Printing Industries Association of Australia (PIAA) is promoting the employment of autistic staff, encouraging printers across Australia to hire autistic candidates who are equipped with the right skills and a strong work ethic.
The PIAA has teamed up with the Autism Association of Western Australia to foster support for autistic job searchers, and says employing a worker with autism can have a resoundingly positive effect on business efficiency and productivity.
“It is a win for a worker with autism, a win for our business member and a win for the Autism Association of WA,” says PIAA CEO Andrew Macaulay.
“Printing Industries is pleased to be working with the Autism Association of WA to help both printing businesses and people with autism. Given the right job, those with autism can be fantastic contributors.”
Macaulay says ten printers in Western Australia have already engaged with the Autism Association and have hired workers through the program, including Perth’s Scott Print.
Both the PIAA and Autism Association assert autistic staff possess unmatched attention to detail which is often set as a benchmark for other employees.
“The strengths of people with autism are their ability to do process work, eye for detail and accuracy too,” says Russell Thomas, from the Autism Association.
“They can focus on something for a long period of time without getting bored. Some of the industries they excel in are IT, print and surprisingly to us, hospitality.”
Family-run WA printer Scott Print is proof hiring autistic job searchers can reap positive benefits for both the employer and employee. The printer employs two full-time team members with autism, Nathan and Elliot, who both work alternately in Scott Print’s dispatch and factory area.
General manager of Scott Print in WA John Scott says work performed by autistic employees has surpassed a level of perfection they have never seen before – including finding a stack of hundreds of stapled booklets where the staples were flawlessly aligned.
Scott also says he has noticed the presence of autistic staff has also generated a positive atmosphere for all his employees.
“It’s almost like a maternal or paternal instinct comes out in staff. We want to encourage other printers and manufacturers in WA to get behind it,” says Scott.
“A lot of people complain about what the government does and what they’re not doing right, but this is something they are doing right.”
Team member Nathan says his job at Scott Print is well-matched to his work ethic, as he prefers a constantly changing and fast-paced atmosphere.
“I don’t like sitting around and doing one thing for long unless its constantly changing up a bit. That’s what I like about here because it is different all the time pretty much unless there is a big job going on,” says Nathan.
Fellow Scott Print team member Elliot says his job seeking process was simple through employment program AIM.
“I’m generally quite shy with new people so for them to handle all the interviews and the ringing up, that’s another good thing,” says Elliot.
Tim Scott, general manager of sales and marketing at Scott Print also asserts the strength of autistic candidates in a production environment.
“Employees with autism are very dedicated and reliable and you need that when you have got a production timetable,” says Scott.
Printers can hire autistic job seekers through AIM, which offers employers 12 weeks of subsidised wages, Autism Association consultants and a long-term supported wage system.
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