Australian Federal Police rolls out new program to hire neurodivergent technical specialists

The AFP is boosting its workforce by training and hiring people with autism to expand its digital surveillance collection team.

Australian Federal Police roll out new program to hire neurodivergent technical specialists

The Australian Federal Police has revealed a new recruitment program aimed at training and supporting people with autism.

The AFP’s Dandelion Program aims to provide “talented neurodivergent people, specifically autistic individuals” with the skills and support to be a part of the law enforcement agency, specifically its digital surveillance collection team.

The program began in July and has already seen six new hires come on board. The AFP has also hired a neurodiversity consultant to join its covert and technical operations branch. Each new hire showed strong technical aptitudes during their assessment periods and all are keen to bring their coding and analytical skills to the agency.

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The six trainees will go through a two-year training program, while also receiving the support necessary to help them adjust to the workplace. Once the traineeship is complete, the six will be offered full-time roles with the AFP.

“The rollout of the Dandelion Program has been a game changer for the AFP. It has enabled us to recruit a range of enthusiastic individuals who are passionate about the AFP and law enforcement and keeping Australians safe,” said AFP Commander Rob Nelson in a statement.

“It’s a fantastic partnership. We have seen incredible success with the new participants who have joined our ranks. This initiative has also provided specialised recruitment and support services for members of the neurodivergent community to find fulfilling careers.”

Each participant is offered one-on-one workplace support and counselling and the program will be opened to more AFP commands in 2024.

David Hollingworth

David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.