Many people in Australia have autism. In fact, it’s estimated that autism affects 1 in every 150 Australians, or around 0.7%, so it’s certainly prevalent in this country. Interestingly, males are 4 times more likely to have autism than females.
All age groups can be affected by autism, but it’s most prevalent between the ages of 5 to 24, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
With so many people in the country suffering autism to varying degrees, what is the employment outlook for people with autism and what types of jobs can someone with autism aim to get?
Let’s take a look at some jobs for people with autism and what the employment prospects look like.
Is It Possible To Find Employment With Autism?
When someone has autism, it’s true that it’s going to be more challenging both finding and keeping a job, but as awareness grows more and more about the affliction and understanding increases, opportunities for employment have been escalating in recent years. There is also more support around for job seekers who have autism than ever before.
Another thing many Aussie employers are beginning to understand is that there are benefits to employing people with what’s called “neurodiversity”. Autism falls into this category. Everyone’s mind works a little differently. We all have our mental strengths and weaknesses. Well, people with autism, as we know, certainly can possess some very unique mental strengths that the average person simply doesn’t have. These strengths can vary, but people with autism will often have something significant to offer in the right job role.
Another fact that employers are starting to embrace is the knowledge that people with some form of disability (such as autism) tend to stay with their jobs much longer, rather than regularly changing employers, and statistically, they also take fewer sick days overall.
As mentioned earlier, the way autism affects people is different. How people interact and communicate when they have autism can vary greatly. Some people with autism can focus intensely for very long periods of time when it comes to tasks or activities that really interest them. This is a definite plus in the right job role. Add to this the prospect of certain repetitive behaviours or patterns, and someone with autism can be a tremendous asset to a business.
Jobs For People Who Have Autism
When it comes to autism, the right type of job role is going to be dependent on how the person is affected by autism and what their strengths and weaknesses are. Everyone is going to be different.
The best way for an autism afflicted person to discover exactly what job roles would suit them would be to first get assessed by experts who can determine these strengths and weaknesses. Once a better understanding of the individual has been gained, that individual can then be matched up to job roles and processes they may excel at.
Let’s see what possible areas of employment would suit people with autism. Keep in mind that compatibility with these roles will really depend on how autism affects the individual.
Manufacturing is one field where many people with autism have become successfully employed. The ability of many people with autism to concentrate for long periods of time on repetitive tasks makes them ideal for many manufacturing applications.
Working with animals, such as in an animal shelter, for example, is also an ideal job role for some people with autism. When an individual has autism, they often have a fantastic relationship with animals and the ability to make animals be calm around them and not feel threatened. Some autism sufferers relate better to animals than to people.
Information technology is another career path that people with autism can do well at. As problem-solving often goes hand in hand with many aspects of IT, those with autism tend to be very adept at finding solutions to complex problems. IT issues are like solving a puzzle, something that so many with autism are exceptional at. While some people can grow extremely frustrated with problem-solving, a person with autism could prove to be a lot more patient with the process.
In Conclusion
People with autism can certainly find employment and hold down a job. In fact, many offer certain abilities that are proving to be in high demand.
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