Hiring individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders benefits 3 major corporations
Houston - On Thursday, April 23rd at 7:00pm the free annual Benjamin J. Geigerman Lecture Series will be livestreamed.
“Improving the Bottom Line: How Three Major Corporations Benefited by Hiring Individuals with High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders,”
Many individuals with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) struggle with finding and maintaining employment — an important key to helping them achieve success. This year’s lecture features speakers dedicated to helping those with autism. Individuals with autism, their families, clinicians, counselors and educators are invited to join.
Dell Technologies Neurodiversity Hiring Program provides job opportunities to adults with autism. Patrick Poljan, program sponsor, and Kate Cosway, a prior program attendee, will explain the structure of the program and achievable goals. Cosway will give personal testimony regarding the program itself.
Joining Patrick and Kate is Shawn Fry, Chief Innovation Officer of Potentia Workforce, whose corporate neurodiversity program leverages the abilities of people with autism with the market need of major corporations to source qualified technical and analytical workers. Fry can share his experience as he transitioned from an employee who struggled to a successful employer.
The event, hosted by the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth),
According to the National Autism Indicators Report called “Transition into Adulthood” by Drexel University, young adults on the autism spectrum have the lowest rate of employment compared to their peers with other disability types, while 4 in 10 never work for pay between high school and their early 20s. Those who are employed are mostly working part-time jobs and earning low wages. Although these individuals often face interpersonal challenges, companies are now discovering that they are valuable employees, helping to drive innovation, growth, and return on investment.
Public and private companies, academic institutions, government organizations, schools, philanthropists, civil societies, and the autism community are invited to attend.
Click here to register for the event.
The Geigerman Lecture Series was founded in 2015 in memory of Benjamin J. Geigerman, a young man with high functioning ASD. He exhibited promise and incredible talents, graduating from college with honors. However, he had difficulty obtaining employment, leaving him without hope or a sense of self-worth.