With inclusive workplace practices now a priority for many employers, »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â Leicester (»ÆÉ«²Ö¿â) will mark National Autism Day by exploring how apprenticeships can support autistic people to secure and retain employment.
Taking place at Leicester Castle Business School on Thursday 2 April, Supporting Autistic Employees Through Apprenticeships will explore practical approaches for employers to support people with autism into and through apprenticeships, including transition support, retention strategies and preparation for employment.
The event comes shortly after the government announced an Apprenticeships Incentive, which forms part of a wider £1bn initiative to create 200,000 jobs for young people. Under the incentive, small or medium-sized businesses (SMEs) will be offered £2,000 for each new apprentice they hire aged between 16-24.
Employers will hear from Susan Askew, formerly of the National Autistic Society and now a consultant, and »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â’s own Lee Atkinson part of the university’s award-winning Autism Team, as well as speakers with lived experiences of autism and their struggles to gain employment.
Susan will be sharing insights from her work supporting autistic people and employers, focusing on inclusive practices and workplace culture.
She said: “Autistic jobseekers are often on the back foot as they may not have had previous work experience or qualifications that match their skills”
“Apprenticeships could be a great route because some autistic people struggle to demonstrate their skills through academic qualifications alone”
“We want to show more employers how to tailor their apprenticeships to autistic students because for apprenticeships to work, the provider needs as much understanding as the employer”
“We don’t want apprentices sat at home staring at a blank screen because they didn’t know where to begin — they needed structure. That structure could be a step-by-step task list or scaffolding to tasks to enable them to complete the academic side of an apprenticeship”
“Task‑based assessments can be transformational. Candidates come alive when you let them show what they can actually do.”
A new government strategy on autism, which is due to be published in 2026, will need to address the worrying number of autistic adults outside of employment.
According to 2024/25 figures published last year by the Department for Work and Pensions, only 35 per cent of adults who disclose that they have autism are in full-time employment.
Furthermore, only about 30 per cent of UK organisations have a clear neuro-inclusion goal or strategy, underscoring that many employers lack frameworks for supporting neurodiverse talent even as they say they value inclusion.
Helen Kennedy-Holleman, Head of Higher Technical Education at »ÆÉ«²Ö¿â, organised the event and is acutely aware of the barriers autistic people may face when finding work.
She hopes the event will demonstrate to employers the advantages of taking on autistic employees.
She said: “There is an untapped pool of potential here. Given the same opportunity to flourish, employers will find they have loyal employees who often have specialist knowledge, but may just need some minor adjustments”.
Posted on Friday 27 March 2026