Working to empower learners with neurodiversity is the mission behind a new career training program at one SUNY school. The aim is to educate and help learners find meaningful employment.

“I've done stuff in theater. I'm hoping to write scripts, hopefully. Could be TV, movie theater, maybe a book, maybe even a book," said Josh Ulrich, a student at SUNY Empire.

Ulrich has always had a creative mind, and he’s ready to start his career using those same skills. 

“It's a custom degree for writing entertainment, because I want to become an entertainment writer," Ulrich said.

SUNY Cobleskill just announced a new program called Key 2 Employment. It’s a partnership with Key Bank and The Arc Lexington that will provide an alternative to a traditional college degree for people with special needs.

They’ll learn skills training, gain work experience and receive interview and job placement assistance in three fields: animal care, web development and coding and business administration.

“This program will provide services as well as education for individuals who are neurodivergent, specifically those with autism who are looking to enter a career," says Darcy Medica, provost and vice president for academic affairs at SUNY Cobleskill.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office says about 3.5 million students with disabilities are in college and according to the U.S. Census Bureau, about a quarter of employed people with disabilities work in skilled trades. 

Ulrich said a program like this will be beneficial.

“Basically, I feel like it's perfect to bridge the gap," he said.

If the program is successful, there have been discussions about scaling it to different college and universities across the state and country.