Q: What is the No. 1 challenge you see with those on the spectrum trying to find employment?

 

A: “[Mikhail] A big barrier is the communication challenges. Many exceptionally intelligent individuals with autism will be able to obtain interviews but will not be able to obtain the job. It’s that interpersonal ability that is a natural, inherent struggle sometimes for people on the spectrum. This prohibits them from getting to that final position. Another key barrier to employment is transportation. There is a sizable percentage of our database (the people we work with) that can’t drive on their own or have high forms of anxiety. For example, they can’t drive on freeways. The state of Michigan does not have great public transportation. Therefore, finding opportunities for them to get to and from different workplaces is challenging.”

 

“[Kelly] Another key barrier is the lack of support people with autism have while they’re still in school. Transition services are necessary. People with autism need to receive support sooner rather than later. Teachers need to prepare students for what they want to do post-high school. A lot of individuals with autism simply do not know what they want to do or they don’t know where their skills are. Unfortunately, most young adults with autism end up “winging it.” Having students prepare for life after high school, whether its an IEP or just a transition plan, would be critical in their post-secondary life or in their career search once they're done with school.”

 

Q: How do you make the employment process easier, or less stressful, for those with ASD?

 

A: “[Mikhail] In terms of making the employment process easier, as part of our program, we work with autism and planning specialists (people that provide résumé revisions, cover letter revisions, and vocational support). We also work with people who provide on-the-job training and help. We also provide pre-employment training to employers and mock interviews for individuals looking for employment. In addition to that, our Navigation Team helps with the challenges associated with employment. This includes independent living, obtaining health insurance, and finding a counselor. These are undervalued benefits, because when a person enters our program, they enter with an entire holistic team behind them. Another team assists with, like I mentioned before, transportation. We help them get connected to a bus or other public transportation system. We also connect them with learner permits and Michigan rehabilitation services (which provides some of the funding for them to pursue their own driver’s license and items similar to that). By nature, knowing that they have a full-service program behind them, can reduce some of the stress associated with employment. In addition to that, we provide exposure therapy. As you may know, the interview process is often very challenging. We provide the opportunity for those with ASD to mock interview with people in human resources and/or other managers that will have come in for mock interviews. This gives them a chance to experience what it is like and hopefully reduce some of the anxiety associated with it the next time they have to do it.”

 

Q: What do you wish employers knew about those with autism?

 

A: “[Kelly] If you’ve met one person with autism, then you’ve met one person with autism (an employer shouldn’t use the characteristics of one person to generalize the entire population). An employer should be aware of people with autism and not identify them by the disability. I often mention to employers that “I’ll introduce you to this person today and then tomorrow I’ll introduce you to a completely different person (with different strengths, weaknesses, and abilities).” Employers need to have an open-mind when they meet and work with individuals that have autism.”

 

Q: Are there careers that those with autism excel in more than others?

 

A: “[Mikhail] The skill levels for those with autism can vary. We, as employment specialists, tend to meet a lot of STEM candidates. One thing that I wish employers knew is that people with autism are not just limited to housekeeping positions or advanced level engineers. We work with people that have a broad spectrum of interests and abilities. Anything from administrative assistant to data analyst to zookeepers to you name it! We work with almost every field of study.”

 

Q: Does autism personally affect or influence your life? Do you know anybody outside of the workplace that has autism?

 

A: “[Kelly] I have a sister who has an acquired disability. She is in a completely different state than she was when growing up. She requires many different services. Many of my family members have children with autism as well. When they work through the diagnosis process, I am able to help navigate useful resources and be a part of their support system. I began my career as a behavior therapist. I worked with children of whom I remain connected with. It’s amazing to see a client now (compared to when he or she was young). It’s also amazing to see the growth that he or she has made in that timeframe. It’s astronomical! I enjoy staying connected with families and, when I see a client in the community, I like to purposefully interact with them and say hello. Or, if I see them working, then I just treat them like anybody else.”

 

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