PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – People with autism sometimes face obstacles in finding work. But a program at Drexel University is helping people with autism find full-time jobs.
Project Career Launch provides paid internships to public high school students with autism in Philadelphia to teach them the skills they need to excel in the job market.
Since the program was created in 2019, about 100 people have started looking for jobs after graduating high school, including Charlie Whitaker. The 20-year-old, a graduate of Roxborough High School, is a general cleaner at the Philadelphia Military Academy.
“It’s a pretty good experience,” Whitaker said. “I am truly grateful for this opportunity.”
Whitaker’s commute includes traveling on a SEPTA bus and train. Using public transportation is one of the skills he learned during Project Career Launch.
Whitaker completed his internship at Broad Street Ministry, a nonprofit organization that provides social services to people experiencing homelessness. He learned organizational skills and time management. He said the internship boosted his confidence and paved the way for the job he has now.
Research shows that people with autism often have difficulty finding a job. According to Drexel University, 42% of people with autism in their early 20s have never had a paid job.
“Some of the barriers adults with autism may face when entering the workforce are misunderstandings about the needs surrounding housing,” said Jackie Abrams, who oversees Project Career Launch. She is the assistant director of transition processes at the AJ Drexel Autism Institute.
Whitaker said he is grateful for the program and finds his work rewarding.
“I’m really enjoying it,” Whitaker said.
Madeleine Wright
