auticon and Salesforce received the 2022 DEI Initiative of the Year Award at the Women in IT Summit & Awards on October 25, 2022, in Toronto, Canada. The award recognizes the success of the two companies’ Neurodiverse Professional Services Partnership, which trains autistic technology professionals for a career in data visualization using the Tableau platform.
The award was accepted by the Salesforce team, led by Julie Hansen, Vice President & Global Executive Advisor, and the auticon US team, led by CEO David Aspinall.
Tableau, acquired by Salesforce, is a visual analytics platform that transforms how companies use data to solve problems and empower both people and organizations to make the most of their data. When auticon and Salesforce first looked at the possibilities of this partnership, both sides wanted a challenge that would meet Tableau’s demand for talent and address the high-performance strengths of autistic people. To achieve this goal, auticon was challenged to provide training support to ensure that autistic technologists could effectively navigate the training curriculum.
A cohort of auticon’s consultants was chosen to complete the Tableau training and certification program, with supplemental support from auticon’s internal training manager. The training emphasized the hard and soft skills required on the job, including role-playing. The auticon team has completed certifications and is shadowing Tableau experts in the field, earning real-world experience in being a Tableau Consultant.
auticon is now an official Salesforce Professional Services Partner and Trailhead Academy ATP: Authorized Training Provider. Learn more about this innovative partnership in auticon’s Salesforce case study.
The award judges released the following statement on the winning partnership: “This year’s winning submission for DEI Initiative of the Year has demonstrated the importance of neurodiversity and how it has an industry-wide impact. This initiative has helped build many positive professional relationships through their partnership programme, which helps place autistic consultants into different projects and roles. Our judges were inspired by its industry-wide impact on promoting neurodiversity – this is a brilliant project!”
About auticon
auticon is an award-winning social innovation company. As an autistic-majority company, we’re a resource for talent. We integrate our technology consultants into client organizations, performing as software developers, data analysts, QA engineers, and more. Clients experience our outstanding autistic professionals first-hand, opening minds and achieving diversity goals.
Our model improves the economic and social conditions of the autistic community with quality careers, unlocking opportunity, and empowering client organisations through actionable neurodiversity training and advisory services. Here, our employees build lifelong careers in technology, discovering personal autonomy and improved self-esteem.
auticon has international offices in Germany, the United States, Canada, France, Switzerland, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, and throughout the United Kingdom. Investors include Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Group Ltd., Felix and Susanne Porsche, Ananda Impact Ventures, Ferd AS, and Ferst Capital Partners.
