Published on 12, July, 2020
So saw this on my Facebook feed, it demonstrates a move in America towards employing people with autism, ok early days but the main points are that we do each have individual abilities and given the right environment can give more than most.
I have read similar stories about people with Dyslexia, The government listening establishment GCHQ seek out those with dyslexia as they have a unique ability to see patterns in many things, often seeing specific patterns in data often missed by others.
It would be nice to see something similar in this country, there doesn’t seem to be much for adults at all, work or after care or councilling and support.
I get many feeds on face book, They know me well Lol!
so feeds like ,Dyslexia, depression and The National Autistic Society ( Britain) and The National Autistic Association (American).
The American one has many more stories and help giving guidance and knowledge for all to read, The NAS sadly seems to be endless feeds about donating or volunteering, Having been a member here for many months I was surprised to “ stumble” upon the fact the NAS has schools for autistic children and can help with accommodation for younger adults?
It is probably on the main pages but never any mention on this forum? I for one think there should be a regular update on here telling us what NAS is doing and promoting itself, maybe if we all shout together those upstairs might just hear us, we seem to be left here like squatters who sneak in and out using the basement to meet up.
x()x
SO THIS IS WHAT I READ ON FACEBOOK.
(I struggle to create links so copied and pasted it)
80% of autistics are unemployed or underemployed despite having the potential of being great employees.
As an autistic person myself, I know how hard it can be for those of us on the spectrum to get a job. I've been fortunate to be self-employed most of my life, although I've worked for larger companies such as AOL, ESPN, and PBS.
Companies are finally starting to recognize the benefits of hiring autistic workers and have begun to implement programs to leverage the unique assets that autistic employees provide.
5 Companies with Autism Initiatives.
1) SAP
By 2020, autistics will make up 1% of the company's workforce which sounds small but actually works out to about 700 autistic employees due to the massive size of SAP. As part of its commitment to diversity, SAP also has a great support system for its autistic employees. The company has found that their autism program is not just a way to give back. Autistic employees are much more efficient and cost effective due to their attention to detail.
2) Microsoft
Microsoft is actively recruiting autistic coders, engineers, data scientists, and analysts. Since the program started in 2015, over fifty employees have joined the company through the program.
3) Specialsterne
Specialisterne is a Danish company founded in 2004 with the goal to create a million jobs for those on the spectrum. The company has worked with HP, CAI, Microsoft, and SAP as well as many other tech companies. Additionally, Specialsterne has been responsible for raising awareness of the importance of hiring autistic employees.
4) Robison Service
Robison Service's TCS Auto Program was founded to bring together autistic high school students to build a vintage Bentley to compete in La Carrera Panamericana, a 3000km race through Mexico. Robison Service is a family run business based in Springfield, MA and founded by autistic author John Elder Robison.
5) Aspiritech
Aspiritech harnesses the power of Asperger's / Autism to do software testing. QA has been a field that has benefited from autistic people's attention to detail and Aspiritech is one of many companies benefiting from the laser sharp focus of those on the autism spectrum.
There are some other companies with autism initiatives, but this list gives you a taste of what is being done. Unfortunately, these initiatives are the exception when it comes to the way that autism is being dealt with in corporate America.
Hopefully more employers will follow suit when they realize how big of a benefit autistic workers provide. A company can do good while also increasing profitability.
Alex Plank
The core of the issue is the economic climate in Britain and whether there are or aren't quality jobs for people with ASD, especially those at the higher functioning end of the spectrum with qualifications above level 3. I previously mentioned how people with ASD who mastered basic education and had some commercial skills could easily have entered the middle class in terms of income or occupation during the 1950s and 60s with its Keynesian economics and controlled capitalism, but since 1980ish the economy has changed in a way that disfavours them. Offshoring of technical jobs, like computer programming and design engineering, to low wage countries is also equally detrimental because their skills have not technically become obsolete or outdated in a similar manner to that of Linotype printworkers in the 1980s. There has even been talk at my local AS support group whether kids with ASD should seriously consider emigrating to countries where there are jobs for them rather than trying to create jobs in Britain if it flows against the tide of economics.
Brexit adds a new dimension to the picture and nobody seems to have looked at the pros and cons of EU membership for people with ASD.
I believe that as the 21st century unfolds the political argument will not be between left and right or liberal and conservative, but between global and local.
Keynesian economics can be to most groups advantage when managed towards a specific group. I totally agree that in the case of ASD individuals there would be fields that could be preserved and protected to the advantage of people on the spectrum. There would be jobs and people this wouldn't include though. Not everyone is high-functioning. It does solve problems for a specific set of people but not all. I would actually like to see what would have happened if that scenario that you gave was given a controlled environment and studied. I'd imagine it would play out in that way. The economy is how it is now and nothing will be a quick fix.