b'There is an organization in Ireland that valuesTHESKILLSpeople like Declan and the thousands of othersSpecialisterne recognizes that each person is on the island of Ireland who are on the autismunique and has a different skill set. Yet there spectrum. Specialisterne is a social businessare special skills that many candidates on the conceptthatmatchespeopleontheautismautism spectrum often bring to the market-spectrumwithjobsprimarilywithintheITplace.An affinity for repetition, strength with sectorandintechnically-orientedfields.logic,anabilitytoseepatternsandthemes Specialisterne is tackling the fact that 85% ofin data or words, these are all skills that tech those on the spectrum in Ireland, are currentlycompanies value. unemployed. KristenDoranistheSeniorHumanThe non-profit was established in DenmarkResources Business Partner for SAP Ireland. in2004(SpecialisterneisDanishforthe At SAP Ireland, Kristen has been the local lead specialists)andhasexpandedtoIrelandon the Autism at Work Programme partner-thankstofoundingmembersFrankHolt ing with Specialisterne. We started working andPeterBrabazon,whobothhavesons with Specialisterne at the end of 2012. We have withAspergers.Specialisternehasassessed six people now employed through the program, hundredsofpeopleacrossIrelandandis between our two sites in Galway and Dublin. placing individuals into employment at someAsacompany,SAPhasbeennotedforofIrelandstopcompaniesincludingSAP, theircommitmenttoprovidingemploy-MicrosoftandIntel.Thepartnershipwithment opportunities to people on the autismtheseemployersextendswellbeyondthespectrum. But that commitment stretches far placement.Specialisterneremainsasa beyond social responsibility.resourcetoeachcompanyensuringthat Thisisaboutinnovationanddrivingemploymentopportunitiesflourish.Theirinnovationbypeoplewhoareonthelong term vision is to enable 5,000 jobs forspectrum because we think they are going peoplewithautismandsimilarchallengesto bring different perspective to the way we across Ireland. do our work, explains Kristen. Its been proven in studies that it actually increases THEASSESSMENT employee engagement, profitability, and the Candidates come to Specialisterne first so thatsuccess of an organization. they can establish what the individuals skillsAccording to Kristen, the entire team at SAP and interests are. Often, the assessment in- benefits. We now understand that if someone cludes a hands-on test involving the assemblyis on the autism spectrum they can be high-of a robotic object. This is not intended to seefunctioning and can add a lot of value. It has how someone would simply assemble some- madepeoplemoreopen-mindedwithinthe thing, butassesses the candidates approachorganization about how they do their own jobs to problem solving. Do they like to work in abecause they see people who approach it in a teamoralone?Aretheyabletojumpintodifferent way.something quickly or do they need more ex- TheIrelandFundsareproudtosupport planation? Each aspect helps determine whereSpecialisterne in their work to bridge employ-they will perform best and be happiest in ament needs and opportunities with the autism work environment. community in Ireland.You cant get to know somebody over an interviewforahalfanhourwitheveryone Specialisternehasenabledme sittingbehindatable,saysDebbieMerri-gan,AssessmentDirectoratSpecialisterne.to work in a job I love. The people Youre investing in them.So I want to see how that person will work in a team, how they think.here are very friendly and I really Its important to get to see the person relax. OftenwithAspergers,forexample,peopleenjoy the work here.can be nervous and have low confidence. Our tailored assessment process helps us see theNick, working at Microsoft since 2013candidates best attributes. *names have been changedconnect2015 | 29'