LAstartups.com Partners with auticon to Help Foster Neurodiversity and Inclusion at Tech Companies in Los Angeles
We are excited to announce our newest partnership with auticon, a company that provides technology services through a team of highly-skilled software developers, data analysts, QA automation engineers and more with a hybrid onsite and offsite work model. auticon is also a social enterprise which employs adults who are on the autism spectrum. At LAstartups.com, we strive to cover the culture of startups and technology companies- especially when it comes to featuring technology companies who are going above and beyond to foster neurodiversity and inclusion in the workplace.
We hope our partnership with auticon will show that it is beneficial to hire a diverse employee group because the varied thinking can lead to better client solutions. In addition, we hope it inspires other technology companies to take a second look at their neurodiversity and inclusion efforts.
Keep reading to learn more about how auticon ensures it has solutions to solve their client’s technology needs, while creating careers for those on the spectrum.
auticon’s Mission
auticon’s mission is to use free market forces to drive social change by creating careers in high-tech for people with Autism, increasing their independence and improving their quality of life. Simply put, auticon employs and trains those on the spectrum to do outstanding IT work that solves for client technology needs, while improving their overall well-being. Every employee hired must ultimately be able to deliver results that will benefit client projects through their work and neurodiverse thinking. If that’s not a mission we can’t all get behind, we don’t know what is!
Must-Know Facts
auticon employs over 250 IT experts worldwide and, of those, over 200 are on the autism spectrum. It has 17 global offices in countries, including the United States, Germany, UK, France, Canada, Switzerland, Italy and Australia. Its key service areas encompass quality assurance testing and automation, analytics BI/AI, software development and migration/risk compliance and reporting.
The team’s portfolio is impressive, having completed projects for brands like BMW, Siemens, PwC, Allianz, Accenture, Lufthansa, Liberty Mutual and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. In addition, it has also managed to snag top-investors and shareholders, like the Porsche family, the C&A family and Richard Branson. To continue with this momentum, in 2018 auticon completed nearly 300 projects. This number is projected to increase in 2019.
auticon’s success has not come without hard work. They have refined and defined what the workplace looks like for its employees and have put processes in place to ensure 100 percent client satisfaction.
Why We Benefit From the auticon Model
The numbers don’t lie. The harsh reality is that a staggering 50,000 adults with Autism are eligible to enter the workforce each year, but 80 percent of those remain unemployed.
“They’re smart, they’re capable, and they want to be a part of the workforce too. And so we are trying to make a difference, and make an impact on the numbers we employ,” said Rebecca Beam, President of auticon U.S. in a Spectrum News interview,
The auticon employment model is really a win-win for everyone. As auticon builds its client portfolio, it creates more jobs for those on the spectrum, in turn creating more tax-paying adults who are self-sufficient. By working with auticon, your company is helping support the goal of creating more neurodiversity and inclusion in the tech industry (an initiative LA Startups supports by featuring deserving companies like auticon in our editorial features). However, this support does not come without results. auticon is laser-focused on delivering the best and most innovative IT solutions for its clients.
Why Those with Autism are IT Whizzes
Autistic people often have a highly valuable set of inherent skills that make them a perfect fit and highly trainable for IT jobs like:
- Pattern recognition
- Attention to detail
- Sustainable concentration
- Lateral thinking
- Fast pace of work
- Factual work style
- Genuine awareness for quality
- Uncompromised honesty
Those with Autism also thrive working on projects that have clearly defined start and end dates, goals and deliverables…an IT scrum master’s dream team!
Redefined Recruitment and Office Setup
auticon has created a recruitment process that is set up to be unintimidating, inclusive and caters to those on the spectrum. This process helps auticon identify raw technology talent that will be a good fit for its portfolio of work. Those who are interested in a career with auticon must meet one of two requirements: have an interest in tech or software testing OR have experience with coding or STEM subjects.
Those candidates who have an interest in an IT consulting job, but have no experience, are offered a free 4-week training program. If they successfully complete the training program, they are then offered a paid internship and finally hired as an IT consultant.
Those who already have IT experience are hired immediately. auticon provides additional on-the-job training, as well as a job coach to help employees feel comfortable and at home at their new place of work. This process helps ensure IT project deliverables are up to the auticon standard.
Once hired at auticon, employees will find this is not your typical office environment. There are not endless mandatory meetings, social gatherings or meetups that sometimes can make those on the spectrum feel uncomfortable. Instead, the company determines on an individual basis how best to communicate with the employees, often using Slack or email. In addition, the culture is set up to feel inclusive, non-judgmental and understanding. No one takes it personally if an email or conversation comes off harsh or insensitive, as one of the limitations of those with Autism is difficulty interacting and communicating with others. All in all this culture set up enables auticon to focus on what it does best, IT work.
Workflow that Equals Results
When working with auticon, a client can expect a detailed work plan and flow. The IT team will first gather information and do an overall assessment. Next, a strategy, implementation recommendations and pricing/contract information will be presented. From there, the project is off and running! The team will test, pilot and work to deliver fast and effective implementation recommendations. Lastly, the team will log, track and verify resolutions of all flaws found during testing.
Clients can expect to interface with a quality assurance lead and steering team that provides them with the most up-to-date information on their project. The team will come to their office to ensure smooth communications. In addition, low-turnover at auticon provides consistency and efficiency for clients.
Conclusion
auticon is not just a social enterprise company; it is a company that delivers quality, expert IT solutions. Interested in learning more about auticon or working with their team? Visit their website at Auticon.Us.
In addition, LA Startups is committed to helping bridge the culture gap in STEM fields, especially in regards to bringing more neurodiversity and inclusion programs to this sector. If you know of any companies we should feature on our website, please send us a tip to hello@lastartups.com
Also, check out PledgeLA to Boost Diversity and Inclusion in The Los Angeles Tech Community
Founder, Editor-In-Chief // A native Angeleno. John studied engineering at UCLA; founded Schmoozd, an offline social tech networking event in LA with 30,000 subs; ran a startup accelerator (StartEngine). Worked for several major brands like Toyota, DIRECTV, Hitachi, ICANN, and Raytheon. A mentor at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) Entrepreneur School, Dr. David Choi. And advises a dozen local LA startups building amazing tech in various industries; and invested in some. // Let's Connect: john@lastartups.com
Related Posts
