Only 34% of autistic adults in the UK are in employment. For a group that includes some of the most focused, detail-oriented, and creative thinkers in any room, that number says more about the systems around them than the people themselves.
Research from Deloitte found that neurodiverse teams are up to 30% more productive in some roles. JPMorgan Chase’s own data found their neurodiverse employees also made significantly fewer errors.The skills neurodivergent people bring, whether that’s deep focus, pattern recognition, problem-solving, or an unusual ability to spot what others miss, are exactly the skills most businesses say they need.
So it’s pretty clear that the employment gap isn’t because of ability. It’s because of a lack of access. And work experience is one of the most practical and rewarding ways to start closing it.
The most common thing we hear from employers is that they want to help but aren’t sure they have the capacity to do it well. They worry about getting things wrong, about saying the wrong thing, or about having to make changes they aren’t equipped to make.
In practice, the adjustments that make the biggest difference cost very little and benefit everyone. Clear written instructions. A predictable daily structure. A quiet space when needed. One task at a time rather than several at once. Letting someone know in advance if plans are going to change.
These are actually just good management practices. Once employers try them, the usual response is: “Why weren’t we doing this already?”
“Employers often think the adjustments they need to make are huge. Really, it’s just about making things clear and accessible. If you do that, it works better for everyone.“
A good placement is structured, supported, and planned in advance. Here’s what that looks like in practice.
A useful model for thinking about what makes a placement successful comes from the EB8 team. They describe motivation at work as roughly 50% the actual tasks, 25% relationships and feeling valued by the people around you, and 25% a sense of being good at something and having some autonomy over how you do it. A placement that gets all three of those things right will be one a young person wants to return to.
So you don’t feel you have to start with a blank sheet of paper – we’ve created some useful AI prompts to help you start building your neuroinclusive work experience programme below.
One of the practical barriers employers raise is time. Writing inclusive role descriptions, planning daily schedules, and briefing supervisors all take effort. AI tools can take a significant amount of that weight off – or at least get you started.
The prompts below are designed to help you use any AI writing tool to generate practical materials quickly. You can then adapt them to fit your workplace. Importantly, you may not always know a student’s specific needs in advance, and that’s fine. Materials written with neuroinclusion in mind tend to be clearer and more useful for everyone, not just neurodivergent young people.
One important note: don’t include real names, personal details, or sensitive information about specific students in any prompt. Always check your organisation’s data policy before using AI tools for work purposes.
Prompt 1: writing an inclusive role description
PROMPT: Write a plain-language work experience role description for a student joining our marketing team for one week. The main tasks will be drafting social media captions, choosing images from a bank, and updating a content spreadsheet. Write it so it would work well for any young person, including those who may be neurodivergent. Include what a typical day looks like and what support is available.
Example output:
Role: Marketing Assistant (Work Experience)
You’ll be working with the marketing team for one week. Your main contact will be [Name], who’ll check in with you each morning and at the end of each day.
What you’ll be doing:
Writing short captions for social media posts (we’ll give you examples to work from)
Choosing images from a folder to go alongside posts (clear guidelines provided)
Updating a spreadsheet to log what content has been scheduled
What a typical day looks like:
9.30: Morning check-in with your contact
9.45 to 12.00: Task time
12.00 to 12.30: Lunch break
12.30 to 2.30: Task time
2.30: End of day check-in and reflection
Support available:
Prompt 2: briefing a supervisor
PROMPT: Write a short briefing note for a line manager supervising a student on work experience next week. Write it with neuroinclusion in mind, covering communication, instructions, transitions, and feedback. Keep it practical and under one page.
Example output:
Supervisor briefing: supporting a student on placement
A few practical things that’ll help make next week go well. These approaches work for any student, and make a particular difference for those who may be neurodivergent.
Instructions:
Transitions:
Feedback:
Be direct and specific. “You did the spreadsheet really well, the formatting was exactly right” lands better than “great job today.”
Keep a short check-in at the start and end of each day. Ask how things are going and whether they need any additional support; equally, ask if anything was particularly helpful.
Finally, make it clear that questions are welcome, as many times as needed. “If something’s unclear, just ask me” sets the right tone from the start.
Prompt 3: writing a daily reflection sheet
PROMPT: Create a simple daily reflection sheet for a student on work experience. Write it with neuroinclusion in mind, using plain language and simple questions. It should take no more than 5 minutes to complete and help both the student and the supervisor understand how the day went.
Example output:
End of day reflection
Date: ___________
What did you work on today?
What did you enjoy, or find easy?
Was there anything that felt difficult or confusing?
Is there anything that would have made today easier?
One thing you want to try or learn tomorrow:
Prompt 4: first day onboarding checklist
PROMPT: Write a first-day onboarding checklist for a student starting a one-week work experience placement in an office. Write it with neuroinclusion in mind so it works well for any young person. Make it practical and useful for the person meeting them on the day.
Example output:
First day checklist
Before they arrive:
Send a confirmation email with the address, who to ask for, and what time to arrive
Let the team know a student’s joining and what they’ll be working on
Set up their workspace in advance: a quiet desk, a written task list ready, and any equipment they need
When they arrive:
Meet them at the door or reception. Don’t leave them waiting.
Show them around: desk, toilets, kitchen, fire exit, quiet space if there is one
Introduce them to the people they’ll be working alongside (keep it small to start)
Go through the day’s plan together so they know what to expect
During the day:
Check in at lunch. How’s it going? Anything confusing so far?
Give written instructions with each new task
Flag any changes to the plan before they happen
End of day:
Do the end-of-day reflection together or let them fill it in quietly
Tell them what tomorrow looks like before they leave
Thank them specifically for something they did well
“EB8 has truly changed my life. After leaving education, I felt completely lost. As an autistic person living with anxiety, OCD, anorexia and depression, the transition into the working world was overwhelming. The routines and support I had in school disappeared, and suddenly I was expected to function in a world that didn’t make sense to me.
Without the incredible support from the staff at EB8, I wouldn’t have the job I do now at a jewellers, where I work in photography and admin. They not only introduced me to them but also ran training for employers about neurodivergence in the workplace. More importantly, I wouldn’t have had the confidence or social skills to maintain and enjoy the role.
I couldn’t recommend EB8 more, especially to other neurodivergent people who may feel like they’ve been left behind after education.”
Opening your workplace for a visit, a tour, and a conversation about what your team does can change how a young person sees their future.
Get in touch with the EB8 team to find out more.
If you’re a social worker, SENCO, careers advisor, or support worker, you can refer a young person to EB8. We work collaboratively with multi-agency teams to ensure smooth transitions and joined-up support.
Contact us to discuss a referral: info@eb8basingstoke.org.uk or 01256 805710