This July, Essex County Council (ECC) trialled a new and exciting entry-to-work initiative: Autism Work Experience Week. As Head of People Analytics, Performance and Insight, I was keen to volunteer our team as the first to take part. When I signed up it seemed like something far off in the future, but – as with most things – it rolled around quickly. After a bit of a whirlwind set up, what followed was one of the most rewarding weeks I’ve experienced in my role.
The initiative was open to applications from anyone with Autism, with this cohort welcoming five individuals into the People Analytics team for five days. During this week they were tasked with tackling real HR data challenges using real datasets. Specifically, the group were given three years of sickness absence data, and tasked with determining trends about sickness to build forecasts. They were also given anonymised employee demographics, to look at how the workforce has changed to reflect the population of Essex over the past 10 years; and other challenges.
The group brought with them an incredibly diverse range of skills and qualifications - everything from an MA in Mathematics to degrees in Biology, Chemistry, Economics, and more.
Day One: Getting to Know Each Other and ECC
We kicked off the week in person at County Hall. The day was all about introductions - getting to know each other, learning about Essex County Council, and exploring the council building (including a tour of the Council Chamber, where ECC's full council and committee meetings are held). We then began to get hands-on with the data, setting the stage for the work ahead. We started by setting multiple data challenges so people could choose what they wanted to focus on, with the majority ultimately agreeing to explore the time series analysis of our sickness absence data. The goal of this work is to help us to understand our workforce demands and potential capacity pressures in the future.
Days Two and Three: Deep Dive into Data
Tuesday and Wednesday were remote working days. The cohort worked from home on their assigned data challenges, supported by regular check-ins via Teams with me, the wider People Analytics team, and each other. It’s fair to say that the group teams chat was pretty lively that week – obviously including cat pictures! I wasn’t expecting the chat to be as active as it was, but I think that’s testament to everyone involved that we managed to create a really collaborative, supportive environment very quickly.
Day Four: Building Skills and Sharing Stories
On Thursday, the focus shifted to employability. The Entry to Work team led sessions on CV writing and interview skills. Participants also heard from a Strategy Officer in our Policy team - an alumnus of a previous autism internship programme - who shared their personal journey and insights. Additionally, members of the Differently Abled Working Network (DAWN) spoke about their experiences of working at ECC with a disability or neurodiversity, offering valuable perspectives on inclusion and accessibility in the workplace. Neurodiversity can be seen as a barrier to employment for some, so it was important to us that the group heard from ECC colleagues from DAWN to see and hear that this doesn’t need to be a blocker for them in their careers.
Day Five: Presentations and Reflections
Friday was presentation day. Each participant walked me through the work they had done - showcasing not only the quality of their analysis but also the diversity of their thinking. In the afternoon, we held short mock interviews to help build confidence and prepare them for their future opportunities.
The quality of the work produced was exceptional. More than that, the different perspectives brought by the cohort challenged us to think differently about our own approaches. It was a powerful reminder of the value of diversity of thought in solving complex problems.
One moment that particularly stood out was during an interview, when a participant shared that the week had taught them not to hide their neurodiversity and that it was something to be proud of, not ashamed of. That alone made the entire experience worthwhile.
Here’s some additional feedback we received from the pilot:
“The whole week was incredibly well thought out and was a nice mixture of gaining experience in real world projects as well as comprehensive workshops that will help to prepare re-entering the workforce.”
“Overall, for me the whole experience was very positive and has given me a much needed confidence boost for putting myself back out into the world!”
Initiatives like this showcase the impact that inclusion within the workforce can have on the wider organisation and community.
Initiatives like this showcase the impact that inclusion within the workforce can have on the wider organisation and community.
Looking Ahead
Autism Work Experience Week was a pilot, but it’s one I hope becomes a regular fixture. It was a week of learning, growth, and connection for the participants and for us as a team. I’m incredibly proud of what we achieved together and excited about what comes next.
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