auticon

Growing a business in another country can be challenging in any industry, but especially in the fast-paced world of technology — and even more so for a unique international IT and technology consulting business that exclusively hires adults on the autism spectrum like auticon.

Group CEO Kurt Schöffer and auticon U.S. CEO David Aspinall wished to set up a regional headquarters in the Midwest and found the access to top talent, emerging startup ecosystem, and proximity to world-class universities and Fortune 500 employers made Columbus, Ohio the perfect starting place.

Deciding on the Columbus Region, known for being the best American city to work in tech, was only the beginning of the solution. Sourcing talent and bringing awareness to auticon was the next challenge to address. auticon recognized that help was needed to recruit, market, and fill its in-demand consultant positions, as well as develop relationships with companies that would be interested in contracting technology services.

A Partnership with an ‘Execution Focus’

auticon turned to JobsOhio Talent Acquisition Services (TAS) to find employees. TAS is a service-based incentive that leverages workforce development and economic development expertise to help a company find, hire, and train talent and build sustainable talent strategies executed in partnership with the company.

TAS helped auticon find a training provider that fit the specific learning needs of auticon’s unique candidate pool and upskill up to 50 tech professionals on the autism spectrum. It also partnered with a human relations consulting firm to make auticon competitive and compliant in the state of Ohio.

Working alongside its regional network partner, One Columbus, JobsOhio collaborated with local organizations to create and increase awareness of auticon and their opportunities to feed the pipeline of talent.

“It helps amplify our message to the business community in Columbus, develop a strong, ongoing pipeline of talent of individuals on the spectrum that may be under or unemployed, and it really comes together in the service of our clients,” said David Aspinall, auticon U.S. CEO. “The best example of that right now is with CoverMyMeds, where we’re growing.”

Viewing Neurodiversity as a Market Advantage

Even as employers around the world report challenges in finding technology talent, many neurodiverse candidates with exceptional technological skills and expertise struggle to find and maintain employment. Despite often exhibiting extraordinary cognitive ability, higher-than-average intelligence, and other exceptional qualifications, only 15 to 20% of autistic people are employed in the United States.

auticon leverages the demand for high quality outsourced technology services to create careers in high-tech for autistic individuals, improving their quality of life. They support their consultants with job coaches and project managers. Job coaches help support auticon’s consultants on emotional demands like handling stress and managing workload while simultaneously working with the employers to ensure a welcoming and ideal working environment.

By working to create autism-friendly work environments around the world, auticon has helped autistic people everywhere work to their full potential, creating a win-win-win among employers, people on the autism spectrum, and society.

“One of the fantastic things about the support that we have received in Ohio, and specifically from JobsOhio and One Columbus is the execution focus of that support. The support goes beyond a willingness to encourage us, it actually […] helps enable what we need to do on a day-to-day basis to serve the Ohio business community and our autistic stakeholders.”

- David Aspinall, CEO / auticon U.S.