This Man Founded A Company To Create 1 Million Jobs For People With Autism

Jun 27, 2019 by apost team

Living with a disorder like autism can complicate your life in tons of unexpected ways, including getting a job. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that makes can affect a person's social skills, emotional responsiveness and communication. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) comes in different forms, and some people may experience more severe symptoms than others.

But people with autism aren't defective or broken; although they may seem hard to read or communicate differently than others, they are still people who deserve the opportunity to work and earn a living like anyone else.

apost.com

After his son was diagnosed with ASD, Thorkil Sonne from Denmark established the Specialisterne Foundation. "Specialisterne" translates to "the specialists" in Dutch, Sonne wants to make sure that people with autism are able to become exactly that. The non-profit organization creates opportunity and offers training that helps people with ASD succeed and thrive in their careers.

Specialisterne has several goals in mind to help autistic people become successful in the workforce:

1. Support the development of both local and international career opportunities for people with ASD across multiple industries.
2. Provide support for stakeholders and the integration of autistic people into the workforce.
3. Spread awareness about ASD and the capabilities of people with the disorder.
4. Help employers see the advantages of hiring someone on the autism spectrum and promote the unique strengths of autistic employees.

Sonne has hired employees with autism to fill many important roles in his organization including software engineering, programming and data entry. He has created a six-month assessment program that helps candidates develop important work skills through a variety of different tasks and situations.

There is also a three-year program that offers education to people with ASD, attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and Tourette's syndrome. The education system teaches students academic subjects as well as helps them develop cultural and interpersonal awareness, social skills, and healthy habits.

Sonne's biggest goal is to help create jobs for 1 million people on the autism spectrum. Most recently, IBM partnered with Specialisterne and announced its plan to create 300 jobs for people with ASD at its various locations around the world.

This is just one major milestone in what will undoubtedly be a lifelong journey. To learn more about how you could help Stonne achieve his mission, learn about the ADVICE training program through Autism Speaks.

Do you know someone with ASD? Tell us about the incredible ways they've impacted your life and how they inspire you every day.