Oct 14 2009
Can The Transition From School To Work Be Smooth For An Autistic Person?
One of the biggest transitions in any person’s life is that from school to work. In high school or college, many individuals had a protected life and still receive help financially by their parents. But after school, these ties are often cut, leaving the recent graduate to fend for his- or herself. This transition maybe scary for anyone, but it is even more for an individual with autism . Since school is a time to learn to live with other individuals in a controlled environment, the work force can be a very difficult concept for autistic individuals because one must often deal with new situations daily rather than have the comfort of a set living situation.
One thing autistic recent graduates need to learn is how to deal with people in a business environment. This may include proper grooming, this maybe something that may not have been such a big deal in high school or college. Proper grooming, such as brushing your teeth, wearing appropriate clothing, using deodorant, and combing your hair probably comes natural for most people, but an autistic individual may need help with these tasks, he or she may not realize that they are being inappropriate. By this stage in their lives, many autistic individuals who have been at school are at a maturity level where they can do the task assigned with no problem and avoid major problems in many of the situations. Even more, it has been proved that some autistic individuals are highly skilled at tasks involving things such as math or music such as Mozart or Einstein. Learning a new job in the work place will not be the problem but trying to relate with others in a social situation maybe a real problem.
These relationship problems also, unfortunately, help bad individuals to take advantage of autistic persons. Most people with autism believe that all people are like themselves, and inherently good. But in business, it is sadly very common to come across companies and business people who do not practice ethically. This often times shocks autistic individuals, who may have no idea how to handle this sort of situation. Others in the work place may not be skilled to deal with autism, leading to bad relationships among employees. By hiring an autistic individual, employers must not only teach them their new job, but also provide direction for others who have to work with him or her. Intolerance in the work place is very common, and autistic individuals need to be prepared for this kind of situations.
Overall, it is extremely important for autistic individuals to learn how to cope with the major changes that will happen in their lives when switching from school or college to a work place. It is very beneficial for these individuals to look for help in the transition from therapists, family members, or tutors. Switching from school to work is hard, but with a some motivation and hard work anyone, autistic or not, can succeed.
I have read the description and come to the stand that the transition is good for autistic human beings from school to work.Though they have different lifestyle compare to normal individual.The good steps are taken for the sake of autistic individual and their life’s.
Hi Martin,
It is true. Even that my son have no autism but possibly asperger, the way his teachers at his kindergarten are helping him, let me see that they are also taking some steps to deal with kids with this condition.