Experis Career Accelerator Candidate Support Contractor Resources Work for Us Experis UK logo Liquid error: internal OUR EXPERTISE Digital Workspace In today's work environment, it's vital for organisations to have a digital workspace that encompasses many devices, applications and virtual collaboration. Digital Workspace Services Our suite of services supports building and maintaining a modern digital workspace. Professional Resourcing and Training Project & Product Support Desktop Engineering and Virtualisation IT Service Desks IT Field Services Previous Tapping into neurodiverse talent to tackle the tech skills gap The UK is suffering from a serious skills shortage, and IT, cyber security and data roles are among some of the hardest hit. The WEF’s Future of Jobs Report 2020 states that tech-related roles account for more than half of the top 20 in-demand roles globally. Similarly, our own research shows that among the most in-demand roles post-pandemic are Data Analysts and Scientists, Cyber Security Experts, Robotics Engineers, Automation Specialists and Software and Application Developers. In the US, the rate of growth for information security jobs is projected at 37% between 2012 and 2022 – much faster than the average for all other occupations.As the market for specialist IT skills tightens and traditional graduate schemes fall short of delivering the volume of talent required, the pool of viable candidates continues to diminish and costs for attracting these workers goes up. In order to close the skills gap, organisations must look outside traditional talent pools. New sources of previously untapped talent need to be identified to help bolster capability and keep organisations ahead of the curve.So, what’s the solution?There are several ways organisations can go about rethinking how to address this, but many do not realise there is an underrepresented pool of candidates with a huge amount of skill and talent to bring to the table.Autistic people often have key strengths that are being frequently overlooked. These strengths include logical thinking and problem-solving, an attention to detail and an ability to see patterns that are not so obvious to others. Studies show that 60% of this population have the same or higher cognitive ability than their neuro-typical (non-autistic) counterparts. Despite this, the unemployment rate of people with autism is shockingly high at 78% – the highest across all disability groups.What is the reason for this high unemployment rate?Many aspects of the world of work have been built with only the neuro-typical in mind. Autistic people often find it difficult to get jobs or stay in them because the way that they think and react to social situations differs from the way that organisations choose to recruit and select employees. They do not fit the management and learning methods that businesses typically use.This does not mean that autistic people can’t perform highly skilled roles or become part of an effective workforce. It simply means that our traditional recruitment methods, management styles and workplace environments need to be adjusted to allow these candidates to demonstrate their potential.Making a few minor changes can open up a fantastically powerful new channel of highly skilled candidates and create real positive change.Skills that bring valueAs with all populations skills and abilities vary tremendously, however within the autistic population there are often some common traits that lend themselves particularly well to cyber security and data roles. These include:Logical and analytical capabilitiesAttention to detailGood visual memory and long-term memoryAbility to see patternsSustained concentration and perseverance even with repetitive tasksPerfectionism, eagerness to pleaseTaking things apart and putting them back togetherAbility to learn routines, adherence to rules and schedulesDetailed knowledge of specific areas of interest and comprehensive technical expertise.In fact, some of these soft skills such as analytical thinking and creativity are some of the most sought-after skills by organisations hiring for tech roles.With the right balance of job type, support and workplace environment, some remarkable performance results and innovation have been achieved by autistic teams – with performance benefits in excess of 25% compared to neuro-typical teams.What can organisations do to enable autistic candidates to succeed in the workplace?We need to be deliberate about reducing the high unemployment rate of autistic people. That’s why Experis, part of ManpowerGroup, has partnered with Untapped, to help employers remove the barriers facing neurodiverse talent.Untapped has created an ecosystem to build, support and deliver leading evidence-based autism employment programs to help corporates and governments accelerate their ability to address critical talent gaps, whilst supporting autistic adults to build the skills and knowledge to establish sustainable careers.Experis and Untapped have teamed up to support the expansion of DXC Technology’s Dandelion Programme into the UK. The programme is designed to recruit people from within the autism community and provide the technical, workplace and life skills required to build a sustainable IT career. In June 2021 we welcomed the first cohort of eight neurodiverse trainees working in Software Testing and User Experience (UX) to the programme.This programme is unique partly due to the support of Autism Spectrum Consultants (ASCs). The ASCs work with the candidates to support them throughout their assessment stage, onboarding, functional, living and social skills, induction weeks and first two years of employment. During the first weeks of the programme the candidates may experience difficulties due to anxiety, transition, sleep difficulties or sensory issues. The ASCs work through these challenges holistically with the candidates and support them through their transition. In addition, the ASCs provide training and mentorship to employers and senior stakeholders, with an emphasis on building an inclusive work environment.Laura Harman and Romeana Gudger, Untapped’s ASCs supporting the DXC team, can see the positive outcomes this type of programme can make, stating: “It was easy to see how the DXC Dandelion Programme differs to other autism employment initiatives. The programme is grounded in research and evidenced-based practice. Having known the programme has run with huge success in Australia since 2014, the opportunity to be employed as an Autism Spectrum Consultant, working alongside the Untapped and DXC team was extremely attractive. The experience has been exciting and enormously rewarding.”The candidate’s perspectiveThe insights that some of the trainees have provided into their journey is testament to the impact the programme has already had:“I was not diagnosed as autistic until January 2018, at the ripe age of 36. Until then I just went about thinking that I had a few quirks, as everybody does. I have had a number of experiences during my life which had also led to me being diagnosed with PTSD, which increases my anxiety amongst other traits.As a British Army Veteran, I am signed up to a few veterans’ charities. A gentleman involved with the charity Walking with the Wounded sent me a link to the Dandelion programme when I asked if he knew of any opportunities for people on the autism spectrum. I had a Teams meeting with Untapped to learn more about the roles and the assessment process. I was already very interested by then, so I applied for the role.This whole experience has been refreshing from the start, from engaging with Untapped and undertaking the assessment phase – which helped to identify people’s strengths, and possibly state weaknesses – right through to interacting with Experis and Paul in relation to the additional application process, clearances, and setting up contracts too. The process was different to what I had ever experienced before. It was very insightful and refreshing as I had not interacted with so many people on the spectrum before, nor with people who were, and are, so very interested in working with autistic people like me.I’ve been openly referred to Access to Work to see what specific equipment they may be able to assist me with. This is a barrier that was put up for me in previous roles and is what forced me to seek employment elsewhere. This support has helped me transition into the role, and I hope that the time and effort put in to assist me can be turned into something that may go on to help other people within the autistic community as well.For me, this is a great opportunity for anybody on the autism spectrum. It is great to be working firstly with a company who already know that I am autistic, understand that I have strengths and weaknesses, are alright with me learning at my own pace, and are also very welcoming too.”With the right support, this is a key talent pool that organisations can access. Employers need to re-evaluate their hiring strategies and how they view the labour market in order to reduce the high unemployment rate of those with autism. This will benefit both organisations who are facing an unprecedented skills gap, as well as providing meaningful work to an underrepresented group who have a huge amount to offer.If you would like to find out more and explore how you can go about hiring people on the autistic spectrum for key roles in your organisation, please contact Ed Price.Written by: Jo Pursaill, Director of Talent at ManpowerGroup, co-authored with Ed Price, Experis and Adam Easterbrook, Untapped READ MORE Access to global skills in a global talent shortage The UK’s growing talent shortage continues to create challenges for employers looking to fill roles with candidates who have the right mix of experience and skills. According to our recent Skills Revolution report, nearly two-thirds (64%) of companies do not have the skills required to implement their digital transformation strategy and capitalise on growth potential. At the same time, acute skill shortages continue – in cloud, cyber security, system and software engineering, software development, data analysis and more. Access to global candidates can provide new avenues for employers to find the talent they need.However, with changes following Brexit, potential tax implications and a host of other hurdles to consider, access to global talent can sometimes feel like a pipedream. But are there solutions to these hurdles and can access to global talent be easily achieved?Watch our latest Experis webinar where our panel of experts discuss the UK’s talent shortage and when accessing global talent is the right decision for your organisation. Also in the webinar:Understanding your existing workforce - building deeper insights about the potential and capabilities of people within your organisationDeveloping skills at all levels within your workforce - mapping the roles your organisation will need in the future and developing career pathways to get people thereShifting to outcome-based engagement - how taking a different approach to talent can remove the stress of managing a workforce and delivering the right outcomes for your organisation. WATCH ON DEMAND READ MORE Next Digital Workspace jobs Contract Data Analyst Manchester Posted November 24, 2021 READ MORE Contract Senior Analyst - Retail, Customer Data England Posted November 24, 2021 READ MORE Get in Touch See how Experis can deliver the most powerful combination of digital solutions to drive business performance. CONTACT US OUR SERVICES IT Consulting Professional Resourcing Project Services Managed Services Experis Academy OUR EXPERTISE Business Transformation Cloud & Infrastructure Cyber Security Digital Workspace Enterprise Applications INSIGHTS ABOUT US Social Responsibility Supplier Diversity Gender Pay Gap Report Careers at Experis Our Vision & Values Locations Memberships IR35 Reforms CONTACT US Contractor Resources FOLLOW US ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN), the leading global workforce solutions company, helps organisations transform in a fast-changing world or work by sourcing, assessing, developing and managing the talent that enables them to win. We develop innovative solutions for hundreds of thousands of organisations every year, providing them with skilled talent while finding meaningful, sustainable employment for millions of people across a wide range of industries and skills. Our expert family of brands – Manpower, Experis and Talent Solutions – creates substantially more value for candidates and clients across 8 countries and territories and has done so for 70 years. © 2021 ManpowerGroup. All Rights Reserved. Cookies & Privacy Terms of Use Modern Slavery Compliance Statement By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Reject All Accept All Cookies