This is a desperate mother trying to help her son.
My son is on autism spectrum is highly functional but struggles with social aspects hence interviews are a problem. He finished his degree in data engineering and mathematics in September last year since then has been applying for jobs with no luck.
At this stage we are willing to pay to get him recruited somewhere Would appreciate the name of recruitment agencies or other resources that might be helpful.
No one's going to point out the irony/coincidence in the department name?
Maybe a job with the NDIS or an NDIS provider.
There are certainly many jobs and roles that are on computers using tick boxes with the NDIS (Yes, I am having a dig at the NDIS systems generally).
And also developing better online systems and maintaining systems for bookings and such with NDIS providers.
developing better online systems and maintaining systems for bookings
What technologies are or can be used for this?
Not sure where you are but contact these people
https://www.specialisterne.com.au/
Also several federal agencies have dumped interviews and key statements as part of the recruitment process. ASIO, ASIS and ASD being some.
With degrees like those, he'll have no problems 😊
My agency has brought in a number of rounds of new starters through specialisterne and the results were excellent - the program was well supported by both the company and specialisterne. Based on my experience and from what I've heard from others they went on to be happy, productive and engaged employees.
Many government agencies would be clamouring to pick up anyone with data analytics or cyber skills so I would definitely reach out to specialisterne and see if they've got any placement programs coming up in or around your area - just bear in mind lots of the bigger agencies will be capital/metro based and may require your son to relocate even if they have some sort of WFH policy.
Less than 12 months since graduation, can his uni maybe get him a placement?
In my previous company (large mining company), they had a lot of interns and grads who were neurodiverse from https://www.acs.org.au/
This!
Apply for government roles. But accept it can be slow and tedious. Currently federal government is downsizing so there aren't heaps of roles around. But this is a cycle and there will be an upswing eventually.
I've worked in government over 25 years, in the data area your son has studied. We've had a number of people like him in our teams and they are often outstanding at what they do. Neurodiverse are definitely encouraged to apply and during the application process you will be asked about this, so appropriate allowances can be made during the recruitment process. In government there is understanding of people like your son, he will find acceptance and support.
There is a program called Dandelion give them a try, https://dxc.com/au/en/about-us/social-impact-practice/dxc-da…
Call the big recruiters like Hays and Hudson. They may not be able to directly help but can point you to the right recruiters for your son.
Also try his uni, they'll have a jobs/careers style service and can point you in the right direction.
It's a numbers game, he just needs to keep applying.
I really appreciate all the kind words and links … thank you so much
From my experience as a project manager, I've actually found that some (actually, most!) of the best data people (analysts, engineers, scientists) I've worked with are 'on the spectrum'.
They rarely interview well, but their knowledge and the work they do is amazing! I do have to say that they do require a little bit more attention and patience to work with and I make sure I keep them far away from the politics of corporate life so that they have plenty of space to work the way they feel the most comfortable with. I have my one one one times with them to give them reassurance and I make sure I sit in every meeting with them to keep an eye on how things how other team members interact with them. There's been times where I've had to terminate a call/meeting because I've felt that the person was getting a little overwhelmed at the number and types of questions being thrown at them (and I'm more than happy to do that!).
What matters to me is the work actually gets done and done well. Everyone has their own working style and it's my job to create the right environment for each person to work at their peak.
Having said that, I must admit that not every project manager works the way I do, but there's quite a few that do. I hope he comes across someone that recognises his abilities and takes him on for that and help build his confidence..
pm'd
Maybe a government job?
https://www.asd.gov.au/careers?utm_source=Search&utm_medium=…