Autism Employment:New Opportunities, Old Challenges

Alice G. Walton recently reported in Forbes Magazine on , According to the story, the number of people afflicted with some form of autism in the US may number up to 1.5 million adults. When it comes to the hiring of people with autism, the challenges are both for those with autism and the businesses that have the openings for employment. While the enthusiasm and dedication of those with autism to perform the work is generally beyond question, the social complications which may arise in the working environment often test their abilities.

The unemployment rate for those with autism of working age for the year 2009 was an astonishing 66% compared to the 9% of the rest of the population. Even more staggering is when the underemployment figures are added which raises the percentage to around 85%. However, despite the current sluggish economy there are positive signs of change on the horizon.

The Autism Society has made agreements with companies such as AMC and Paperworks Studios.Other companies include software testing companies such as Aspiritech located just outside of Chicago. The College of New Jersey has partnered with the non-profit organization Photoscanman, to train and hire high functioning adults on the Autism Spectrum to scan photos for families, convert old family videos to DVDs and digitalize slides for both personal and commercial use.

While many of these jobs are repetitive in nature, that actually suits many of the employees with autism who can focus their skills and craft on their job more efficiently. The jobs for those with autism are not limited to the technical. A vegetable farm in Oyster Bay, NY run by Wendy Kaplan, the mother of an autistic daughter is staffed by young adults on the Spectrum. The expanding frontier for employment opportunities certainly seems to be expanding in recent years.

This new trend is important to help offset the cost of treating autism, which is estimated to be over $1 million per person afflicted over the course of their lifetime. With employment they can help support themselves and greatly offset the costs to insurance and families in taking care of their needs.

The key is to overcome the stigma of autism and find more employment opportunities for this group of adults and the biggest holdback has been from a vast majority of companies who view those with autism as not being able to either perform the job or fit into the working environment, but the truth is that many jobs can be performed by autistics who can function well within the working conditions that are presented if they are only given the chance.

Even jobs that put them in contact with the general public such as store greeters for example can be carried out well by those with autism, providing even more job opportunities for this highly underemployed set of citizens.

Thanks to a better understanding of the different types of autism and the true potential that they have when performing their job there is a great sense of hope and promise for those afflicted with this condition and for unlocking the their true potential.