WIN: Training Course Catalog

Courses were developed in collaboration with Virginia Commonwealth University's Autism Center of Education, a national leader in developing knowledge and research-based practices to support individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Self-advocates, human resource professionals and legal experts provided additional input and review. Each course is designed to raise awareness around differences in thinking and communication styles among those with autism and related conditions and to provide strategies to build inclusive workplaces.

Courses for employers

Learn how to enroll your company and employees here.

Course: Welcoming Employees with Autism and Related Conditions
Audience: Hiring managers
Description: This course is designed to help employers create a welcoming workplace for not just employees with autism and related conditions, but all employees. It covers the benefits of a workplace that includes autistic employees, reviews the characteristics of a person with autism, discusses employment rights, disclosure and accommodations, and suggests best practices for hiring, management and developing autistic employees.

Course: Supporting Employees and Job Seekers with Autism and Related Conditions
Audience: Managers and supervisors
Description: This course is designed to help managers and supervisors advocate for and with employees with autism and related conditions, from the hiring process to the job itself. It covers the characteristics of autism, the benefits of a workplace that includes autistic employees, how autistic employees may experience life and approach work differently, and how to support them so they are comfortable and productive.

Course: Human Resource Strategies to Support Autistic Adults with Higher Support Needs
Audience: HR staff
Description: This course reviews the potential needs of autistic adults with higher support needs and effective human resource strategies to assist them in accessing and maintaining employment. Topics covered include the benefits of a workplace that includes autistic employees, legal considerations and disability rights, an overview of autism and characteristics seen in those with higher support needs, strategies for recruiting and onboarding these autistic adults and suggestions to help them integrate into the workplace.

Course: Supervising Employees with Higher Support Needs
Audience: Managers and supervisors of autistic employees with higher support needs
Description: This course is intended to support those who supervise autistic employees with moderate to high support needs. It covers the benefits of a workplace that includes autistic employees, how those with higher support needs may be impacted by their diagnosis, and what supports they may require to access and integrate into the workplace.

Course: Understanding Co-workers with Autism and Related Conditions
Audience: Staff level employees
Description: This course is designed to help staff identify and understand differences when working with co-workers with autism and related conditions. It covers the characteristics of autism, the benefits of a workplace that includes autistic employees, how autistic employees may experience life and approach work differently, and how to help welcome and integrate them into the workplace.

Course: Working with Autistic Employees with Higher Support Needs
Audience: Staff level employees working with autistic coworkers with higher support needs
Description: This course is designed to help employees welcome their autistic co-workers with moderate to high support needs. It covers the benefits of a workplace that includes autistic employees, how those with higher support needs may be impacted by their diagnosis, what supports they may require to access employment and how to help welcome them into the workplace.

Course: Welcoming Students with Autism and Related Conditions
Audience: Postsecondary education teaching staff
Description: This course explains how students with autism might experience life differently and covers how to make the class, curriculum and teaching environment more accessible to them.

Courses for employment specialists

Course: Supporting Autistic Adults with Moderate to High Support Needs as a Job Coach
Audience: Job coaches, job counselors, VR professionals
Description: This course will review characteristics of autistic adults with higher support needs, the benefit they bring to the workplace and how you can support them in accessing competitive integrated employment (CIE). It covers strategies for identifying a job seeker's skills, interests and support needs, for finding jobs that are a good match for the job seeker, and for supporting both the autistic employee and their employer. Register.

Course: Supervising Autistic Adults with Higher Support Needs as a Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Professional
Audience: VR professionals
Description: Autistic adults who receive job-related VR services have higher rates of employment, research shows. This course covers the potential needs of autistic adults with higher support needs and a VR professional's role in helping them access and maintain employment. Topics include making connections with other employment specialists, assisting with assessments, helping with job development and supporting on-the-job training, among others. Register.

Courses for self-advocates and caregivers

Course: Navigating Your Differences in the Workplace
Audience: Autistic job seekers and employees
Description: This course is designed to empower autistic job seekers and employees in the workplace. It incorporates the fundamentals of self-advocacy and covers rights in employment, types of disclosure, when and how to disclose, accommodations and when and how to request them. Versions are available for the manufacturing environment and for those who work in a customer-facing workplace. This is a self-paced course. Pause and resume as needed, without losing progress. Certificate of completion is available. Register. 
 

Course: Supporting Your Family Member in Employment
Audience: Parents and caregivers of autistic job seekers with higher support needs.
Description: According to over 40 years of research at Virginia Commonwealth University's Autism Center for Education, all autistic adults can work. One of the most significant success factors is the support of parents and caregivers. This course covers employment options available to autistic adults, advantages of competitive integrated employment (CIE), employment supports available to your autistic family member and ways you can support them as they prepare for employment. This is a self-paced course. Pause and resume as needed, without losing progress. Certificate of completion is available. Register.