We are developing an employment readiness programme for autistic young people to help them transition from education to employment.

Autistic people have one of the lowest rates of employment of any disabled group. Of the three in ten autistic people in work¹, many are underemployed for their skills and abilities. However, it doesn’t have to be this way.

Autistic young people often miss out on opportunities to develop the skills needed to enter and stay in employment. Compared to non-autistic people, they are less likely to have the time, connections or support to gain valuable work experience.⁴ Additionally, careers advisors and employers are poorly equipped with the knowledge and skills to support autistic young people into work.⁵

We know that with the right support, training and experience, more autistic young people can thrive in work. That’s why we’re developing a programme to help more autistic young people gain the skills and confidence to start and maintain their careers.

1. Year one: In the first year, we focused on setting up the programme. We reviewed the research evidence on employment barriers and what helps young people prepare for work, and began co-producing the programme with our Community Advisory Group. We worked with autistic people, families, employers, and education providers to shape the conceptual framework for the programme.
2. Year two: We will develop the full Employment Readiness programme by working closely with autistic young people, parents, carers, employers, and educational professionals.
3. Year three: After developing the employment readiness programme, we’ll need to test its effectiveness. We will trial the programme with autistic young people at partnering schools, colleges and universities.
   

The research and programme trial will help us understand ways to support autistic young people when transitioning from school to work. It will help us demonstrate the potential to further develop and implement an evidence-based, lived-experience informed programme that could change the lives and future employment outcomes of young autistic people.

[1] The employment rate for disabled people (2024)

[2] What happens next in challenging times, AGCAS (2024)

[3] Opening opportunities: improving employment prospects for autistic people. A Pro Bono Economics report for Autistica (2023)

[4] Noel, V et al., (2016) Barriers to employment for transition-age youth with developmental and psychiatric disabilities

[5] Bölte, S (2021) “We believe in good jobs, fair jobs, dignifying jobs that give you a good sense of identity”: Career and job guidance counseling in autism