Photo: Professor Tele Tan AM with students of AASQA
In this article, we use identity-first language (e.g. ‘autistic people’ and ‘autistic students’). We respect the diversity of the autism community and acknowledge those who may have other language preferences.
Individuals on the autism spectrum have remarkable strengths and unique talents that are often overlooked. They can be creative, have sharp attention to detail and maintain a steadfast focus – skills that are invaluable in today’s workforce, but particularly in the rapidly evolving and increasingly competitive information, communication and technology (ICT) sector.
Yet people on the autism spectrum face significant challenges entering the workforce. In 2022, the unemployment rate for autistic people was more than double the rate for people without autism or a disability.
But it’s not due to a lack of desire or capability to work.
John Curtin Distinguished Professor Tele Tan AM, founder and director of Curtin’s Autism Academy for Software Quality Assurance (AASQA), said young autistic people just need the right support in harnessing their strengths and giving them a competitive advantage in the workforce.
“There is an amazing pool of untapped talent in the autism community that is just waiting to be discovered.
“But school can be a difficult journey for autistic students and unfortunately many leave school without knowing what career options are available to them, or without the proper qualifications to get them there.
This is what AASQA is hoping to solve.”
AASQA is an innovative social initiative that provides training and pathways for young people on the autism spectrum to get them interested and ready for a career in the ICT sector, in areas such as robotics, automation, cyber security, data science and artificial intelligence.
As a software engineer, Professor Tan says he’s in the business of solving problems. When he was being approached frequently by ICT businesses looking for appropriate talent in a growing sector, he knew autistic people would be a perfect match.
From high school through to tertiary education, AASQA has three key evidence and strength-based programs aimed at supporting young autistic people at every step of their learning journey.
Together with the Fogarty Foundation, their high school outreach program, CoderDojo WA, is a network of coding clubs (Dojos) that provides fun and free opportunities to improve their digital literacy skills.
The next step is a training program developed in partnership with industry to help autistic students build a portfolio and obtain professional qualifications such as the International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB) certification examinations.
At just 14-years-old, WA student and a CoderDojo participant, Kai, became the youngest-ever to pass the ISTQB exam.
Professor Tan said the exam, which provides certification for software testers around the globe, is so challenging, it’s usually only attempted by IT graduate and professionals.
“This is a true testament to their talent and dedication. It not only builds up their confidence but also helps them in building a portfolio to use as entry into tertiary education and beyond.”
AASQA has since supported more than 44 students in successfully obtaining the ISTQB certification.
And at the last step is internships and getting them industry ready.
“Again, through partnership, with the Australian Computer Society (ACS) Foundation, and service providers including the Autism Association of Western Australia, we create and deliver internships so they can get real-world experience and give them a head start in their career.
“At the same time, it fills the employment gaps in the ICT sector.”
Photo: AASQA won the Science Engagement Initiative of the Year at the prestigious Premier’s Science Awards 2022.
Professor Tan emphasised the importance of partnership and a collaborative approach which underpins the very core of their programs.
AASQA draws from leading autism research conducted by the Curtin Autism Research Group (CARG).
“CARG brings together researchers in the field of autism from diverse disciplines including occupational therapists, psychologists, engineers, computer scientists and business experts.
“We run research around our programs to determine what is working and what isn’t, and how we can translate what we learn into practice.
“Our research continues to show us that autistic people have so much to offer and programs like AASQA are crucial to helping them develop their careers.”
And the results speak for themselves.
Since its inception, AASQA has trained more than 500 students and many have successfully moved into the workforce.
AASQA was named joint winner of the 2022 Premier’s Chevron Science Engagement Initiative of the Year award.
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