One in 59 (and one in 37 boys) are now diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the United States. An estimated 80 to 90 percent of individuals with ASD are unemployed, and 51 percent of those who are working are underemployed, neurodiversity workforce expert Dr. James D. Williams Jr. told an audience at Bryant Employer Advisory Team’s (BEAT) workshop, “Recognizing Ability: Hiring and Supporting Neurodiverse Employees,” held at the university on August 19.

“We cannot afford to ignore this population any longer. We cannot,” Williams, division administrator for vocational rehabilitation services at the Iowa Workforce Development and a nationally recognized specialist in working with individuals with disabilities, argued.

Williams knows firsthand the barriers people with ASD can face, and the success they can achieve. Throughout his keynote address, he shared stories from his own journey with Asperger’s syndrome, from his parents noticing he was a little “different” at a young age to his troubles at school to his eventual diagnosis. “I talk to people, and they say, ‘Well, were you upset about your diagnosis?’ I wasn’t,” recalls Williams. “But the reason I wasn't is because I was looking for an answer and, to me, Asperger’s sounded a lot better than ‘weird kid.’”

He discovered another piece of the puzzle when he tapped into his talent for helping others find their strengths. “It was a really powerful of moment for me in my life when I saw that if I tried really hard to put effort into something, despite my disabilities, despite my challenges, I could do something transformational; I could still change people’s lives,” Williams told attendees

“One of the things I tell the people that I work with is ‘give me your information.'” 

The event, hosted by Bryant’s Amica Center for Career Education, saw Bryant staff and administrators join forces with BEAT, which is comprised of representatives from 14 of Bryant’s employer partners across a range of industries, to learn how to better serve a misunderstood, and underserved, population.

“What science and medicine are learning about the brain right now is amazing, and we're very lucky to be part of this moment in research,” noted Inge-Lise Ameer, Ed.D., Bryant’s vice president of student affairs, dean of students, and chief diversity officer, in her opening remarks. “And, of course, that fact is very important for all of us because the core of the workplace is human beings with diverse ways of thinking and knowing.”

By coming together, Ameer observed, the day’s attendees can collaborate to promote real change. “We’ve made so many great strides in this area,” Ameer mused. “When I went to college and into the workforce, these were hush-hush issues.”

“It’s about offering support”
Disability is a facet of diversity, equity, and inclusion, Williams said, adding, “it’s just as every other protected class.”

Yet fully capable individuals are often put into positions where they are unable to perform their jobs. Accommodations, said Williams, are “not about doing people ‘favors’; it’s about offering support.”

"We all want to be able to find a place where we fit in, where we feel comfortable, and where we can contribute."

Neurodiversity is a broad spectrum, Williams noted, and one of the keys to his work — and to supporting neurodiverse employees — is clear, effective, and honest communication. “One of the things I tell the people that I work with is ‘give me your information,’” he stated.

That way of thinking should also extend to employers, themselves, Williams suggested, whether it means providing candid feedback or setting clear expectations and rules, or even being willing to have conversations amongst themselves about their own attitudes toward inclusion and belonging. “We’re afraid of change, and change can be scary, but it’s not always bad,” he suggested.

In addition to sharing stories and resources, Williams spent a large portion of the workshop answering questions from the audience, ranging from the best ways to offer appropriate accommodations in interviews to ensuring that paths to advancement are accessible to everyone. This open forum, he noted, marked what should be the start of ongoing conversations.

“The fact that you’re here today says a lot,” he concluded.

Williams’ words struck a chord with his audience, “I think what resonated the most with me was his message of how much we all have in common, the basic principle that we are all human. We all want to be able to find a place where we fit in, where we feel comfortable, and where we can contribute,” said Christine Ballou, a campus recruiter at Forvis Mazars US and a member of BEAT.

Fellow BEAT member and senior recruiter for Amica Insurance Alana Bruno agreed. “It was also a good opportunity to bring employers and career services together so we’re able to look at an important issue from different sides.”

“We want to be your strong partner and your go-to partner. Innovation comes through listening, understanding the world, and understanding one another.”

Williams’s workshop was both important and timely, said Amica Center Director Veronica Stewart. “As the population of neurodiverse students increases, we're working really hard to make sure they have the same amazing experience as everyone else,” she notes. “But this is still something we still don't talk about enough, especially with each other, and the more we have these conversations, the more effective, and successful, we all will be.”

Sharing information about how to best support current and future employees is exactly why the BEAT was created, Stewart suggests. Facilitating two-way conversations helps both parties work together to stay abreast of evolving best practices and trends so that they might best support students throughout their career journeys.

Stewart notes that Bryant’s strong connection with employers, and focus on each individual student’s goals, needs, and abilities, are a few of the reasons that 99 percent of Bryant graduates are either employed or in grad school within the first six months post-graduation, with a median starting salary of $72,500.

After the presentation, the BEAT Team gathered with Amica Center staff and Bryant administrators for a reception, where they discussed what they’d learned and continued the conversation with an eye toward the future. “We want to be your strong partner and your go-to partner,” noted Bryant University President Ross Gittell, Ph.D. in his remarks to the assemblage. “Innovation comes through listening, understanding the world, and understanding one another.”