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What should you expect for your child with autism after high school? In short, a life that provides as much independence as possible.

Expectations for the adult lives of people with disabilities have changed greatly in a relatively short period of time. Until very recently, the norm for people with disabilities after they finished secondary school was to enter sheltered workshops or other limiting programs. More and more today, however, we see youth with disabilities engaged in curricula that emphasize independence and endless possibilities. Once the final high school bell rings, though, how does that preparation translate into real world success?

Too many people with disabilities never find gainful employment after graduating. Often this is because there is no plan to continue learning or start working. Despite efforts to support the transition in school, it becomes a case of “use it or lose it” when it comes to vocational/employment skills. So, assuming your son or daughter doesn’t already have a job or career path upon graduation, what should the next step be to ensure success?

Where to Begin?

Fortunately, the path for someone with a disability to be successful in her or his career is not much different than our own. A fulfilling career is built on continuing education, understanding the labor market, and devising a long–term plan.

For many, continuing education may involve formal education through colleges or trade schools. Others may require training that is customized for the individual and his or her specific needs. To facilitate the growing movement towards employment as the first option for people with disabilities, both counties (who often administer federal and state initiatives) and private providers are evolving their programs. Many are using new curricula that not only focus on building work skills, but also allow enrollees to get experience in their communities in preparation for landing a job. Volunteering, paid internships, and personalized service all enable individuals to learn about and sample different types of work while experiencing real world expectations.

It is highly encouraged that you and your child look into programs that will be available upon his or her graduation. This will allow you to hit the ground running and put supports in place that best fit your child’s long-term goals.

Adjusting to the “Real World”

Having a firm grasp on real world expectations goes hand in hand with understanding the labor market and the employment options that are out there for your son or daughter. Many employers are seeing the value of hiring people with disabilities. However, while companies are open to reasonable accommodations, the onus is still on caregivers and supporting entities (e.g., adult service providers) to ensure an applicant is truly prepared to meet employer expectations. The best way to begin this process is to understand and focus on the skills and interests of each job seeker.

Most people thrive in jobs that play to their interests. It is critical to explore interests before, during, and after high school to see which types of employment would be the best fit. Do not get hung up on “traditional” jobs for people with disabilities. Many goals and careers that seem out of reach can be broken down into smaller, more attainable employment goals. These smaller benchmarks can serve as stepping stones to the larger goal or can expose the individual to other jobs that may be of interest. It is vital that the individual be part of creating her or his own goals, and likewise be held accountable for working towards them. The sooner you start this process, the easier it will be for your child to transition to a world where he or she is held to the same expectations on the job as their non-disabled counterparts.

Where Are the Jobs?

If you are able to work with a county or other provider, they will have job developers on staff who can help find employment opportunities in the community. This should never be your only option. Even if you are able to access these services, being an active participant in the job search exponentially increases the chances of your child finding gainful employment.

The first step you should take when trying to find employment for your child is to perform a personal inventory of friends, family members, and business associates who might help you and your child gain access to an employer. These people do not need to be best friends or the CEO of a company. They just need to be someone you are comfortable talking with who could possibly help your child get eyes on his or her resume. In these economic times, a job paying near minimum wage can receive over 100 applications within 24 hours. It is vital that you tap any connection that could give your job seeker an advantage. Most people are amazed at how many names they can come up with after five minutes of brainstorming. Imagine how many connections you can pull together if you ask your close family members and friends to do the same.

Beyond personal contacts, there are plenty of other ways (e.g., the Internet, newspapers, “help wanted” signs) to search for jobs, but even traditional methods have changed a great deal. Many larger businesses only accept applications online. These businesses offer more employment opportunities. However, without a personal connection, it can be very difficult to navigate past their screening procedures. Conversely, many smaller businesses will allow you to make a personal connection with a person in power, but have fewer opportunities. The key in either case is to connect with someone at the company who will be an advocate (even in the smallest way) for your child.

Which Jobs Should Your Child Pursue?

Once you have a list of contacts in place, cross-reference the list with your job seeker’s interests and skill sets. Remember: don’t be too limiting. People with disabilities are often just like us when we were looking for our first jobs. Yes, we had certain jobs we would never have considered. But we were entry-level workers who needed to break into the labor market. I always enjoyed movies, so my first job was at a video store (back when there were such things). It didn’t mean I got to watch movies all day. But I was positioned in an environment that played to a specific interest.

Many times, though, a first job will just be an opportunity to make money, learn new skills, and build a resume. This needs to be clearly understood by the job seeker. Employment provides limitless opportunities, but will also be challenging, require flexibility, and even be boring at times. In many ways, understanding this is the first lesson any job seeker should learn.

Building a Resume

Now that you have targeted businesses of interest, it’s time to create a resume that speaks to the needs of employers. Recent high school graduates generally will not have the work experience to fill the page. If this is the case for your child, focus on education, accomplishments in school and the community, and the unique attributes your job seeker brings to the position.

Attendance, punctuality, and positive attitude are among any employer’s biggest priorities (especially when it comes to entry-level hires). Assuming your child has these attributes, highlight them and focus on his or her other work skills. Include a small narrative explaining the candidate’s dedication to the job search and commitment to quality results. Don’t think of this as a resume. Think of it as marketing material for your job seeker that answers every employer’s question: “Why should I hire you over another applicant?” Having a resume will also set your job seeker apart from many others who only fill out a standard application. It’s likely your job seeker will need a resume for online submissions anyway since most now require one.

The Interview

At this point, the good news is that resumes are submitted and your applicant is being called for interviews. The bad news is that he or she may have never interviewed before, and this ordeal can present many challenges. These can range from behaviors related to your child’s disability to the general anxiety we all feel going to our first interviews. If your child needs you to be there and you have a relationship with the business, see if you can sit in on an interview. This will help alleviate anxiety and ensure that you can help fill in the blanks if your job seeker forgets to relay any valuable piece of information. It also helps to show that your child has support and reaffirms for the employer that this opportunity is not being taken for granted. When you think about it, it’s almost like an introduction to an employer as how job coaching works: onsite support that isn’t overbearing or doing the work for the individual. 

However, your job seeker should be prepared for the interview and practice beforehand. You don’t want to be answering for him or her. You just want to help bridge any gaps in communication and show the support that he or she has in making employment work.

Building a Career

After becoming employed, many people, disabled or not, don’t understand that a career is a winding pathway. We often focus on the destination and become impatient. Developing a long-term career plan helps ensure that the job seeker doesn’t become frustrated or stagnate. This starts by understanding that finding the first job can be a lengthy process. Make sure your child understands that immediate success is not likely; we often find the “best fit” only after extensive searching. No matter how good the initial fit, though, it is important to continually develop new goals. Even if someone truly loves the job she or he is in, there are always ways to improve upon one’s knowledge base and quality of life, to keep reaching for that next brass ring.

In Conclusion

Preparing for life after high school is certainly a challenge, but one that doesn’t have to be daunting or scary if taken in pieces and started as soon as possible. The key is to understand the barriers your son or daughter faces, while not accepting that those barriers are permanent or can’t be reduced to a more manageable size. Many people with significant challenges have gone on to successfully work in the community, because they have a structure in place and goals to achieve.

With each day, the business community is getting more on board with hiring people with disabilities. It is up to all of us to show what these amazing people can do when given an opportunity. Through hard work, persistence, and outreach on both sides, anyone can find meaningful work and a path to greater independence.

Jason Weppelman currently serves as the manager of workforce development for Koinonia (Independence, Ohio) and has been a nonprofit leader for over a decade. Prior posts include president/CEO of the Permian Basin Better Business Bureau and senior analyst for Charter One Bank. This experience has allowed him and his team to lead the way in hiring people with disabilities. In two years, he has helped place over 40 individuals in jobs with local employers. Dozens more are working paid internships and/or volunteering at community sites. This success is predicated on knowing what businesses need and how to connect with them.