Event postponement
Following developments with the COVID-19 (Corona Virus), we have taken the decision to postpone this event, which was due to take place on Tuesday 31 March and Wednesday 1 April 2020. While we are all disappointed to make this decision, the health and safety of everyone involved is our top priority.
This event will now take place in late September 2020. We will confirm an exact date at the end of March and update this page.
If you have already registered for this event, we will inform you of when the event will take place. You will be able to confirm whether you would like to keep your place, or withdraw it.
Bath Employment Spring School for Autism
The Bath Employment Spring School for Autism (BESSA) is a free two-day event for Autistic students or graduates (with or without a diagnosis). It aims to help with the transition from university to a range of opportunities like internships, placements and graduate employment.
The event is organised by the Centre for Applied Autism Research at the University of Bath, and JP Morgan (JPM).
If you're an autistic student or graduate (with or without a diagnosis), you can attend this event where you'll get support and guidance for the transition from university to work.
For an in-depth look at the autism-related workshops and activities we run at Bath, read our case study.
Day 1
Provisional schedule
Location: 10 West 2.47 University of Bath campus.
| Time | Event | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 8.30-9.00am | Registration in 10 West outside 2.47 | Refreshments will be provided while delegates register for the programme and receive their materials for the day. |
| 9.00-9.10am | Welcome and introduction to BESSA | Run by CAAR, we will welcome delegates and outline the plans and objectives for Day 1. |
| 9.10-9.25am | Autism strengths and Employment | Run by CAAR, this session will highlight findings and data from research and theory related to autistic strengths and employment. |
| 9.30-10.15am | Employment skills session 1 | Run by Bath Career Service, how to identify employment-related strengths, skills, interests, motivations and values. |
| 10.20-11.00am | Disclosure and reasonable adjustment | Run by the National Autistic Society, this session will provide information and address issues about disclosing a diagnosis of autism to your employer or potential employers and reasonable adjustments. |
| 11.00-11.15am | Tea and coffee break | |
| 11.15-12.05pm | Employment skills session 2 | Run by Bath Career Service this session will be on how to prepare applications, CVs, and interview skills. |
| 12.05 -12.45 pm | Lunchbreak | A catered lunch will be provided |
| 12.45 -1.15pm | Work experience | Run by Ambitious About Autism, this session highlights the role of work experience for autistic people. |
| 1.20 -1.50pm | Personal experiences of autistic people within employment | This session will involve autistic people working in different jobs talking about their own personal experiences of employment, highlighting both the strengths and difficulties they have found in their work situations about how they have dealt with them. |
| 1.55 - 2.40pm | Organisations and their environments for autistic people | This session will include talks by companies about their policies and work environments for autistic people. |
| 2.40-2.55pm | Tea and coffee break | |
| 2.55-3.40pm | Organisations and their environments for autistic people II | This session will include talks by companies about their policies and work environments for autistic people. |
| 3.45-4.45pm | Employer perspectives about autism by JP Morgan | This session will highlight the views of JP Morgan towards autistic employees, highlighting current initiatives and policies to facilitate the hiring, transition and success of autistic employees at this organisation. |
| 4.45-5.00pm | Question and answer panel | |
| 5.00-6.00pm | A chance to mix informally | Drinks and nibbles, see our VR, and to ask any more questions that may have come to mind. [This session is optional] |
Day 2
Provisional schedule
Location: JP Morgan Bournemouth Corporate Centre
Return travel from Bath to Bournemouth is provided.
| Time | Event | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 7.30-10.00am | Travel together from Bath to Bournemouth | Specific details will be provided nearer the time. |
| 10.30-10.45am | Welcome and Introduction to BESSA Day 2 | We will welcome all the participants and delegates to BESSA Day 2, outline the plans and objectives for the day. Refreshments will be provided. |
| 10.50-11.40am | Site tour | Participants will split into smaller groups and have a tour of the campus including high performance workspace, dining facilities, social areas, atrium and surrounding green environment. The tours will be run by employees of JPM, some of who are autistic, and they will share their experiences of working in the campus environment as part of the tour. |
| 11.50am-12.30pm | JPM programmes, roles and job families | Participants will split into smaller applicable groups (to their year of study and discipline) and cover information about the different roles, job families, programmes (graduate, internships and placements) available at JPM and aspects of the interview process for each applicable programme. |
| 12.30-1.15pm | Lunchtime | A catered lunch will be provided. |
| 1.15-2.15pm | Interview techniques | Participants will split into their smaller groups, observe example mock interviews taking place and have the opportunity to discuss the interview process and feedback as well as discuss example answers and interview techniques. |
| 2.25-3.10pm | A day in the life of a JPM employee | Run by JPM autistic employees and a manager of an autistic employee, this session will provide an insight what it is like to work at JPM when you are autistic. The employees will be from different lines of business, performing different roles and at different stages of their career. They will share their experiences on social aspects and team interactions, followed by an interactive question and answer opportunity. |
| 3.15-3.45pm | Summary of Day 2 | Key messages from the various sessions during the day will be highlighted. |
| 4.00-6.00pm (rough estimate) | Travel back to Bath |
Who should attend
This event is addressed to autistic students or graduates (with or without a diagnosis)
Accessibility
This building has ramp access to the building and there are lifts inside.