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…

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Major companies actively recruiting employees with autism

Autism is a disorder that affects the body’s nervous system. Symptoms can include difficulty with communication, obsessive interests and repetitive behaviors. People on the spectrum are also known to have a deep sense of creativity and imagination, which many companies agree can be beneficial within a workplace.  That’s why some big-name tech companies are working to create neurodiversity programs for employees. Ernst & Young recently changed its interview process for individuals with autism, moving from a 1-on-1 interview to a series of problem-solving challenges.  Click here to read the rest…

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The State Of Autism Employment In 2021

Entering 2021, most of the members of our adult autism group of the Bay Area, AASCEND, continue to be out of work, laid off or furloughed from the jobs they had prior to the pandemic. Though they are told to be satisfied with their benefit checks or unemployment checks, they are bored, restless and want to get back to work. Whether and when they return to work will depend on the same factors that will determine how quickly other workers return to work. So too these factors will determine how…

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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…

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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…

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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  

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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

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We all carry the genes for autism, study finds

The autism spectrum is a continuum, scientists say, and we’re all on it. A large international study of the genes that predispose people to autism spectrum disorders (ASD) suggests that the same gene variants are also present in the wider population, where they can contribute to a range of behavioural and developmental traits with lesser severity than clinical ASD. According to the researchers, there’s no real cut-off point on the autism spectrum – rather, it’s a continuum of complex genetic factors that can affect our behaviour. But for a small…

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Blue Man Group Promises More Sensory-Friendly Shows for Kids With Autism

Blue Man Group announced on Monday that they will continue their partnership with Autism Speaks and host a set of sensory-friendly shows suitable for children with autism in five major U.S. cities over the next year. “Creating a version of our show that is more accessible for families affected by autism has been a very meaningful experience for us,” Phil Stanton, Blue Man Group co-founder said in a press release. “We are thrilled to provide a safe and welcoming environment and are often quite moved by the emotional response to the show.” To make the show…

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Holly Robinson Peete talks new reality show, autism awareness

For Peete’s Sake is an American reality television series starring Holly Robinson Peete, Rodney Peete, their four kids, and her mom, Dolores. It premieres on March 19, 2016 on the Oprah Winfrey Network, as part of its Saturday-night reality lineup. Holly Robinson Peete has her plate full for the next couple of months. The “21 Jump Street” actress has a reality show debuting on the OWN network and she plans to release book about autism, titled “Same But Different” that she co-authored with two of her children. The 52-year-old actress…

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