Autistic graduates: graduate capital and employability

Figures & data

Table 1. Participant characteristics^a

Participant	Degree country	Age	Sex	Diagnosis**	Year of diagnosis	Field of study (highest degree)	Graduation year	Currently working	Job related to field of study
FI1	Finland	37	F	AS	2013	MA Biology	2008	✔	✔
FI2	Finland	34	M	AS	2015	MA Physics	2018
FI3	Finland	32	F	AS	2016	MA Theology	2014	✔
NE1	Netherlands	34	F	ASD	2018	MA Education (teacher training)	2011
NE2	Netherlands	26	F	ASD	2016	MA Linguistics	2015
NE3	Netherlands	30	M	ASD	2003/2004	MA Chemistry	2012	✔	✔
NE4	Netherlands	31	M	Pervasive Developmental Disorder	1992	MA Analytical sciences	2014	✔	✔
NE5	Netherlands	30	F	ASD	2011	BA Social work	2017	✔
NE6	Netherlands	26	F	ASD	2013	MA Special education	2017	✔
NE7	Netherlands	24	M	ASD	2002/2003	BA Audiovisual and BA Theatre	2014 and 2015	✔
EN1	England	32	M	ASD	2002	BA Political Science	2018
EN2	England	27	M	ASD	2000	BA Computer forensics	2013
EN3	England	27	M	AS	2009	MA Data Science	2018
FR1	France	27	M	ASD	2017	MA Education MA Mathematics MA Applied Mathematics	2015 2016 2018	✔	✔
FR2	France	26	M	ASD	2012/2013	PhD Mathematics	2015	✔	✔

*The participant background information was collected via pre-interview survey and confirmed during the interview

** AS = Asperger Syndrome; ASD = Autism Spectrum Disorder. AS is part of the umbrella term ASD

Table 2. Coding scheme for the first phase of analysis

Capital	Definition
Human	Acquired knowledge and skills including hard skills (e.g., subject specialism, formally acquired knowledge) and career building skills (knowing where and how to apply for and access work)
Social	Social relationships and networks that help graduates turn existing human capital into employment opportunities (e.g., networks, contacts and relationship formation).
Cultural	Cultural knowledge, tendencies and behaviours that are aligned to graduates’ target place of employment (e.g., behaviours at the work environment).
Identity	A personal investment that graduates make towards their future career and employability (e.g., development of work identities, personal investment in employment and employability narratives)
Psychological	Psychological resources enabling graduates to adapt and respond to career challenges (e.g., resilience, self-efficacy and adaptability).