The Globe and Mail reports in its Monday, Feb. 17, edition that millions of Canadians are neurodivergent and face higher unemployment rates than neurotypical individuals. The Globe's guest columnist Jennifer Fane writes that some employers in IT and finance have adjusted their talent management to better utilize this talent pool. Other sectors could benefit from these practices to address labour shortages. Leading companies like Ernst & Young, Microsoft and Goldman Sachs are among the growing number of organizations that have recently established talent pipelines specifically for neurodivergent individuals. Ms. Fane says these programs have been remarkably successful. IT and finance have often been seen as the main areas for neurodivergent talent, possibly due to lingering stereotypes, especially regarding autistic individuals. Ms. Fane says this stereotype does not hold true. A study on neurodivergent Canadian postsecondary students suggests this narrow view is outdated. Fewer than 9 per cent of surveyed neurodivergent students studied IT, engineering or computer science. Millions of Canadians are neurodivergent, highlighting the need for employers to rethink talent management processes that currently exclude this valuable talent pool.
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