Freddie Mac Sees Autism as an Asset in the Workplace
Diana McCalla, Dominica Groom Williams, Lauren Collins, and Sarah Crump (Photo Courtesy of Disability Equality Index)
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n an effort to hire the best and brightest people to push the company forward, Freddie Mac is committed to exploring every opportunity to hire diverse talent. This is why Freddie Mac created its Autism Internship Program, which matches the company’s business needs with the unique capabilities of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The program allows the company to reach into a largely untapped source of talent— young adults with autism who have college degrees in fields such as computer science, mathematics, and finance. 54
Fall 2018
“Individuals with autism have proven that, given the proper environment, they can really thrive and be incredibly productive employees,” said Sarah Crump, Office of Diversity & Inclusion manager at Freddie Mac. Since the program’s inception in 2012, Freddie Mac has welcomed 18 interns into the program, ultimately hiring 9 for full-time positions. “Freddie Mac has benefitted from the expertise and unique traits these interns bring,” said Sarah. Freddie Mac’s groundbreaking work on the program goes beyond simply identifying this untapped
pipeline of unemployed or underemployed individuals—it partners with a network of ASD experts who craft job descriptions for roles that maximize the benefit to the company and help potential interns realize their full potential. “Before I came to Freddie Mac, I struggled to find employment, despite being a highly qualified, entry-level candidate,” said Greg, a quantitative analytics associate at Freddie Mac and graduate of the program. “They recognized everything I had to bring to the table and that autism was a difference, not a detriment.” The program, which is run by Freddie Mac’s Office of Diversity