Let's Work It!: Individuals with Autism Navigating the Workplace

Happy June! It’s now officially summer time, and this is prime time for teenagers to get summer jobs.  If you have a child with Autism, you may be concerned about what their job entails, and want them to thrive within their new environment. This can be a beautiful change for them, and can help them discover new aspects about their own work ethic, learning styles, etc.

There are tons of positives that working can build in teenagers with Autism Spectrum Disorder such as developing a sense of responsibility and independence, following one-step or multi-step instructions from other authorities, collaboration and socialization with coworkers, forming routines, and respecting obligations. This can be a perfect way for them to learn more about themselves while finding current interests or helping their community. Working at a job they enjoy can also boost their confidence and they will be proud to contribute to a larger cause or purpose. 

The best way to support your child in the job search is to help brainstorm jobs with their strengths in mind. If your child loves organizing, they could work at the library sorting books or revamping client databases. If they love working with kids, they can babysit or work at a daycare center. Do they love cooking? They can get into the restaurant business or work at a local chef shop! How about animals? Then get them into dog-sitting or working at your local veterinarian! The possibilities are endless, especially with this more tech savvy generation of children!

When I worked at Kumon Learning Center as my first summer job at 15, I worked well with the young students there as I taught them math and reading. It was my job to assist in teaching the class, and then grade their papers when they completed the in-class assignments. Everything was fairly straightforward, until it was time for me to enter the grades into the database. I was not as tech-savvy back then, and I really struggled with the unfamiliar software. Luckily, my employer happened to be my mother’s friend, and she spent some extra time with me outside of work times to finally learn how to use the software with ease.

Sharpening some skills at home can be crucial for making the work experience a smooth one. Sometimes as a parent, it's important to help them strengthen important work skills at home, that way they won’t have to struggle in the moment. They may not be as pertinent as navigating a brand new software, but it can include learning how to advocate for themselves and ask for more/less time at work, practice speaking to clients, or even how to reach out and send a professional work email. A few months ago, I was working with a client and found a great video on this through Everyday Speech on Youtube, which highlighted skills such as reaching out to employers, asking key follow-up questions in interviews, and how to dress to impress!

I personally believe it’s fairly important for teenagers to get a job or personal responsibility early on, but not all parents believe this and that’s totally fine! Work can be fairly stressful and demanding at times, so some parents do not want their child to experience this pressure so early on. Do not feel guilty for your decision! They will learn these skills eventually, because they will likely work in adulthood! If you resonate with this, but still want your child to learn some of the skills mentioned above, you can find alternatives such as just starting out with a chore chart at home, or encouraging them to start earning Student Service Learning hours that goes towards their high school diploma!

Whether or not you are fully onboard with your child getting a job now is up to you. The very best you can do is support them on their journey. If they do ever encounter an issue at work, be all ears, and offer your support if they want you to. For the most part, you as a parent can just sit back! Remember, if your little one can get employed, then they're not so little anymore! They've got this!