This past week, the Jefferson Autism Interest Group put on a smoothie stand pop-up on campus to raise awareness about the job skills of individuals with Autism. Admittedly, I initially struggled a bit with the concept of a smoothie pop-up. Why? Because many times, people with disabilities are only seen as capable of performing jobs like those in a coffee shop, as these types of jobs have received much attention. I have heard this sentiment echoed by some professionals in the neurodiversity field - that some jobs are 'right' and some are 'wrong' for autistic individuals. The problem with this thinking is that there's nothing less about working in a coffee shop or smoothie shop. Not everyone wants to be in the corporate world, and some individuals - neurotypical or neurodivergent - just prefer different environments. So often, we get caught up in 'prestige' that we underscore the value of personally fulfilling work. The right job for an autistic individual is just that - individual.
In my time in neurodiversity, I've heard many individuals put down a number of jobs. And I hear you; you're simply advocating for autistic people to have the in-demand, prestigious jobs that they may have been systematically excluded from. I am all for this if the individual is qualified and wants to work in a job like this! However, to completely dismiss jobs in the hospitality industry (or any industry) as a viable job for neurodivergent individuals is to be discriminatory to the wide variety of individuals on the spectrum and to dismiss their wants and needs. I truly find it problematic to enforce one's own ideas of what autistic people should do for work, especially if you are neurotypical as I am. Our neurodiversity efforts should be inclusive to each and every individual on the spectrum. It is possible to advocate for the skills of some autistic individuals to be recognized in the workforce while still appreciating the wide variety of skills and support needs of the neurodiverse population. We must look at what I like to call "skill and will." In other words: what are an individual's job skills and what do they value and want to do for employment? When we match skill and will, we end up with the 'right' job for someone - neurotypical or neurodivergent!
Furthermore, I believe that we can take a job that an individual wants and change the environment to help them succeed in whichever position. In occupational therapy, we use a framework called Person-Environment-Occupation (PEO). This theory posits that occupational performance (in this case, successful job performance) is maximized when there is an optimal compatibility between the person, the environment, and the occupation (in this case, job duties). To increase performance, we can look at changing individual characteristics, changing the job duties, or changing the environment. Imagine the opportunities if we don't look at candidates as static beings that must fit our pre-determined mold for who would be successful in a particular position. I think in large part, we overestimate the number of 'non-negotiables' in jobs. By structuring the environment for success, a wide variety of candidates can exceed expectations in positions that they don't seem to 'fit' all of the requirements for at first glance. Innovation requires outside of the box thinking and the flexibility to try something unconventional.
So - what are the right jobs for autistic people? There's proof out there that autistic people can be - and are - successful in a wide variety of positions. Neurodivergent people can be CEOs, baristas, teachers, occupational therapists - you name it! The options for fulfilling work are limitless. If you have the skill, will, and the right environment, any job can be the perfect job.
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