Involving Employers in the Vocational Training of Individuals with Disabilities in IT Specialties in the Secondary Vocational Education System

This article addresses one of the challenges of inclusive vocational education: training competitive IT specialists from among individuals with disabilities. In the context of digital transformation and the high demand for IT personnel, this study focuses on analyzing the gap between employer requirements and the actual level of professional competencies among college students. Based on a comparative analysis of data obtained from employers and expert assessments by faculty, the study reveals challenges in developing the "Software Code Development and Debugging" job function. Empirically, it is shown that second-year students, including those with disabilities, have low proficiency in competencies such as working with version control systems, code debugging, task formalization, and documentation, while employers rate these competencies as incredibly important. Particular attention is paid to the fact that the identified deficit is systemic and equally affects both neurotypical students and those with disabilities, indicating the need for changes in the educational process as a whole. In conclusion, the authors propose a set of practice-oriented measures, including the introduction of project activities, integration with employers, and the development of support measures for students with disabilities, aimed at overcoming this gap and the successful professional integration of graduates.