Purpose: This study aims to examine the effects of vocational training programs for people with disabilities on their income. Design/methodology/approach: It conducted a multinomial regression analysis of 10,469 survey responses from 31 provincial administrative areas in mainland China. Findings: It finds the following antecedents all influence the trainees’ self-reported income, including their perception of the quality of the program, the training subject, the degree of consistency between their current job and this subject, their employment sector, their motivation and access to training resources and the geographical location of the program. Research limitations/implications: The findings are not representative of people with disabilities across mainland China because the respondents were not randomly sampled. Practical implications: The findings suggest that to increase the income of people with disabilities, the training can be designed according to the needs of employers by teaching subjects relevant to the needs of the labor market, reaching out to motivated trainees and enhancing the quality of training. Training institutions, employers and governments are recommended to work together to integrate class-based learning with workplace-based learning and practices. More training resources can be devoted to the self-employed people with disabilities or those who operate in the informal sector and are in less-developed areas. Social implications: The improvement of employment opportunities and income of people with disabilities supports the safeguarding of their social economic rights and the building of an inclusive society. Originality/value: Few studies have empirically explored and explained the effects of vocational training programs on people with disabilities’ income. This article fills this gap by assessing the performance of China's vocational training programs funded by the Federation of Disabled Persons at all levels. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.
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