The autism spectrum incorporates a broad range of ability and many people on the spectrum are very successful at work. Other people may have difficulties at work and some people may remain unemployed. The people we talked with reflected these variations and we here discuss their experiences of work.
Some people had successful careers. Various factors had contributed to this success, including advanced abilities in subjects such as science or art, having the right kind of support such as parents nearby, or a boss who understood their needs. A focus and attention to detail had helped some in their working lives.
One man worked with “good people and there is no pressure” which suited him very well. One woman worked part time at a dog rescue kennels which she enjoyed because she loved dogs. Another woman with a successful working life said that her employers did sometimes forget that she has problems; “I don’t think it’s done on purpose but because there is no physical reminder like a wheelchair or sticks, they forget”.
Voluntary work
Several people described had difficulties with working and no longer had a paid job. Some did voluntary work; one woman, for example, worked as a volunteer gardener and enjoyed it because she loved gardening and did not have to talk to people.
Difficulties with work
For those in work with autism, employment difficulties experienced were to do with employers' lack of understanding about autism and Asperger syndrome and the difficulties some people had interacting with other people and organising themselves [see
Characteristics of autism]. One man, for example, got into debt, took on more overtime than he could cope with and ended up getting a criminal record. He said “I am now working in the kitchen. I hate it but I left school with no qualifications, I have got a criminal record for not delivering leaflets. My future doesn’t look too good”. Another woman described doing things inadvertently at work which were not her fault but employers did not see it like that.
A few people said they did not understand the undercurrents that went on in the workplace and that they found it difficult to socialise with work colleagues as others do [see
Communication and autism].
One person was not able to work because of severe learning difficulties. He attended a day centre four days a week. Those people who were not in paid employment received benefits including income support, incapacity benefit and disability living allowance (for more information go to
Autism and education
Some people we talked with were in further education or preparing to return to it.
Some people had gone to colleges of further education to do NVQ courses in administration or caring. Some were unsuccessful because of sensory sensitivities or anxiety problems, particularly on placements. One woman, for example, could not speak on the phone if other people were in the room so she could not complete her work placement.
One man we talked with was in his third year at university studying psychology. Two other people were preparing to go to university and they described the support they had been offered through the disabled student support services at the universities.
Future prospects
Several people discussed their desire to get some form of paid employment. One man was hoping to set up an online business selling his photographs and was also considering a hairdressing apprenticeship. Another man wanted to get a job on the railways because he was so keen on trains.
One woman wanted to open her own rescue kennels and live by herself. Another said:
I would like to see myself with a full time job. And not being, not being actually patronised or criticised or anything else for what I do. That is my idea but whether it will work is another matter because it would work if we actually got employers on my side, but it doesn’t always work like that.
