Supporting neurodivergent individuals with interest in Tech careers to gain skills and find meaningful employment.
In the US, 80% of autistic adults are either unemployed or underemployed and 100,000 youth on the autism spectrum turn 18 each year. Among this population, 30% live in a household with income below the federal poverty level and 25% receive no support services after high school. Specialisterne is an international non-profit transforming the employment landscape for neurodivergent individuals. Founded in 2004, its global reach includes operations in 26 countries, engaging more than 500 public and private sector employers and supporting over 10,000 individuals into full-time, skill-aligned employment.
With The Hg Foundation’s grant of $1.1 million over the next 3 years, Specialisterne will be launching its Academy model in the USA for the first time. Specialisterne runs Academy programs in Denmark, Spain, Brazil and Italy where an average of 75% of its graduates secure employment within 3 months. The Academy is an 8-week full-time course which provides technical training for in-demand job pathways as well as occupational skills and recruitment process support. Importantly, Specialisterne also provides training to employers to make workplaces more neuroinclusive.
The Hg Foundation is fully seed-funding the set up and launch of the Academy in the US as well as support from an independent evaluator to share feedback on pilot delivery and outcomes. Between now and 2027, the Academy will train 140 learners, and the key marker of success will be the number of individuals securing employment and an uplift in their income after the programme.
Specialisterne Celebrates 20 Years
We are deeply grateful to The Hg Foundation for enabling Specialisterne to bring our Academy program to the U.S. Over 20 years of operations around the globe, Specialisterne has developed innovative models for neurodiversity employment, which we evaluate and adapt to each unique market. We are eager to partner with The Hg Foundation as we launch our Academy to serve unemployed and underemployed neurodivergent Americans.
My experience at Specialisterne has been exceptionally positive. The training process is high quality, constantly updated to align with the students’ needs and abilities. Classes are small, allowing for personalised attention from the coaches, who are kind and patient.
