For decades, workers with developmental disabilities, especially autism, have faced discrimination and disproportionately high unemployment levels. A large shortfall in cybersecurity jobs, along with a new push for workplace acceptance and flexibility—in part spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic—has started to focus attention on the abilities of people who think and work differently.
“In other countries it’s old hat,” said Teresa Thomas, program lead for neurodiverse talent enablement at MITRE.