2008 Woodie Awards
Burkhart center receives $500,000 grant
Hannah Boen
Issue date: 4/15/08 Section: News
Tech's Burkhart Center for Autism Education and Research received the Wagner-Peyser grant to fund a two-phase project for adults with autism.
The $500,000 Wagner-Peyser grant was awarded to the Burkhart Center by Gov. Rick Perry's office through the Texas Workforce Commission, according to a university news release. The Workforce Commission is a state government agency funded through federal sources with a goal to develop the state's workforce by providing resources such as career training and childcare for the employed.
The Burkhart Center for Autism Education and Research strives to improve the quality of life for adults with autism, according to the release. One way the center's staff believes it can do this is through putting people with autism into the workforce through part-time employment. To assist autistic adults in becoming more independent, the Burkhart Center offers job and life skill training.
The center's job training and life skills classes will be enhanced by the $500,000 grant through a two-phase project, said Robin Lock, director of the Burkhart Center.
"The first phase will be employer training so that employers can learn about the needs and characteristics of those with autism," Lock said.
Employer training will teach employers to be more understanding and tolerant of people with a disease that they may not be familiar with, and Lock said she hopes a better interpretation of the disease will lead to greater understanding.
The second phase of the project will involve life skills and job training for autistic adults entering the workforce, she said.
Lock explained that learning a skill or trade is only one part of the job for people with autism.
Adults with autism entering the workforce not only need to know how to do their job, she said, they need to know how to interact with others in the workplace.
Lock said she hopes the employer training will give autistic people in the workforce an advantage that they did not have before.
The $500,000 Wagner-Peyser grant was awarded to the Burkhart Center by Gov. Rick Perry's office through the Texas Workforce Commission, according to a university news release. The Workforce Commission is a state government agency funded through federal sources with a goal to develop the state's workforce by providing resources such as career training and childcare for the employed.
The Burkhart Center for Autism Education and Research strives to improve the quality of life for adults with autism, according to the release. One way the center's staff believes it can do this is through putting people with autism into the workforce through part-time employment. To assist autistic adults in becoming more independent, the Burkhart Center offers job and life skill training.
The center's job training and life skills classes will be enhanced by the $500,000 grant through a two-phase project, said Robin Lock, director of the Burkhart Center.
"The first phase will be employer training so that employers can learn about the needs and characteristics of those with autism," Lock said.
Employer training will teach employers to be more understanding and tolerant of people with a disease that they may not be familiar with, and Lock said she hopes a better interpretation of the disease will lead to greater understanding.
The second phase of the project will involve life skills and job training for autistic adults entering the workforce, she said.
Lock explained that learning a skill or trade is only one part of the job for people with autism.
Adults with autism entering the workforce not only need to know how to do their job, she said, they need to know how to interact with others in the workplace.
Lock said she hopes the employer training will give autistic people in the workforce an advantage that they did not have before.
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