Finalist category: Workplace Inclusion Award
Finalist, Workplace Inclusion Award, 2021
In 2019, when a parent approached us to teach coding to individuals with Autism at a career workshop in Chennai, we realized that there is a lack of an inclusive tertiary education system
and career opportunities for neurodiverse individuals, who as a result are left with low-skilled jobs and no certainty of future.
We believe that no matter where one comes from, everyone deserves equal careers where they can grow, contribute and be valued for their work. Even though neurodiversity affects about 3% of the world population, neurodiverse individuals are often overlooked or outcast, especially when seeking meaningful careers.
The current career landscape for most neurodiverse individuals is either Low-Skilled-Tech or Non-Tech related jobs. When it comes to High-Skilled-Tech jobs, only a handful individuals have opportunities in software testing or auditing jobs. The numbers dwindle further when it comes to programming. This is where HashHackCode is making a big difference by creating skill sets and matching opportunities in jobs related to coding to neurodiverse individuals.
With the advancement of tech and the new normal of work, there are a plethora of opportunities to work remotely in an environment that is suitable for neurodiverse individuals. Neurodiverse individuals can benefit from the increased demand for remote work, avoiding all the unnecessary hurdles that they encounter in a traditional workplace.
HashHackCode provides Inclusive Tech Education & Mentorship to people with different abilities and strengths. We mentor students with ASD, ADHD/ADD, Dyslexia, Down Syndrome, Hearing, Speech and Learning Difficulties. During this pandemic, our students have found remote tech opportunities in India and Singapore matching their unique skill sets and potential.
We aim to create meaningful careers for neurodiverse individuals by developing their skill sets in emerging technologies so that they are valued for their work and not integrated solely based on sympathy or benevolence. Most of the time differently-abled individuals are the end-users of a product but never the stakeholders. HashHackCode is developing an inclusive workforce where a diverse set of people are included in all the aspects of work, right from creation to the usage.
