Microsoft has long supported those with disabilities, from adding tools to OneNote to help those with dyslexia, to bringing its Xbox Adaptive Controller others who are differently abled (which got some airtime during the Super Bowl). Today is World Autism Day, and Microsoft—along with various other members of the Autism @ Work Employer Roundtable—is celebrating the occasion by collaborating with the University Washington Information School to release the “Autism @ Work Playbook.”
The playbook offers individuals who want to get started in the hiring process a resource that covers topics such as building a business case, going through the interview process, as well as training and career development. Microsoft’s Director of Inclusive Hiring and Accessibility, Neil Barnett, explains in the company’s blog post that this is the result of regular questions they receive from those wanting to know how to get started.
And just as it has made a tradition of doing, Microsoft will also be offering additional summits this year that will be sponsored by the Autism @ Work Employer Roundtable. The company will host its first summit in May at its very own Redmond campus, with the second one hosted by SAP following sometime in the fall.
Additionally, the Redmond giant will also host various career fairs over the course of the year, starting on April 23 via partnership with 14 other companies including Ford, IBM, Fidelity, and Travelers. The company notes that it continues to learn and evolve through its own Autism Hiring Program and has since made numerous changes including moving from a traditional interview model to a full week-long campus visit to allow candidates to express their skills, gain feedback, and meet with the hiring managers.
