Developing Independence in the Workplace: A Student Success Story

At CIP, we offer a variety of internship opportunities for students in our Careers program. Many students will experience, sometimes for the first time, working on their own. This is a step that, without support, can be very difficult, many times leading adults on the spectrum avoidant and afraid of building workplace skills.

Many students have aspirations and goals of success, but don’t yet have the necessary tools in their toolbox to achieve it on their own. Our job in the Careers Department is to foster this growth, push them outside their comfort zone in small steps, and aid them along the way in any challenges that may come their way.

A student at our Berkshire center started very similarly. When he started his journey in Careers, he was very shut away, often engulfed in his phone in the back of the classroom. During his first internship, he was frequently on his phone, walking away from supervisors as they gave directions, and avoidant of any social interaction, even a simple “Good morning” or “How are you” were phrases never used in his dialogue.

By the end of the internship, he was sharing these pleasantries, and had nothing but good things to say about the experience. He worked very well independently, not needing reminders to put his phone away or initiate tasks. These were big steps, taken very slowly over the course of weeks, which eventually led to immense growth.

In his second semester, he is a completely different person. He now attends internships himself, one currently at a local ski resort, Otis Ridge, the other he will begin at BeatNest, a music school in the Berkshires offering him an opportunity to build his skills in electronic music production, a goal he’s had for a long time. Currently, he takes lessons at the school, but later will transition to an internship, learning more in-depth about music production as a career.

How did we support him on his journey towards independence?

Most importantly, we allowed the student to make mistakes and supported him in that journey. Sometimes he would be resistant to feedback during his first internship or take out his phone while he was working. Asking him if he was alright, reinforcing him to ask for breaks, and slowly working towards taking fewer breaks and pushing through challenges were key to further growth. Reinforcing good decisions, like asking for a 5 minute break when overstimulated, has allowed him to make a positive connection to working, something that when he started his first internship was not apparent.

One thing I remind all of my students is that success is not linear. Adults on the spectrum are often comparing themselves, especially to those who outwardly look more successful than themselves. Reinforcing mistakes as part of the learning & growth process is essential, as it is normal! It is equally important for them to have a support network to fall back on when they fall, helping them get back up on their feet. Giving students positive affirmations, for example, “you are strong, smart, capable, and worthy of success,” are great ways to help students struggling with motivation, as often they cannot find or create it themselves.