Autistic strengths should be utilised to best effect

I cannot answer the lattter part of your question, but that of finding and developing skills for secure employment does interest me.

I think more should be done at school to introduce greater flexibility around special interests. As this is my theory, it would be useful to hear from anyone who agrees this is possible or fundamentally disagrees. There doesn't seem to be much literature on this important topic.

The trouble with special interests is that they are too restrictive and often not in something that makes money. Also the skills to make better use of special interests need to be encouraged and developed. This may work in some contexts such as the Danish organisation you mention, but that's only providing work for a handful of people where an aptitude matches a job role.

The difficulty often manifests where people on the spectrum go to college or university to study maths or computing. It can emerge as a barrier to progress if it is assumed that an aptitude for certain number sequences indicates ability at maths, whereby abstract thinking like equations may not be an aptitude, and maths is highly theoretical rather than just number games. An aptitude for numbers might better suit accountancy. Likewise ability with certain computer games or certain types of software development may not indicate an ability to do all the things required in a computing degree.

Perhaps if some research was done on making better use of special interests, and developing this at school, the job situation might be made better. Can people work outside their special interest if encouraged to broaden their perspectives. Are there skills that can be taught in schools that enhance the ability to apply special interests.

Also special interests indicate a propensity for research and information gathering. But someone who knows his way round the starship enterprise or is a master at certain computer wargames is not destined to be much good at real world tasks. Unless the ability to mine information is developed at school so they can research more topics.

I cannot answer the lattter part of your question, but that of finding and developing skills for secure employment does interest me.

I think more should be done at school to introduce greater flexibility around special interests. As this is my theory, it would be useful to hear from anyone who agrees this is possible or fundamentally disagrees. There doesn't seem to be much literature on this important topic.

The trouble with special interests is that they are too restrictive and often not in something that makes money. Also the skills to make better use of special interests need to be encouraged and developed. This may work in some contexts such as the Danish organisation you mention, but that's only providing work for a handful of people where an aptitude matches a job role.

The difficulty often manifests where people on the spectrum go to college or university to study maths or computing. It can emerge as a barrier to progress if it is assumed that an aptitude for certain number sequences indicates ability at maths, whereby abstract thinking like equations may not be an aptitude, and maths is highly theoretical rather than just number games. An aptitude for numbers might better suit accountancy. Likewise ability with certain computer games or certain types of software development may not indicate an ability to do all the things required in a computing degree.

Perhaps if some research was done on making better use of special interests, and developing this at school, the job situation might be made better. Can people work outside their special interest if encouraged to broaden their perspectives. Are there skills that can be taught in schools that enhance the ability to apply special interests.

Also special interests indicate a propensity for research and information gathering. But someone who knows his way round the starship enterprise or is a master at certain computer wargames is not destined to be much good at real world tasks. Unless the ability to mine information is developed at school so they can research more topics.