Qualified Jobs for People with ASC in Germany. Progress in Vocational Training and Inclusion of Adolescents in the Labour Market

Background: There is no sufficiently assured knowledge about vocational support for people with ASC and their participation in the working life in western societies. Inadequate employment as well as social exclusion of people with ASC / Asperger’s Syndrome from the labour market in Germany led to initiate a pilot project in external vocational training centres in 2002. The aim of the project was to prepare the adolescents for competitive jobs. In the last few years we have developed different methods of job support for adolescents with ASC. I have supervised the enhancement of adequate vocational training and inclusion of people with ASC in semi-sheltered and competitive workplaces.

Objectives: Continuous evaluation of the support for adolescents with autism in 5 vocational training centres in Germany. Results of vocational development and job placement.

Methods: Mail questionnaires (centres), expert-interviews (staff), structured interviews (graduates)

Results: The successful realisation of a special training programme (the ‘Abensberg Training Programme’ - ATP) has led to a rise in numbers of participants with autism in vocational training centres in the last few years. At the moment 397 young people with ASC are undergoing vocational training in 12 external training centres.

The results of the progress and inclusion in the 5 training centres will be recorded. After pre-vocational training and a differentiated assessment procedures 262 young people have started a vocational training in 2010. 88 have already finished the training of 2.5 – 3.5 years; 46 (52.3 %) have already found a job on the labour market. 14 (15.9%) trainees are working in a sheltered workshop, 9 (10.2%) undergo further training and 19 (21.6%) are still looking for a job.

Conclusions: People with autism can – depending on the characteristic of their autistic conditions – be successfully trained in different kinds of qualified jobs or job areas. They are able to unfold their potentials and find employment. Prerequisites: Creating suitable conditions in the training centres, careful assessment, consideration of skills and interests, individual support measures including vocational and social training, structured teaching methods as well as special designs of workplaces, job assistance, modification of exam conditions. The sustainability of an inclusive job on the labour market requires on-the-job training and crisis intervention if needed. What must always be taken account of are the framework conditions such as the housing situation, the day-to-day management, leisure time amenities, social contacts, financial security, and the perspective of life.