By Lauren Silverman
The job hunt is complicated enough for most high school and college graduates — and even tougher for the growing number of young people on the autism spectrum. Despite the obstacles that people with autism face trying to find work, there’s a natural landing place: the tech industry. Amelia Schabel graduated from high school five years ago. She had good grades and enrolled in community college. But it was too stressful. After less than a month she was back at home, doing nothing. “I did go to a community college for a semester, but that definitely was not for me,” she says. Schabel has Asperger’s syndrome, a disorder on the “high functioning” end of the autism spectrum.
According to the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 88 children in the U.S. has an autism spectrum disorder. For people like Schabel, attending college and interacting socially can be tough. “I can look someone in the eye and talk to them,” she says, “but if someone treats me in a way I don’t think I deserve to be treated, I’m not going to react well. I may lash out, I may not speak to them, I may just glare.” Although symptoms and their severity vary widely, the majority of young adults with autism spectrum disorder won’t make it to college and won’t get a job after they graduate. This year alone, 50,000 adolescents with autism will turn 18.
A Tech Mecca For Young Adults With Autism
Gary Moore wants to make the transition into the workforce easier for young adults on the autism spectrum. Moore, along with his partner Dan Selic, founded the nonPareil Institute in Plano, Texas.
Read More Young Adults With Autism Can Thrive In High-Tech Jobs : Shots – Health News : NPR.
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