The Spectrum Works Autism Job Fair has been established to help people on the spectrum find meaningful work and it takes place during Autism Awareness Month. This is seen as especially important given that 86 percent of Canadian adults with autism are unemployed. On April 8th events will be taking place in Toronto, Richmond and Montreal. Loblaws, Apple, Royal Bank, Bell are among those firms that will be offering job opportunities.
In April of 2017, Spectrum First took the decision, as part of Autism Awareness month, to create the first ever job fair. This involved working with some of Canada’s top employers and interacting with people living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The aim was also to take steps to break some of the stigmas associated with people living with ASD, such as being seen as unable to be a contributing member in the workforce. In contrast, the Harvard Business Review has undertaken research that shows employing individuals with ASD leads to productivity gains, quality improvement, boosts in innovative capabilities, and broad increases in employee engagement.
Another indicator is with the numbers of people with ASD who gain meaningful employment, given the right opportunities. To date, over 450 participants with ASD have participated in the job fairs and many have gained employment.
Those attending the e 2109 events will be given access to job skill workshops, plus sessions on resume and employment consulting. There will also be on-site job interviews and opportunities to talk with community service providers.
When and where:
Richmond, BC:
Pacific Autism Family Network,
3688 Cessna Drive
1:00 pm to 5:00 pm PST
Toronto:
Metro Hall
55 John Street
1:00 pm to 5:00 pm EST
Montreal:
Le Centre Sheraton Montréal Hôtel
1201 Boulevard René-Lévesque Ouest,
1:00 pm to 5:00 pm EST
Discussing why his company is supporting the 2019 event, Xavier Pinto, the co-owner of Substance Cares states: “We want to shift the assumptions associated with people living with ASD and change the idea that they can’t contribute to the workforce. When given the opportunity, people with ASD can do a great job. This is why we’re taking a proactive approach and hosting a job fair to pair employers with employees.”
