Autistic people succeed in IT jobs when companies hire for capabilities not credentials

Building a diverse workforce means more than hiring more women and people of color. The tech industry should rethink who is a good fit for IT work and look to neurodiverse individuals to fill testing, cybersecurity and other tech roles. This requires modernizing the hiring process and creating work environments to support this new source of talent. Michele Lanza, founder of WorkWider, an online career and recruitment site created to support underrepresented communities, said that neurodiversity covers autistic individuals as well as people with dyspraxia, dyslexia, ADHD and social anxiety…

Read More

Here’s What Some Companies are Doing to Attract and Retain Workers with Autism Spectrum Disorder

According to AutismSpeaks.org, nearly half of 25-year-olds with autism have never held a paying job and more than half of young adults with autism remain unemployed and unenrolled in higher education in the two years after high school. But some companies are aiming to foster a more inclusive and neurodiverse workplace by creating strategies and programs that aim to attract and retain workers with autism spectrum disorder. And they are seeing successful returns on investing in these workers when it comes to productivity, innovation, and efficiency. Read More here…

Read More

Top 10 Autism Friendly Employers

Somewhere from 66 percent to 86 percent of adults with autism are unemployed or seriously underemployed. While the precise percentage varies based on study parameters, there’s no doubt that employment is elusive for adults on the spectrum. This reality, however, is changing fast. Read More…

Read More

Accepting Autism

Stella Spanakos was looking for a place where her autistic son, Nicholas, could learn life and vocational skills after he completed high school. She became distraught over the limited choices. Spanakos called a friend who also has a son with autism, as well as Nicholas’ former camp counselor. The trio launched Spectrum Designs out of Spanakos’ garage. Nine years later, the Port Washington, N.Y.-based company has 40 workers, with a little more than half of them on the autism spectrum, including Nicholas and co-founder Nicole Sugrue’s son, Adam. Read the…

Read More

Autism and the Workplace

As Larry prepared for the transition from high school to the workplace, he and his mother were unsure of what his work options would be. The staff at his school helped Larry recognize his strengths and interests. They then collaborated with the State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency, where Larry and his family learned about Social Security’s Ticket to Work (Ticket) program. Through the Ticket program, Larry received career counseling, job training, assistance looking for work and other individualized supports and services to help him navigate and succeed on the path…

Read More

Employers Discover Untapped Talent in the Autism Community

With the labor market tightening and companies exploring ways to expand the diversity of their workforce, an increasing number of employers are looking to benefit from the talents and skills of individuals with autism, a group for whom unemployment numbers can be as high as 80 percent. Like the autism spectrum itself, employment opportunities vary. Fundamentally, employment successes can be found in any environment where there are willing employers and supervisors, a supportive work environment and qualified employees with common goals. Click Here to read more…

Read More

How Companies Are Increasing Neurodiversity in the Workplace

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that approximately one in 59 children is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. For those on the spectrum, the odds are against them going to college and working. The unemployment rate for autistic adults remains dis-proportionally high, with nearly half of 25-year-olds with autism never having held a job. To find out more click here  

Read More

Top 10 Autism Friendly Employers

Somewhere from 66 percent to 86 percent of adults with autism are unemployed or seriously underemployed. While the precise percentage varies based on study parameters, there’s no doubt that employment is elusive for adults on the spectrum. This reality, however, is changing fast. To read more click here

Read More

A.J. Drexel Autism Institute Launches Life Course Outcomes Research Initiatives

A.J. Drexel Autism Institute Receives $3.6 Million Gift to Launch Life Course Outcomes Research Initiatives The A.J. Drexel Autism Institute at Drexel University has received a grant of $3.6 million from an anonymous donor to launch four major initiatives of its Life Course Outcomes research program, focused on understanding and improving quality of life issues for people on the autism spectrum at all ages. This program is led by Autism Institute professor Paul Shattuck, PhD, a nationally recognized expert on these issues. Click here to read the full story  

Read More

The Benefits Of Employing People With Autism

Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Not a term that rolls off the tongue easily but increasingly big corporations such as Microsoft and SAP have launched programs to attract candidates with ASD for roles which require certain skill sets.  ASD is the name for a range of conditions that affect the way a person sees the world, processes information and interacts with people. The term covers high-functioning autism such as Asperger’s. Under-employment is high among autistic adults. Only 14% of adults with autism held paid jobs in their communities, according to the National…

Read More