-
When College is Not an Option
College is generally considered the best path to a successful career, but the classes and structure of college can present a daunting challenge to individuals on the spectrum. The description of a “good job” might include factors of salary, stability, and the ability to grow; such jobs are not...
-
What Employers Need to Know About Asperger’s Syndrome: Accommodating Managers and Professionals on the Spectrum
There is increasing evidence, albeit anecdotal, that autism is now on the radar screens of employers. Last year, SAP, the giant software company, pledged that in the next few years 1% of its workforce will be individuals on the autism spectrum. The announcement generated widespread publicity....
-
An Employer’s Perspective on the Benefits of Training People with Autism
As part of its clinical mission, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Westchester Division (NYP/WD) cares for patients so they are prepared to return to their home communities to lead productive lives. To successfully achieve this, patients are given the necessary tools to be able to work and live. In...
-
Becoming an Autism Employment Entrepreneur
Last fall, after a 30-year career in corporate marketing, I joined the ranks of a handful of other parents and social service agencies in a new movement referred to as autism employment entrepreneurship. I founded Yes She Can Inc. as a nonprofit dedicated to developing job skills and employment...
-
The Alien World of Work for Adults with Autism
After college, one is confronted with the confounding world of job searching. Unlike anything one has experienced before, a job search is filled with resumes, cover letters, and interviews, salary negotiations, networking, and writing that looks nothing like the work just finished to earn a degree....
-
The Power of Dialogue: Small Business and Career Mentoring
As a small business owner and non-profit administrator, I have had exposure to a variety of work experiences. The most difficult experiences ultimately taught me new strategies I didn’t know I needed to learn. For example, in a job interview several years ago, I disclosed my diagnosis of autism....
-
Searching for an Appropriate and Safe Residential Community
As the adult population with ASD grows and their parents age, the primary concerns of the parents or guardians are: Where will my son or daughter live when I am not here? Where can my adult/child live even in a semi-independent community setting? Who will be responsible for managing the over-sight...
-
The Creation of a Model Independent Living Program: The POINT Program of White Plains, NY
One of the most perilous times in the lives of young adults on the spectrum is the transition from the stability and structure of school to lives away from their parents’ homes - lives with as much independence as possible. I know this road well because I am the mother of a young man with an...
-
Summer Vacation: A Prime Opportunity to Develop Social Skills for the Workplace
For many students, the end of the school year represents a time to relax, celebrate the change of pace, and enjoy leisure time. However, each year, there are many individuals who approach the end of the school year and find that this is a time of transition; a time for entering the unfamiliar world...
-
Education, Training, and Job Trends
There is no time greater than during a recession to consider the truth behind the phrase “education matters.” This is especially important for people with autism and other disabilities that, even in a “good economy,” have a difficult time finding employment. Why does post-secondary...
