At our recent diversity in tech event that ran as part of the Fintech Scotland Festival, Ketty Lawrence of Skills Development Scotland highlighted the untapped talent pool of neurodivergent people that exists in Scotland. You can view an excerpt of the online event featuring Ketty here.
It is estimated that 10-20% of people in Scotland are neurodivergent (have a condition such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia or a combination of these), which represents a significant number of people of working age in Scotland, many of whom have specific skills that lend themselves to the tech industry. However, many neurodiverse people remain unemployed or underemployed.
Focussing specifically on autism, Ketty highlighted that although many autistic people are highly educated and highly capable, according to The National Autistic Society, only 16% of autistic adults are in full-time employment, compared to the 75% of autistic adults would like to be in full-time employment.
In order for employers to be able to tap into this potential workforce, it is likely that accommodations may be required that are specific to each neurodiverse individual depending on their needs.
Skills Development Scotland’s Neurodiversity in Digital Technology Report is a useful resource to find out more about neurodiversity and creating a workplace that is suitable for a neurodiverse workforce. SDS’s Skills Hub also offers useful information about recruiting and supporting neurodiverse individuals.
To find out more about tech recruitment in Scotland or Hamilton Forth’s programme of events, please contact [email protected]
