Posted on 05/22/2013 7:43:04 AM PDT by DeaconBenjamin
German software development giant SAP plans to hire hundreds of people with autism by 2020. The company hopes to benefit from their unusual skillset and says it's ready for any practical challenges. Advocates hope the program could set an example for others.
The Berlin IT firm Auticon contracts people with autism to work as consultants, mainly in the software industry. Autism impairs social and emotional communication, but can also be associated with extraordinary talent for analysis. Quincke facilitates a way to both utilize these strengths and integrate the workers into a professional setting.
Now, German software development giant SAP has discovered this group of potential employees, announcing on Tuesday that by 2020, it plans to hire hundreds of people with autism to work as software testers, programmers and specialists in data quality control. The announcement marks first renowned German company to open the mainstream job market to a group of potential employees who have been largely overlooked. The country's FBA autism association has welcomed the step and encouraged other companies to follow SAP's example.
It is hard to say how many people with autism live in Germany. According to estimates, they account for 1 percent of the population, but no official figures exist. They frequently face difficulties on the labor market. Only 5 to 6 percent of them find employment, says social scientist Matthias Dalferth from the Regensburg University of Applied Sciences (RUAS).
In fact, many companies stand to benefit from hiring people with autism, especially in the IT sector. They tend to have an eye for detail, and enjoy tasks such as checking complex figures. In this age of accelerated technological development, when companies have to stay on top of new programs and products if they are to remain competitive, people with autism could be valuable employees.
(Excerpt) Read more at spiegel.de ...
“Exploitation” lawsuit in 5....4....3....
>> According to estimates, they account for 1 percent of the population, but no official figures exist.
I have come to believe that autistic characteristics are VERY common in we humans — and that they are to some degree hereditary.
Maybe 1% of the population are what you would call “clinically autistic”, but a much larger percentage of the population (40%? Just a guess) has some degree of autism, ranging from very mild to moderate.
My guess is most of that trouble is in the finding and interviewing areas.
Your average manager type is not going to know what to do with an autistic candidate.
82+82+82=246
Good for SAP.
[off topic] The U.S. Navy bought SAP’s ERP software. It sucks.
A lot of them are probably already working there.
All too true.
Which reminds me of this (a little off topic):
How can you tell a software engineer is extroverted?
He looks at your shoes instead of his own when he's talking to you.
LOLOLOL!
What time is Judge Wapner on?
That’s funny!
‘There are four left in the box.’
There seems to be a correlation with the highly analytical/classification mental skillset and autism. They’ve found that children and grandchildren of engineers are much more likely to be diagnosed with autism. In Silicon Valley and the German equivalent, the autism rate is several times higher than average - probably due to assortive mating.
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