Autistic people are not employed at the same rate as their non-Autistic peers, and researchers in the ILR School’s Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability believe that part of the problem stems from the traditional interview process. Thanks to a grant from the National Science Foundation, which has been recently reinstated, the researchers will be investigating the experiences of “Autistic jobseekers” in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and math.
“We know that employment participation for many neurodivergent individuals can be significantly improved, and navigating the interview process is a critical part of gaining job entry,” said Susanne Bruyère, academic director at the Yang-Tan Institute (YTI). “We hope to contribute to improving employment participation for these individuals by addressing ways to remove or lessen interview process barriers.”
Bruyère is co-leading the project with Katie Brendli Brown, research and evaluation associate. Other contributors are Valerie Malzer, MPA ’12, research and evaluation associate, and Ashley Kurtz, research specialist. The design and implementation of the research will be informed by a community research team comprised of Autistic college students and recent graduates, along with career counselors and employers in the STEM sector.
Brendli Brown said, “Oftentimes there’s a lot of onus on the Autistic individual to change their practices to accommodate neurotypical norms, but I hope we can identify more neuro-inclusive practices that employers can adopt.”
Called “Navigating Pathways to STEM Careers: Perspectives of Autistic Students, Career Counselors, and STEM Employers,” the project will have two phases.
In the first phase, study participants will be Autistic college students or recent college graduates who describe their experiences interviewing for a STEM job. The researchers will interview 16-20 participants and survey an additional 300 participants. The second phase will consist of focus groups with college counselors and employers.
The researchers will ask questions about how Autistic job seekers prepare for STEM field job interviews and learn about the strategies and challenges they encounter during the interview process. They will also investigate whether college counselors feel prepared to assist Autistic students and what employers view as obstacles for Autistic job candidates.
“We hope to provide some empirically based information about where the barriers are, and what individuals themselves can do, what employers can do, and what career counselors can do to increase the likelihood that people will be successful in the interview process, and therefore, in getting employment,” Bruyère said.
The team plans to share its findings in scholarly papers, downloadable web assets, presentations at national conferences, and public webinars, and to spread information through its five collaborating partners, which are National Association of Colleges and Employers, Landmark College, Mentra, Inclusively and Specialisterne USA.
About the National Science Foundation
The U.S. National Science Foundation is an independent federal agency that supports science and engineering in all 50 states and U.S. territories. The NSF was established in 1950 by Congress to promote the progress of science; advance the national health, prosperity and welfare; and secure the national defense. It fulfills its mission chiefly by making grants.
About the Yang-Tan Institute
Providing practical information to policymakers, employers, educators and others who assist people with disabilities is a core focus for the Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability, which is part of Cornell’s ILR School. The institute’s mission is to advance knowledge, policies and practices that enhance equal opportunities for all people with disabilities. Its research, training and technical resources expand knowledge about disability inclusion, leading to positive change.
The institute leads many grant-funded projects, including the Autism Transition to Adulthood Initiative and the Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability. The institute also receives funding via a New York state legislative appropriation to assist with disability-related initiatives, and it offers a variety of professional education opportunities.