In their own words: The career planning experiences of college students with ASD

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Study interviewed 18 college students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) concerning their career planning experiences. Participants attended community colleges and/or universities in Virginia and ranged from freshmen through graduate school. The structured interviews focused on students’ current status in career planning and preparation, use of campus services and supports, and their satisfaction with these services. Interviewers also sought to obtain students’ perspectives on what information, services, and resources they need to better prepare for their careers. Results describe four themes that emerged based on students’ knowledge of, and participation in, campus services and supports: choosing a major, using career centers, self-disclosure, and career-related services and supports. The students with ASD expressed a need for more experiential learning opportunities through informational interviews, job shadowing or mentoring opportunities, internships, or work experience.

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