SAP Just Vowed To Hire A Whole Bunch Of People With Autism

[FarCenter]

We've told you before that there's a small but definite trend in the tech industry to find jobs for people on the autistic spectrum.

SAP just become the first major global company to hop on board.

That's because people on the spectrum often have off-the-chart abilities with technology. Many of them have genius-level IQ's and college degrees.

"They can see your product or software differently. They can figure out how something works, break down the product, find the problems and rebuild it -- and they can do all that in their heads," Tara Roehl, a speech pathologist specializing in Autism told Business Insider last May.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/sap-to-hire-people-with-autism-2013-5

[Egalitarian Thug]

1. I've found that to be true in many cases.

Unfortunately, I've also encountered more than a few that have been riding this reputation without any discernible talent/ability at all.

[Ilsa]

2. I bet more people with autism DON'T have college degrees or

are sufficiently "gifted" to make a living or even survive in this world without help with the activities of daily living. Most autistic people are struggling to survive on SSI and menial jobs. This idea that all autistic people are geniuses is practically a right-wing reaction to rationalize abandoning care of people with disabilities.

I'm happy for those people with the diagnosis that have the abilities, but from what I see in autism classes, they are the exception.

[FarCenter]

4. I think they are looking for people with what used to be called Asperger's Syndrome

Lumping all together under Autism Spectrum Disorder doesn't help clarity at all.

My cousin has a son with autism who is unable to work or function on his own.

However, we had a visiting researcher who needed some assistance in daily activities but did excellent work.

[Paladin]

3. SAP needs all the help it can get. (nt)

[Xithras]

5. Software and hardware engineering in general...

...have a disproportionately large population of Aspergers diagnosed workers already. Heck, there are a couple just down the hall from me right now. It's a field that's always attracted people with that particular disability because it requires less social contact than many other professions, and directly rewards workers based on intelligence, productivity and creativity rather than popularity or social hierarchy.