues such as erratic employment and diminished health status. The trend in higher education institutes is to merge the efforts of career service teams and curriculum designers. This partnership is geared towards helping students better understand and articulate their skills while fostering the development of new competencies (Presti et al., 2022).     Through the development and institution of programs geared towards addressing career competencies, organic opportunities could be created for these vulnerable student groups thereby mitigating the hardship they endure and creating a more inclusive and diverse workforce.     References Hinz, S., Arbeit, C., & Simone, S. (2017). *Characteristics and outcomes of undergraduates with disabilities*. S. National Center for Education. [https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2018/2018432.pdf](https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2018/2018432.pdf) Presti, A. L., Capone, V., Aversano, A., & Akkermans, J. (2022). Career Competencies and Career Success: On the Roles of Employability Activities and Academic Satisfaction During the School-to-Work Transition \[Article\]. *Journal of Career Development*,* 49*(1), 107-125. [https://doi.org/10.1177/0894845321992536](https://doi.org/10.1177/0894845321992536)  Restubog, S. L. D., Deen, C. M., Decoste, A., & He, Y. (2021). From vocational scholars to social justice advocates: Challenges and opportunities for vocational psychology research on the vulnerable workforce. *Journal of Vocational Behavior*,* 126*, 103561. [https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2021.103561](https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2021.103561)         Beyond the Classroom ## Related Articles [![](https://blog.fundfive.com/hubfs/conservation%20of%20resources-1.png)](https://blog.fundfive.com/beyond-the-classroom/understanding-the-conservation-of-resources-theory-a-closer-look-at-vulnerable-workers) [Student Challenges](https://blog.fundfive.com/beyond-the-classroom/tag/student-challenges) ### [Understanding the Conservation of Resources Theory: A Closer Look at Vulnerable Workers](https://blog.fundfive.com/beyond-the-classroom/understanding-the-conservation-of-resources-theory-a-closer-look-at-vulnerable-workers) February 28, 2024 In the constantly evolving job market, a particular group of individuals often find themselves at a disadvantage -... 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[Read more](https://blog.fundfive.com/beyond-the-classroom/disability-disclosure-0) [![Incarcerated Parents](https://blog.fundfive.com/hubfs/incarcerated%20parents.png)](https://blog.fundfive.com/beyond-the-classroom/incarcerated-parents) [Student Challenges](https://blog.fundfive.com/beyond-the-classroom/tag/student-challenges), [Career Sustainability](https://blog.fundfive.com/beyond-the-classroom/tag/career-sustainability) ### [The Impact of Parental Incarceration on College Attainment](https://blog.fundfive.com/beyond-the-classroom/incarcerated-parents) June 26, 2024 In a previous Beyond the Classroom post, we discussed Prison Education and its potential for societal impacts as well... [Read more](https://blog.fundfive.com/beyond-the-classroom/incarcerated-parents) [Check all articles](https://blog.fundfive.com/beyond-the-classroom) ### Unlock Career Sustainability Are your students prepared for long-term success in their future career? 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