‘Shocking’ idea: People with autism make good employees
September 23rd, 2009From Wired Magazine’s list of ‘12 shocking ideas that could change the world’, this one clocks in at number 2: ‘Recruit autistics’.
Danish entrepreneur Thorkil Sonne formed an IT company that hires mostly people with autism, ferreting out software errors for companies like Microsoft and Cisco Systems. The reason: people with autism have excellent memories, strong attention to detail, and are good at following structure and routine.
One client found that Sonne’s workers were five to 10 times more precise than other contractors. “This is not cheap labor, and it’s not occupational therapy,” he says. “We simply do a better job.”
(Among the magazine’s other ’shocking’ ideas: Legalize assisted suicide)
Related post — Essay: People with autism deserve respect from academia
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