Improving the educational outcomes of people with a disability is seen as key in helping
improve their employment and life prospects. Vocational Education and Training (VET) is an
important avenue for further education for people with disability because it is a highly
flexible and accessible form of education. This paper uses the HILDA survey and
multivariate estimation to examine whether people with disability face barriers in
participating in and completing a VET qualification, with particular focus on the role of
social support. Overall, we find that people with disability are not disadvantaged in terms of
participation, but are in terms of completion, especially those with more limiting conditions
and those with mental health problems who have low levels of social support. These findings
add to the growing literature on the role of social support in the functioning of people with
mental illness and underline the importance of ensuring access to adequate support services.