Supporting Vocational Training
Over the past six months, I have been designing and implementing a workplace readiness training program for young people with high-functioning autism. In addition to being funded through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) for eligible participants, we also hope to offer it as a workplace internship program in the near future.
Traditionally, Chinese communities have placed relatively little emphasis on systematic vocational training. As a result, many people are surprised by Australia’s diverse vocational education and training (VET) system after they arrive. What many may not know is that the Australian Government and various vocational training organisations have been promoting Australia’s nationally recognised vocational training system in China for many years.
Australia’s vocational education sector offers nationally recognised Workplace Skills certificate courses designed primarily for secondary school students preparing to enter the workforce and adults returning to employment. These courses help participants develop the fundamental skills needed to function effectively in the workplace. For new migrants unfamiliar with Australian workplace culture, they also provide an excellent introduction to Australian employment practices while teaching practical workplace skills.
Many of the units offered in these courses are particularly valuable for autistic individuals who have little or no work experience or who have not yet developed these workplace competencies. With time and step-by-step learning, most participants can acquire a solid foundation of workplace skills through structured training.
Unfortunately, these courses are generally not designed specifically for autistic individuals. At Rejoice, our vision is to provide a practical, workplace-based training program that helps autistic people develop the essential skills needed to navigate working life successfully.
How Do People Learn?
Society is constantly changing. Over the past three years, rapid advances in artificial intelligence have led many people to question what knowledge students should learn to prepare for the future. Whether or not people use AI themselves, most would agree that today’s students will enter workplaces requiring very different skills and knowledge from those needed today. As a result, educators and society alike are debating what students should actually be learning.
In reality, education researchers have been asking this question for decades. The issue simply received less public attention because people largely trusted the existing education system. An even deeper question worth asking is: How do people learn throughout different stages of life? This is a critical consideration for any program supporting autistic individuals.
As society has gained a better understanding of autism, educators have continually explored how best to support autistic learners. Parents often notice developmental differences when autistic children are very young, but many do not know how to help them learn effectively. Mainstream primary and secondary schools rarely provide learning plans tailored to each student’s individual abilities and interests. Consequently, many autistic children become unsuccessful learners within the traditional education system.
Autistic individuals with stronger language skills often demonstrate remarkable learning abilities due to their intense concentration. They may excel in reading, communication, mathematics, creativity, or the performing arts. Therefore, it is inaccurate to assume that autistic people who struggle with communication or forming close social relationships lack the ability to learn.
The current school system emphasises following rules, acquiring knowledge through social interaction, and mastering a broad range of standard academic subjects. This structure often disadvantages autistic students. Nevertheless, some high-functioning autistic individuals receive additional support either at school or at home, enabling them to continue developing their strengths. Many successfully complete secondary school and university education.
However, even these high-functioning autistic individuals often continue to experience significant social difficulties and may not know how to build workplace relationships. For this reason, pre-employment training becomes especially important. Effective workplace preparation helps autistic individuals develop fundamental employment skills that can profoundly influence their future lives.
Developing a Positive Attitude
For workplace training to be effective for high-functioning autistic individuals, learners generally need three essential ingredients:
- a positive attitude toward learning,
- the ability to absorb new knowledge, and
- sufficient repetition to develop practical skills.
For many high-functioning autistic individuals, the second and third elements are not major obstacles. If they are willing to participate in training, their chances of success can be very high.
A positive learning attitude begins with the desire to learn. Employment training should first inspire autistic individuals to want to work.
When parents bring their children to discuss whether our program is suitable, I sometimes find that some young people have little interest in employment. Some have lost confidence after experiencing rejection within their communities and doubt their ability to work alongside others. Others simply do not believe they need a job. This can be surprising.
Many parents express frustration or helplessness because, throughout their child’s upbringing, they have often felt unable to change their child’s behaviour.
I fully understand these feelings. Every parent hopes their child can build healthy friendships, communicate effectively, and grow up surrounded by supportive peers. Many parents devote considerable effort to improving their autistic child’s social skills, encouraging more activities or language development from an early age. Unfortunately, these efforts often produce limited results, leaving parents discouraged and, in some cases, resigned.
If parents themselves become pessimistic about their child’s ability to change, it becomes even more difficult for the child to develop a positive attitude toward learning.
However, high-functioning autistic individuals often demonstrate exceptional ability in subjects they genuinely enjoy. Parents should therefore begin by recognising and celebrating their children’s achievements. By encouraging them to set higher goals, parents can help motivate them to pursue new learning opportunities with confidence.
The successful cases I have encountered all shared one common factor: parents consistently acknowledged and affirmed their autistic child’s strengths, encouraging them to persevere until they achieved their goals.
To make this possible, both parents and children need to regularly address and manage negative emotions.
Managing Negative Emotions
Because autistic children are frequently excluded by their peers at school, parents should create more opportunities for them to interact with people who understand and accept them. Adults are generally more mature and often provide greater emotional support and social acceptance. Many autistic children naturally prefer spending time with older people because they feel more accepted.
As autistic children grow, they often develop interests that differ from those of their peers or show little interest in activities that other children enjoy. Parents sometimes pressure them to participate in the same activities as other children or frequently compare them with their peers. In reality, such comparisons are unnecessary.
Every individual develops differently. People’s interests, strengths, and achievements naturally vary. As long as children are willing to make an effort, parents should recognise and encourage their progress. Doing so helps build self-confidence.
If children compare themselves with others and become discouraged because they cannot do what others can, parents should certainly provide support. At the same time, they should help their children accept their own unique strengths and limitations. This acceptance is an effective way to reduce negative emotions.
I believe that a child’s ability to accept their own limitations begins with their parents accepting that their child is different from others. In fact, this acceptance is one of the most important starting points in supporting autistic children.
For those interested in the program, contact raymond@sameway.com.au or 0422 871 799 for more details.
Mr. Raymond Chow