East Belfast – A new social enterprise for individuals with autism has been set up to help people gain jobs i the IT sector.
Specialisterne’s aim is to help 50 people with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) get jobs in the IT sector over the next five years.
Around 16,500 people work across 700 companies in Northern Ireland’s IT sector.
The Belfast Telegraph state that according to a statement from Specialisterne, there will be an additional 2,300 new jobs each year in the ICT sector in Northern Ireland until 2019.
Employment Minister, Dr Stephen Farry, attended the launch of the enterprise and said:
“As Minister for Employment and Learning, I am committed to helping employers create working environments that are inclusive and dynamic, reflecting the increasingly diverse society that exists in Northern Ireland today.”
He congratulated Specialisterne on its success after setting up in Dublin, and more recently in Belfast.
Specialisterne was founded in Denmark and has created 1m jobs for people with Asperger’s Syndrome and high-functioning autism. Autism Daily Newscast has reported on the companies expansion in North America here.
The Minister
“We need to ensure we have a talent pool available, ready for work and prepared to make their best contribution to the prospective employers in this industry.”
Specialisterne founder Thorkil Sonne said:
“Northern Ireland has welcomed our mission with strong support from key stakeholders and we are very much looking forward to working with a number of different partners to begin making a difference in the community.”
The original article by Margaret Canning in the Belfast Telegraph can be read here