Inside Information from Voc Rehab and Career Counselors

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I'm gathering information for a seminar series I'm trying to put together. I got some new information yesterday and thought I would share.

I talked to a vocational counselor and two 2-year college career counselors yesterday. I was asking them what level of knowledge young autistic people seem to already have when they come to their school and then how confident they feel in their skills by the time they send them on to their first jobs.

Vocational Counselor
This guy was disturbing to talk to. He was frustrated and angry. He said that he has had to place several college graduates as grocery store baggers because they couldn't pass job interviews in their career fields. He said that most college-aged autistic people have NOT had ABA therapy and he thinks they should. He said, and I'm quoting here, "Behavior therapy are dog tricks. But the dog tricks work." He said that people need to learn how to make eye contact, shake hands, and most importantly, connect their special interests to marketable skills. He said that no one is bothering to help autistic people do that so their skills are going to waste.

He did not seem to understand that people who can pass as neurotypical were also autistic, or that they could have any problems in life. He very clearly stated several times that he thought "almost all" students these days were accurately diagnosed in school if they were autistic. He thought if anyone slipped through it would be a very rare circumstance.

Two-year College Career Counselors
Technical College
The counselor from the technical college teaches a required course that prepares people to go through job interviews, prepare resumes, etc. She did not seem to know what autism was. She kept referring to people with autistic traits as "socially awkward." She has a mirror in her office that she has students look at while they are practicing interviewing with her. It freaks people out, but she says it helps them get over being freaked out and they end up presenting themselves better. She also said that young people need to sit up straight, look people in the eye, shake hands, and "stop lying." As in, if someone asks you what your failing is, don't say that you are a perfectionist. Just say what your actual worst trait is and then say how you overcome it.

Community College
They have a class just like the one at the technical school, but it is not required, and the autistic students do not tend to take it. She thought the autistic students would benefit a lot from it. The autistic students there either transfer out to a four-year school or aren't serious about their careers anyway-they are taking a class here and there for their interest or because their mom is making them. In general, the lady did not have a sense that they were overly prepared to work, but didn't think the non-autistic students were either.

I have some other people to talk to, but I wanted to share these piece of information. I know some people here use vocational rehab, so that bit in particular might be interesting.

Thank you, SocOfAutism! Judging by the headhunters and hiring managers I've worked with over the years & our discussions about potential hires, I'm not the least bit surprised. It seems the general public is about as well informed about autistics as they were about LGBT people a generation ago, or certain racial differences. Which tells me even if we were to embark on a massive education campaign, there would still be prejudice against anyone who is too different. So it seems that may be the root problem in our culture that needs to be addressed. Personally, I am greatly encouraged by what I see in the Millennials and younger. They tend to see people as individuals rather than groupings and I've noticed they tend to be far more inclusive. Gen-X and older people gripe that the younger crowd communicates mostly via devices, but the advantage is that it removes many prejudices from the process; they seem fully accustomed to knowing as a person someone they may have never met.

Good points, Edenthiel.

The people I'm talking to keep saying stuff we all hear about autism, but it's striking to hear people tell me to my face. From people who are supposed to know about autism. Here are some gems I heard today:

1) The HR person from the local autism school told me that he didn't think autistics who graduate from high school are prepared for college or to work. Maybe not, but they do.

2) A representative from the acting disability office said there are not many students "like that" (autistic) there. I went there on and off for 10 years and I can attest that there are a TON of autistic students at that school. There is a manga club. I mean, hello.

Vocational rehab needs to re-think the focus on traditional employment for certain groups of clients. I struggle to pass interviews myself, and the sensory assault of leaving home and going to a place of employment several times a week just about kills me.

I'm fortunate that my local VR has supported me in my freelance career so that I can work from home and avoid in-person social interaction. Those educated grocery baggers may be able to do something similar.