Employees with autism excelling at innovative Long Island company Spectrum Designs
PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. -- April is Autism Awareness Month and some of the statistics are bleak.
More than 50 percent of 25-year-olds on the spectrum have never held a paying job, despite having the skill set to excel.
But as CBS2's Jennifer McLogan reported Tuesday, a Long Island company is out to change all that.
"Oh, this job is great," Spencer Pusey said.
The 30-year-old said he feels immensely fulfilled as a valued employee at Spectrum Designs of Port Washington, overlooking the bay.
"I've shown a lot of initiative, and other things, to basically improve my worth as part of society," Pusey said.
All Pusey wanted was to be given a chance -- and he got it at the Long Island company. Of its 71 employees, 43 are on the autism spectrum.
"Having the mission of creating jobs for the people on the spectrum was going to be the cherry on top," said Patrick Bardsley, co-founder and CEO of Spectrum Designs.
Bardsley said the cherry exploded and business soared when word got out that designs, logos, stenciling, embroidery, packing and shipping were being accomplished by workers on the spectrum.
"Honestly, it's pretty life changing," employee Brendan Lanese said. "I am surrounded by people who support me. Once you get down to the nitty gritty of it, we're all human."
Challenges adults with disabilities face in the labor market include employer biases, fears about reliability, and misconceptions over capability.
"In our society it's so easy to label everybody, you know, now we hear on the spectrum or neuro-diverse versus neurotypical. We look at everybody really as who they are," said Marissa Borzykowski, who works in human relations for Spectrum Designs.
"This is 'Discover Long Island,' where I belong, Long Island," said Dean Gregory, who added he is devoted to every design.
He's hoping more employers will open their eyes to this faithful hiring pool.
"Excited, nervous ... I like to call it nerve-excited, a little bit happy and proud," Pusey said of his work at the company.
He is clearly proud of his job, adding his cherry on top is, "That I am able to talk to a mic and talk to a camera, without turning into an iceberg."
Confidence can be life changing.
There is a waiting list to work at Spectrum. The founders hope their employment success will serve as encouragement to other companies to hire people with disabilities.