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November 14, 2008These are unemployment rates, and underemployment rates of people on the autism spectrum given at a recent conference. The rates are quite startling if you ask me.
According to Barbra Bloomfield’s talk a conference, The unemployment rate for people with autism is 75% – 97% with the people on the higher end of ASD being the most unemployed. Ms Bloomfield also stated that of those employed, people with autism are the most under employed as a group.
I really think the first step to improving this is teaching acceptance and tolerance of whats different and unique to everyone. Not just based on race, gender, sexual preference but disability as well. I think also making funds available to employers to remove things like fluorescent lighting, or other accomodations will greatly improve the employment rate and employment success for those on the Autism Spectrum.
Horaayy..there are 3 comment(s) for me so far ;)
I am with you 100%!!! I work as a Job Coach for adults with disabilities. I am currently working with a young man, 16 years old, with autism. He is getting paid to learn job skills. He is working at a Goodwill store right now. I’ll have a business partner lined up for him in a few weeks. We’ll move over to that job for a while. It’s my goal to get him a job when we complete this training.
We need more programs like this one.
I am so interested in finding out more about people with Asperger’s Syndrome can move up the ladder and find jobs where they are competent but that also play to their strengths rather than their weakenesses. I can certainly relate to being underemployed, especially since I have a college degree. We need political and social reforms to get people on the autism spectrum employed to their potential, and to make employers more aware and accountable for these individuals!
I’m so sorry to hear about your struggles as well as others on the Autism spectrum. I think it’s great that you are blogging about this, so that it may find it’s way into the minds of others. I wish you all the best luck in whatever it is you find yourself doing.