Category: News

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

AHO Admin

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

AHO Admin

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

AHO Admin

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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Ford Looking To Hire Workers With Autism

AHO Admin

A major American automaker is looking to tap the potential of workers on the spectrum. Ford Motor Company said it is launching a pilot program this week designed to employ people with autism. Through the initiative dubbed “FordInclusiveWorks,” the company said it will establish five new positions in product development that were “created to suit the skills and capabilities of people with autism.” If successful, participants in the pilot program will ultimately enter Ford’s standard recruiting process, company officials said. Read the full story here… And more here…

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Stomach Troubles Not Linked to Autism, Study Finds

AHO Admin

Gastrointestinal problems don’t cause the disorder, researcher says. Children with autismare not at higher risk for certain digestive system problems than those without the neurodevelopmental disorder, a small study suggests. The researchers focused on gastrointestinal disorders that previous studies suggested might be linked to autism. These include intestinal inflammation; deficiency of the digestive enzyme lactase, associated with lactose intolerance; and increased intestinal permeability, often called “leaky gut.” The results showed that the children with autism were no more likely to have these conditions than typically developing kids. Read the full story…

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Therapy Cat Helps 6-Year-Old Girl With Autism

AHO Admin

  Wherever 6-year-old Iris Grace Halmshaw goes, 2-year-old Thula is sure to follow. When Iris is painting outside, Thula is always nearby, exploring in the garden. They play with the same toys in their fairy-tale-like playroom, take baths together, learn new things together, go on adventures and fall asleep together after long, exciting days. They sound like sisters. And while the two best friends are like family, there is one striking difference: Thula is a Maine Coon cat and Iris is a child with autism, diagnosed at age 2. Together…

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