According to the CDC, 1 in 59 children has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Though the national unemployment rate for the disabled is about 9%, the unemployment rate for those on the spectrum is at least 60%, with some studies putting it as high as 80%.
Over the last few years, a few tech companies have developed programs to bring individuals on the spectrum in their hiring process and their workforce, mostly as developers. While this is a start, there is still a huge amount of untapped potential within the autistic community that can benefit the tech industry in a variety of ways in addition to coding.
This panel will discuss the challenges and benefits that come with having ASD, as well as the panelists own experiences finding employment, how they deal with disclosure and asking for accommodations, and how they manage their day-to-day work lives, including how they collaborate with their neurotypical coworkers.
**This session is for people on the spectrum and not, in hopes that we can all understand each other a little better.