Bringing the autism advantage to the workplace

Jennifer and Billy Frist have a 16-year-old son who can easily rattle off the capital cities of countries around the world. Or, he can tell them what day of the week their birthday will fall on years from now. 

Diagnosed with autism, their son, Walker, has extraordinary skills, but how those skills will translate later in the workforce is a concern for both parents.

“Looking towards the future, we started to see this bleak picture of how tough it is for people on the spectrum to get a job or to get through the typical interview process,” Jennifer Frist said. “Their skill sets are actually very well suited for certain jobs.”

The Frists have helped launch a local initiative employing adults with autism and are putting Nashville at the forefront of this global effort. Specialisterne, a Denmark-born nonprofit that has helped companies in 11 countries employ adults with autism, is working with Vanderbilt University and Autism Tennessee to identify individuals’ skills and prepare them for jobs.

Meanwhile, The Precisionists, a Delaware-based social enterprise, will hire employees and carry out projects for local businesses on a contract basis. UBS has made the first local hire through the program and other companies, including HCA, are joining the effort.

About one in 68 children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An estimated 80 percent of those with autism are unemployed or underemployed, said Thorkil Sonne, CEO and founder of Specialisterne.

Once employed, individuals with autism often prove to be valuable workers with low turnover rates. Many have an affinity for repetition, can more easily recognize patterns and come up useful, innovative ideas. But, when interviews call for eye contact, social skills and business formalities, those with autism can struggle with the traditional hiring process, he said.

“Very many, they have to take the job that is possible and not the job where they could realize their potential,” said Sonne, who is also a father of a son with autism. “To get a meaningful and productive job is what all families are hoping for so the autistic family member can become independent."

Specialisterne has worked with Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, IBM, SAP and other corporations around the world to match autistic individuals with jobs that range from scanning documents to surveillance to software development. Germany-based SAP has committed to offering 650 jobs.

“Instead of pulling resources from the federal, state and local levels, they become gainfully employed,” said The Precisionists CEO Ernest Dianastasis. “Their confidence level goes up, their sense of accomplishment, and they also become taxpayers. It’s a huge transformation.”

The benefits of the program also extend to the employers, who are able to access a highly productive pool of talent for important projects, he said.

The effort has been years in the making. In 2015, UBS' private wealth management division in Nashville, led by Kent Kirby, began organizing an annual roundtable focused on autism, which brings families and experts together to share best practices. The Frists saw an opportunity for Nashville companies to lead and began developing a local network focused on the issue. As a result, Dianastasis is expanding The Precisionists operations to Nashville this year.

Vanderbilt has launched a Center for Autism and Innovation, led by Keivan Stassun, a physics and astronomy professor. The center is developing methods to identify strengths and skills of individuals with autism and will provide additional support for them once they are in the workforce.  

Jennifer Frist said it is premature to know if her son will ever participate in the program, but she is hopeful it will improve the lives of others on the autism spectrum.

"You have to change the mindset," she said. "There are tons of individuals and families who would like for their children to have an opportunity to have a job, if they want one."

Reach Jamie McGee at 615-259-8071 and on Twitter at @JamieMcGee_.