After sharing about my horrific experience with a job training programme for Autistic people in Singapore, I’ve been thinking a lot about what a truly supportive programme would look like. Here are some of my ideas.
Disclaimer: These are my personal thoughts based on my lived experience. What works for me might not work for everyone, and I’d love to hear other Autistic people’s ideas about what they need from job training programmes. The Autistic community is diverse, and our career support should reflect that diversity.
Core philosophy: empowerment, not charity
The fundamental shift that needs to happen is to see us as adults with agency, not as charity cases or burdens to be managed.
This means:
- Presuming competence: starting from the assumption that we are capable of making informed decisions about our own lives, even if we communicate or process information differently
- Seeing us as individuals with different needs and strengths—a one-size-fits-all approach won’t work for all of us
- Building on our strengths rather than trying to “fix” our “deficits”
Identifying suitable career paths
- Identify potential career paths that align with our genuine interests and natural strengths
- Traditional 9-to-5 jobs aren’t the best fit for all Autistic individuals. A comprehensive programme should explore alternative work arrangements that might suit different Autistic people, such as:
- Freelancing
- Remote work opportunities
- Part-time or flexible schedule positions
- Entrepreneurship and starting your own business
- Practical skills for non-traditional career paths:
- How to market yourself
- Client communication
- Business administration
- Building a sustainable practice
Workplace preparation
- Understanding your own work style preferences and needs
- How to research company culture before applying
- Identifying red flags in job interviews and workplace environments
Navigating workplace dynamics and politics
- Nuanced guidance instead of simplistic rules like “don’t become friends with your colleagues”
- Understanding unwritten workplace rules without losing your identity
- How to build genuine relationships at work while being authentically Autistic
- Learning when it’s absolutely necessary to mask1 (for safety reasons) and when it’s safe to unmask
Self-advocacy
- When and how to disclose that you’re Autistic or other personal information
- How to request accommodations
- How to advocate for job responsibilities that play to your strengths
- How to recognise and respond to workplace harassment, discrimination, or toxicity
Self-care
- How to recognise and manage burnout
- How to set boundaries to protect your wellbeing
- How to handle rejection and setbacks without internalising them as personal failures
Peer and community support
- Connection with other Autistic individuals working in the same industry or a similar field as you
- Mentorship opportunities with Autistic adults who’ve successfully navigated work on their own terms
- Safe spaces to discuss challenges without judgment
Educating employers
The onus shouldn’t entirely be on Autistic people to navigate and adapt to the working world. The programme should also:
- Educate employers on providing neurodiversity-affirming support (e.g. moving away from charity mentality and patronising attitudes, respecting different communication and working styles)
- Provide guidance on creating sensory-friendly work environments
Educating society
This is probably the most challenging part, but true inclusion also requires systemic change:
- Challenging the widespread sentiment that disability is something to be pitied or overcome
- Moving away from inspiration porn2 narratives towards genuine acceptance and respect
As I mentioned at the start of this post, these are just my ideas based on my lived experience. Some people may read this and think the ideas I proposed are too idealistic or ambitious, especially in Singapore’s context. But the Singapore government often talks about working towards an inclusive society, and if they truly mean it, I’m just offering my ideas as possible concrete steps towards making that vision a reality for Autistic Singaporeans.
See also: How my workplace accommodates my Autistic & ADHD needs
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“Masking” is a term used in the Autistic community to refer to the conscious or subconscious act of suppressing one’s natural Autistic traits to be accepted in social situations. It can be a key survival skill but is often mentally and emotionally draining. ↩︎
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“Inspiration porn” refers to the portrayal of Disabled people as objects of inspiration simply for existing or doing everyday activities, often to make non-Disabled people feel good about themselves rather than seeing Disabled people as full human beings. ↩︎