I worked in mathematics education in Hong Kong before coming to Australia and becoming involved in vocational training. Last year, I launched a “Workplace Adaptation Training Program” for high-functioning bilingual autistic individuals. It was a new attempt that combined decades of my teaching and training experience.
Since childhood, I have loved mathematics. Solving difficult mathematical problems — especially those others considered impossible — gave me a deep sense of achievement and satisfaction that is hard to describe. As a result, I chose to study mathematics at university, challenging myself with abstract problems. After graduation, I became a mathematics teacher. Beyond helping a small number of students develop stronger mathematical abilities, my greatest sense of accomplishment came from helping students who struggled badly with maths learn how to approach and understand it.
After moving to Australia, I became involved in Australia’s adult vocational education system and discovered a very different learning world. Around one-quarter of Australians have participated in adult vocational training. I became deeply interested in this system because it allows adults to continue learning throughout life and potentially change their future. For me, this was also a new challenge.
Training Is More Than Knowledge
In primary and secondary school, students mainly learn foundational knowledge and life skills — the basic abilities needed for social life and preparation for further specialised study at university. Vocational training, however, is designed specifically to prepare learners for particular jobs or industries by helping them develop practical workplace skills.
Before immigrating to Australia, I once took a car repair course at a technical school in Hong Kong. Although the course included practical training, after completing it, I still could not even change a tyre properly. The reason was simple: I had never grown up handling machinery or solving mechanical problems myself. I understood the theory of how cars worked, but when facing an actual breakdown on the road, I had no idea what to do except call roadside assistance.
Clearly, knowledge alone was not enough to solve real-life situations.
The reason was obvious. Throughout my upbringing, I rarely had opportunities to interact with machinery or gain hands-on experience. Teaching adults practical life skills is fundamentally different from teaching academic knowledge in school.
The same applies to autistic individuals. Learning social interaction as an adult is very different from the early childhood process of naturally developing communication and cooperation skills.
One of the biggest challenges for autistic individuals is that many did not learn social interaction skills during childhood. As a result, they may struggle to absorb social knowledge or develop experience in cooperation and communication. Over time, this can lead to isolation, low confidence, and reduced social engagement.
The Challenges Continue Into Adulthood
Most autistic individuals are identified in childhood due to limited social interaction or reduced responses to external stimuli. Despite parents’ efforts, improvement is often difficult. However, today society offers far more support than before. Increasing numbers of autistic individuals are completing primary and secondary education, and many successfully finish university degrees as well.
Yet this does not necessarily mean high-functioning autistic individuals can easily enter the workforce or pursue their ideal careers.
Statistics show that the unemployment rate for autistic individuals in Australia is around 40%, and many who do work are employed in positions below their qualifications or outside their professional fields. The issue is not simply employer discrimination — many autistic individuals struggle with workplace collaboration and communication. Some can only manage roles with minimal social interaction, such as research or data-related work.
Parents often invest enormous effort in helping their autistic children communicate, socialise, and learn like their peers. Behind these efforts is usually one hope: that their children can eventually live independently.
Last weekend, I met several parents in this situation through a group program. I heard their concerns firsthand. Even when autistic children successfully complete high school or university, many parents still worry deeply about their future career development.
Adulthood Can Still Create Opportunities for Growth
When we think carefully about it, this situation is understandable.
Social interaction is experiential learning. Just as I could not handle mechanical problems without hands-on experience, autistic individuals cannot simply learn social interaction through theory alone. Real social skills must be developed through real-life interaction.
Many people ask: if these difficulties were not resolved during childhood, can they still improve in adulthood?
The answer is yes — because adulthood provides different learning conditions.
First, emotional maturity improves with age. Adults are generally more tolerant and capable of negotiation than children. While children may argue or fight easily, adults are more likely to communicate and compromise. This creates a more supportive environment where autistic individuals can gradually improve communication skills through training.
Second, adults become more aware of the importance of communication. High-functioning autistic individuals often possess strong reading abilities and intelligence, allowing them to understand social concepts through study and observation. With practical opportunities to apply these ideas, they can gradually turn knowledge into life skills.
Third, workplaces are naturally more complex than familiar environments like home or school, which can feel overwhelming. However, Australia’s training systems and support services can help adjust these environments into manageable learning opportunities.
Workplace Internships
Workplace internships provide exactly this kind of opportunity.
Employers naturally expect staff to communicate and cooperate effectively. However, vocational education allows learners to develop these skills while working. In apprenticeship-style training, experienced workers guide learners on the job. This enables trainees to gain workplace experience even before reaching full professional competency.
For autistic individuals who never fully developed communication skills during childhood, such systems provide valuable opportunities to improve workplace and social abilities through practical experience.
Previously, these opportunities mainly existed within vocational education systems. With the support of the NDIS, resources are now increasingly available through disability support services as well.
Within this environment, Rejoice developed a workplace training program specifically for bilingual high-functioning autistic individuals who have completed their studies. Compared with mainstream programs, this initiative is particularly suited for people raised in migrant communities or newly arrived in Australia.
The program encourages participants to understand Australian society through news, current affairs, and media production while simultaneously developing communication and expression skills through collaborative work.
For autistic individuals who have had very limited opportunities to work with others, learning directly within real workplace environments is often the most effective approach.
If you know someone who may benefit from such a program, or if you would like to learn more, please feel free to contact me.
For those interested in the program, contact raymond@sameway.com.au or 0422 871 799 for more details.
Mr. Raymond Chow