IT is essential for individuals with special needs, such as autism, to secure a job so that they can be independent, says Pulau Tikus assemblyman Chris Lee.
Lee said his service centre has collaborated with LemmeLearn Empowerment Centre to help provide employment opportunities for autistic young adults.
“Individuals who are autistic each have their special skills. So, we need to help them get adapted to the working environment by training them.
“I can relate to this situation as I have a sister who is autistic. Even though we can support her, I want her to have a job so that she can be independent.
“So, the LemmeLearn Empowerment Centre and our service centre are working together to connect these individuals to the right employers,” Lee said during a press conference at Pulau Tikus service centre today.
LemmeLearn Empowerment Centre founder and special educator Eileen Soon Wei Lin said currently, the centre has a total of 16 students who can read and write.
“I would say that our students’ strength is in the Food & Beverage industry as they are trained to prepare food and sell it to customers.
“It would be great if they (students) are provided with job opportunities within the island as we want the location to be reachable for them,” Soon said.
According to Soon, the LemmeLearn Empowerment Centre provides continuous assistance to their students even after they have acquired a job.
“At the moment, we have a total of five students who are already working, but they do come to our centre once a week.
“One of them is now undergoing an internship at the Academy of Chefs in Penang.
“We feel that it is important for us to stay connected with the students so that we can continuously support them,” she added.
Meanwhile, Persiaran Gurney Village Community Management Council (MPKK) chairperson Ooi Su Ching, who oversees the employment programme, hopes that the relevant employers would offer jobs for autistic young adults.
“The Leong Yin Pastry Sdn Bhd would be hiring two students from the LemmeLearn Empowerment Centre for the upcoming mooncake festival.
“This is more like a seasonal job, but we hope it would lead them to other job opportunities,” Ooi said.
Students Nigel Lim, 25, and Gerard Chan, 23, were also present to share their thoughts on having a career.
Also present was LemmeLearn Empowerment Centre operations manager and vocational trainer Benjamin Choo.
For further enquiries, please contact Eileen at 016-357 3800 or Benjamin at 012-511 5668 or Ooi Su Ching at 016-415 9066.
Story & Pix Tanushalini Moroter