I keep seeing news stories regarding how Generation Z chooses the trades over a traditional four-year degree. I wish there was more emphasis on helping those with autism find meaningful employment and young people find jobs that align with their gifts and passions. Let’s go back to my senior year of high school when I was picking out a college major or trying to pick one out. I had memories of my mom looking at the neighborhood kids when they had a rash and being the point person on field trips for first aid because she was a nurse. all I could think in my eighteen-year-old brain was that my mom’s job was exciting and my dad’s job was tedious. I had been to my dad’s office a handful of times. He explained that he helped make telecommunication devices and tested the software used. As an adult, I understand why that work would be interesting; young Ivy did not. Young Ivy also did not have her autism diagnosis. So, off to college, I went under the assumption that front-line healthcare employment was the only interesting field of jobs, and what’s funny is that I almost majored in accounting. I went through a phase of listening to the Entreleadership Podcast by the Ramsey Corporation. I loved hearing about leadership, finances, and entrepreneurship. My parents were excellent, but no one knew how much I would struggle in the professional realm post-graduation. I am not a career counselor, nor do I pretend to know what every autistic individual needs to learn to pick a career, but I hope my list below is helpful.
- Consider taking a gap year. I went straight from high school to college. I wish that I had taken more time to talk to professionals in different careers, shadow different professionals, and grow into being myself a bit more. There’s almost nothing more frustrating than getting through half a major only to decide you need to start over and throw away a year of prerequisite courses.
- Consider the trades. These are short-staffed and well-paying jobs. There are better options than college for everyone.
- Consider taking online courses during your summer before college to expose yourself to different careers. Udemy and Coursera offer courses created by experts and respected universities. These are good ways to gather new skills and expose yourself to many careers from your couch.
- Think about what you’re willing to compromise on and what you’re not. Every job and career has a downside. You don’t have to know immediately but think about what is a must-have for you in a career and what is nice to have but not a must-have.
- Consider getting an internship. I have mixed feelings about internships because they often don’t offer educational experience; they just are looking for free labor from college students. I was bullied at mine, but I know that with the right company, it can be a great learning experience. The preference is a paid internship.
- Work with Vocational Rehabilitation. I have heard mixed reviews about using this service but had a great experience. They helped me immensely with my social skills in the workplace.
- Try to work in your field while in school. I tutored in college, which did not align with my major, but I enjoyed the job. From what I was told, it was common for teaching majors to work as tutors, which was a good experience.
- Consider joining professional associations as a student if you’re interested in a particular field.
- Be bold and take a semester off to regroup if it is needed.
- Make use of your high school guidance counselor.
Living on the Spectrum 
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