A pilot program will be launched in May, the company says

Apr 7, 2015 11:02 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft has recently announced a new program to hire people with autism, thus trying not only to establish a diverse workforce but also to show its commitment for supporting people with disabilities to “do more,” as the company’s new slogan says.

Mary Ellen Smith, Corporate Vice President, Worldwide Operations, Microsoft, who herself has a 19-year-old son suffering from autism, has announced that the pilot program will kick off in May with the help of employment company Specialisterne.

A total of 10 full-time positions will be offered at first at the company’s headquarters in Redmond, Smith has said, with the program to expand to more open positions and other locations if successful.

“People with autism bring strengths that we need at Microsoft, each individual is different, some have amazing ability to retain information, think at a level of detail and depth or excel in math or code. It’s a talent pool that we want to continue to bring to Microsoft!” she writes.

They could help Microsoft develop new projects

Microsoft is known as one of the companies that have invested millions of dollars in projects designed to help those with disabilities, so bringing people with autism on board could be a way to continue these efforts even more.

Microsoft’s Research unit has until now launched several projects of this kind, and Smith admits that, given the diverse array of customers that her company is targeting, the workforce needs to be at least as diverse to make sure that they’re building the right solutions.

“Our effort goes beyond autism. We are passionate about hiring individuals of all disabilities and we believe with them, we can create, support, and build great products and services,” the blog post reads.

Candidates who wish to submit their resumes to Microsoft can use the [email protected] email address, with the program to kick off in May.