Find Your Fit: Supporting Individuals Experiencing Neurodivergence Through Post-Higher Education Career Transitions

Individuals experiencing neurodivergence often face unique challenges when transitioning from higher education to the workforce, such as barriers in self-advocacy, workplace accommodations, and professional communication. Despite growing awareness, career readiness resources tailored to their needs and learning styles remain limited both locally and globally. This study seeks to answer the question: “How might communities ensure that people who experience neurodivergence are more successful in the workforce?” To address this question, this study examines the development, implementation, and evaluation of an eight-week neurodiversity-specific career readiness course aimed at addressing gaps in employment support for individuals experiencing neurodivergence in the University of Montana community. Developed in partnership with experts from UM, the course emphasizes skill-building in self-advocacy, job searching, resume writing, workplace accommodations, and professional communication. Participants, recruited through campus support programs, complete pre-, weekly, and post-assessments that measure confidence and career readiness. We anticipate that participants will demonstrate increased confidence in their career readiness skills over the duration of the course. Quantitative data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative responses will be subjected to thematic analysis. Findings will inform future iterations and facilitate broader implementation, ensuring sustainable career development resources for individuals experiencing neurodivergence. See also: Amplified@UM Podcast Episode (March 26, 2025)