Overview
Autism is a lifelong condition that affects how a person understands the world and relates to, and interacts with, other people.
Every Autistic person is different, but there are some common characteristics, although these can present differently for each person. These characteristics might include:
- differences in communication and interaction with others
- showing different patterns of behaviour e.g. repetitive actions, and the way they react to sensory input such as noise, lighting, textures or smells
- having strong interests or passions about particular topics.
Many Autistic people have more than one type of neurodivergence(Opens in a new tab/window). For example, a person might have autism and ADHD (sometimes called AuDHD). They may also have a range of mental and physical health conditions along with their autism.2
Autistic people have many strengths and skills. These are different for each person, but might include things like:
- high attention to detail
- a capacity for deep focus and concentration
- subject matter expertise
- reliability
- an excellent memory. 3
Important things to know about autism
- It is there from birth and affects how the brain develops.
- It is a lifelong condition – some people with autism are diagnosed early in childhood, while others may not be diagnosed until adulthood or not at all.
- Every person with autism is unique and has a different experience of autism.
A note on language: Some people in the autism community like to use ‘Autistic person’ (identity-first language), some like to say ‘person with autism’ (person-first language), and some are fine with using either. We respect the right of all individuals with lived experience of autism to choose the language that represents the way they self-identify.’ We are guided by the Australian Autism Alliance’s use of the following terms to talk about autism: Autistic people (as well as people with autism), autism, autism community.
Autism and work
Despite the many strengths that Autistic people can bring to a workplace, many face multiple barriers to entering the workforce. In Australia in 2022:
- The participation rate for Autistic people aged between 15 and 64 years was 50.2%, compared to 60.5% of all people with disability and 84.9% of people without disability in the same age range.
- The unemployment rate for Autistic people was 18.2%, which is more than double the rate for working aged people with disability (7.5%) and people without disability (3.1%).4
Key strategies for success
Autistic people may require support or accommodations to ensure that recruitment processes are accessible for them. Disability employment services might work with employers to create more inclusive recruitment practices, such as:
- Changing how jobs are advertised
- Changing how interviews are conducted, e.g. sending interview questions out in advance.
- An Autistic person is an expert on the supports and adjustments that will help them to do their job safely and effectively, so getting to know the person is a priority.
- Asking people who are significant in the person’s life (e.g. family or close friends) can also help get a good picture of the supports and adjustments needed for a particular person.