The Autism Society Event and Education Recordings Archive

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Autism Society records most keynote and concurrent sessions at their annual conferences. You can see and hear those recordings by purchasing full online access, or individual recordings.

7040 Bridging the Gap: Supporting Students with ASD during the Transition into the Workforce [CRC Session]


Thursday, July 24, 2014: 10:45 AM-12:00 PM
204 (Indiana Convention Center)
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This presentation will provide examples of successful college to work transitions, highlight effective strategies of support and give the perspectives of students and businesses that support college students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as they enter into a career. Transitions can be truly intimidating for anyone; because, what it often means for an individual is change.  Merriam Webster defines, “Transition” as a:  “passage from one state, stage, subject, or place to another.”  For college students who are approaching graduation and planning a career, this means learning about the next stages of life, including new responsibilities and work place etiquette.   Work-based skills such as “networking”, “job personnel”, and “water cooler talk” can sound foreign to many young adults with little work experience.  The West Virginia Autism Training Center’s College Program for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder at Marshall University understands the essential role of the transition out of college in preparation for career success, and work closely with students to reduce the challenges that accompany the process. The transition from college to career involves several aspects, including:  individual desire, structured planning, having a network of individuals that can assist in the transition, and finding the right work culture for student’s specific interests, ability, and personality. College graduates living with ASD can benefit from specialized strategies to assist in this transition.  The College Program offers a social skills group, called Discovery Group, which has themes relevant to student’s future planning, such as:  self-advocacy, the hidden curriculum of work, networking, and work-based relationships.  The College Program has close relationships with and fully utilizes the existing services of Marshall University’s Career Services center.   Career counselors have important and professional advice to offer in career exploration, job searching, and interview preparation.  Career Services also provide workshops on resume building and have the ability to set up mock interviews for students.  Working closely with the student and others that they are close with who have a true assessment of their specific needs, goals and values is crucial in the transition process. Collaboration is made between the student, College Program staff, Career Services, student’s families, and local community based businesses to plan for, obtain, and sustain work experience internships.  Working with the local community and businesses allow a student to practice life skills that many have not yet practiced in a formalized setting.  The goal of work experiences are to provide a learning environment equipped to teach skills necessary for employment, such as:  communicating effectively with coworkers, arriving to work on time, following a schedule, and learning a specific skill set appropriate to the student’s area of study.  The work experience often is accompanied by a change in perception of not only the student’s expectations of work and their assessment of needs and understanding, but also within the work site’s understanding of supporting and working with individuals with ASDs.   These changes in perceptions and evaluations of the work experience are important to know and to use as a foundation of where to go from graduation. Just like no two people are alike; no two transitions are alike.

Learning Objectives:

  • Attendees comprehend the unique challenges students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have as they transition from higher education into the workforce.
  • Attendees will be able to select from a variety of strategies including how to create meaningful internship experiences and facilitate career building workshops.

Content Area: Transition Planning and Options for Adulthood

Presenters:

Hillary Adams, M.A.
Student Support Specialist
Marshall University

Hillary Adams is a student support specialist with the West Virginia Autism Training Center's College Program for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder at Marshall University. She specializes in providing person-centered supports for students as they live out a typical college lifestyle.

Jackie Clark, M.A.T.
Assistant Coordinator, College Program
West Virginia Autism Training Center

Jackie Clark is the Assistant Coordinator for The College Program at Marshall University. Ms. Clark holds an undergraduate degree in History, and a master’s degree in Teaching. She is also a doctoral student with research focusing on students with ASD as they transitions into and out of college.