Topic 6: Employment and Career Resources for Adults with ASD

 Online Resources

• A Parent's Guide to Employment for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders
• ASAN - Autistic Self Advocacy Network, "Nothing About Us Without Us" (2018)
• The Asperger / Autism Network - Network connecting people on the autism spectrum
• Aspiritech is a non-profit organization in IL working with people with autism to recognize certain skills and channel specific employment opportunities.
• Autismcandles.com- founded by self-advocate Nathan Young, this organization/ business not only makes candles, but also advocates for people with ASD and aids in employment.
• Autism in Big Business Report
• Autism in the Workplace (Autism Speaks) - gives success stories from individuals with autism and provides testimonials from their employers.
• Autism Parenting Magazine & The Chocolate Spectrum - Employment opportunities for people with ASD
• Autism Speaks Employment Think Tank Executive Summary - provides a summary of on the role of people with ASD in the workplace, including needs of both employees and employers. Participants in the think tank included individuals with ASD, family members, business leaders, small business owners, service providers and academic researchers.
• Autism Speaks Employment Tool Kit - This toolkit will help you "research, find and keep employment in the current, competitive labor market. Stories, tips and resources were developed from a collaboration of people, including adults with autism, dedicated to increasing the employment participation of adults on the spectrum" (Autism Speaks, 2018).
• Autism Speaks Technology Central - provides information, tools, and resources in the technology world to keep those with ASD and their families up to date.
• Benefit Eligibility Screening Tool (BEST) - helps determine benefits that Social Security administers.
• Center for Development and Disability (CDD) Library
• Center for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS) - federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
• Cornell University's Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) School aims to "prepare leaders, inform national and international employment and labor policy, and improve working lives" (2018).
  • Employment & Disability Institute - helps develop inclusive workplace systems and communities. They also conduct training sessions domestically and internationally related to people with disabilities in the workplace.
  • Person-Centered Planning Education Site - "a process-oriented approach to empowering people with disability labels. It focuses on the people and their needs by putting them in charge of defining the direction for their lives, not on the systems that may or may not be available to serve them. This ultimately leads to greater inclusion as valued members of both community and society" (2018).
  • PASS Online - SSI work incentive letting you use your own income or assets to help you reach your work goals. This site explains basic information about a PASS and whether it is something you could benefit from.

• DiversityInc - Gives an annual list of top choices of employers for people with disabilities.
• Easter Seals Project Action (ESPA) - "Provides customized training solutions and technical expertise on the Americans with Disabilities Act and accessible transportation for transportation providers, human service agencies, states, regional agencies, tribal nations, and communities with the goal of working together to build accessible communities for all" (2017).
• Embrace the Potential of Autism Ted Talk - Lars Johansson-Kjellerød discusses employment opportunities for people with ASD
• GCFLearnFree.org - provides online opportunities focused on technology, literacy, and math skills. There is a career section including information on personal branding.
• GettingHired.com- an internet based portal connecting people with disabilities with committed employers.
• Hire Autism - The Sandy Lankler Jobs Portal for people with ASD - based mainly in Virginia
• Hire Autism Video - Promotional video for the Hire Autism website
• Job Accommodation Network (JAN) - free, expert, and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues.
• JobTIPS - www.Do2Learn.com is a free program that helps individuals with disabilities explore career interests, find employment and stay employed.
• NISH is a national nonprofit agency providing employment opportunities to people with severe disabilities by securing federal contracts through the AbilityOne Program.
• Occupational Information Network (O*Net) - occupational information including the O*NET database.
• Project SEARCH - business led school-to-work program taking place in the workplace.
• Self-Employment Technical Assistance, Resources, & Training (START-UP USA) - technical assistance and resources for self-employment
• Spectrum Success - Training and employment assistance site for people with ASD
• State Directory of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) - provides contact information for VR agencies by state. These agencies provide services assisting people with disabilities who are searching for meaningful careers.
• Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILCs) - community-based organizations designed and operated by people with disabilities.
• Think Beyond the Label - Job hunting tool allowing people with autism to search and apply for jobs with companies that are seeking to hire people with disabilities.
• Think College - an initiative of the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston, conducting research and providing training/technical assistance for individuals with disabilities.
• Ticket to Work Program - a "free and voluntary program that can help Social Security beneficiaries go to work, get a good job that may lead to a career, and become financially independent, all while they keep their Medicare or Medicaid" (2018).
• U.S. Department of Labor - includes the Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). The ODEP agency "provides national leadership to increase employment opportunities for adults and youth with disabilities while striving to eliminate barriers to employment" (2018).
• U.S. Jobs Disability (by the National Labor Exchange) - allows you to make and submit a resume that is then made available to a number of U.S. employers. This tool also allows you to search for new matches, save searches, and keep a detailed schedule of progress.
• "Unlocked Potential: An Employment Guide for People with Autism" from the Autism Society of Minnesota
• Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Rehabilitation Research & Training Center - provides resources for individuals with disabilities related to employment
• Volunteering to employment - Article on work opportunities for people with ASD
• disability.gov is a federal government website providing information on various programs/services throughout the United States. This site links to more than 14,000 resources from federal, state and local government agencies; academic institutions; and nonprofit organizations.
  • Employment Resource Search allows you to search for employment resources on a state and national level.
  • Transportation Resources Search allows you to search for transportation resources on a state and national level.
• Workology - provides section on companies that hire people with ASD

Print Resources

• Asperger's on the job: must-have advice for people with Asperger's or high functioning autism and their coworkers, educators, and advocates by Rudy Simone (2010)
• Asperger's syndrome workplace survival guide: a neurotypical's secrets for success by Barbara Bissonnette (2010)
• Choosing the Right Job, by Temple Grandin. Autism Research Institute, 1999.
• Different--not less: Inspiring stories of achievement and successful employment from adults with autism, Asperger's and ADHD by Temple Grandin (2012)
• Developing Talents: Careers for Individuals with Asperger Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism by Temple Grandin and Kate Duffy (2008)
• Getting a life with Asperger's by Jesse A Saperstein (2014)
• The autism job club: the neurodiverse workforce in the new normal of employment by Michael Bernick (2015)
• The wonderful world of work: a workbook for asperteens by Purkis, Jeanette (2014)
• Unemployed on the Autism Spectrum: How to Cope Productively with the Effects of Unemployment and Job hunt with Confidence by Carley, Michael John (2016)

Social Networking and Job Search Sites:

• CareerBuilder.com
• Facebook.com
• LinkedIn.com
• Monster.com
• plus.google.com
• Twitter.com
• Specific Facebook group that provides excellent resources for those with ASD, it is a closed group and is run by Charlie Remy: Autistics in Libraries & Their Allies