Aspiritech, an Evanston-based nonprofit, offers a wide range of technical services, but when Chief Growth Officer Kayley Bogdan describes the organization’s value, she starts with its people.
That’s because in addition to providing solutions like software testing, IT and now cybersecurity, its core mission is to connect adults on the autism spectrum with careers.
“We want to show the world what autistic people are capable of,” Bogdan said.
For nearly two decades, Aspiritech has done just that, and now with its new federally Registered Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Program, the organization is going a step further to tackle autistic underemployment while addressing shortages of high-demand roles.
Aspiritech will host an event at its Evanston headquarters April 30 to celebrate the milestone.
Timed to coincide with National Apprenticeship Week and the close of Autism Acceptance Month, the gathering will bring together government and business leaders, community organizations and prospective participants to showcase the program.
Guests will hear from legislators and representatives from Apprenticeship Illinois and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, tour Aspiritech’s workspaces and watch live cybersecurity demonstrations. They will also see the nonprofit’s sensory-friendly office, including a low-light sensory break room and workspaces designed with autistic employees in mind.
“It’s a chance to celebrate what we’ve built, but also to show people what an inclusive, in-demand tech career pathway actually looks like,” Bogdan said.
Aspiritech’s roots stretch back to a kitchen table in 2008, where founders Brenda and Moshe Weitzberg developed the idea to help adults on the autism spectrum find meaningful work — an effort that began after their son struggled to find employment after college.
Today, the nonprofit employs about 100 analysts across the country and trains hundreds more through Aspiritech Academy, its training arm launched in 2022. About 85% of academy participants have gone on to gain employment, and roughly 95% of the first cybersecurity cohort passed the CompTIA Security+ exam, according to Bogdan.
Building the cybersecurity apprenticeship took months of work to meet federal standards, Bodgan said.
Aspiritech has long been known for its quality assurance and software testing, but as demand for cybersecurity grew, Bogdan and CEO Tara May began began exploring how the organization could position autistic adults for those jobs too.
“Cybersecurity is in demand everywhere,” Bogdan said. “We want to connect autistic adults with leading careers in tech, but we want that to be in in-demand tech fields.”
In early 2025, supported by an apprenticeship expansion grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Aspiritech began formalizing a cybersecurity program under the Academy.
Working with Apprenticeship Illinois and the U.S. Department of Labor, Aspiritech developed technical instruction to prepare participants for real-world work and the Security+ exam.
By August 2025, the program was officially registered with the Department of Labor — a national accreditation signaling that graduates have met rigorous standards and gained skills that employers are likely to recognize and value.
The first cohort began training in September, spending 12 weeks in Academy instruction before sitting for the Security+ exam and moving on to 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training at Aspiritech or with partner employers, Bogdan said.
For Aspiritech, the program helps address a stubborn problem. One study from the National Institutes of Health estimated unemployment and underemployment in the autistic community at nearly 40%. Meanwhile thousands of cybersecurity roles go unfilled because employers cannot find enough qualified candidates, Bogdan said.
“That unemployment and underemployment rate is why we exist as an organization,” Bogdan said. “We think we can help close that gap on both sides by what we’re doing in cybersecurity.”
‘Not tolerated, but celebrated‘
For people inside the Aspiritech’s cybersecurity program, the impact is personal and immediate.
“Aspiritech has been extremely helpful in getting me to be able to work,” said Jamie Specht, a cybersecurity apprentice who joined the September 2025 cohort and is just beginning her placement.
For Specht, the apprenticeship is as much about belonging as skills.
“To me, Aspiritech means I have an opportunity to succeed in a world where that can be very difficult,” she said. “It also means I can be myself and can be surrounded by others who also are free to be themselves as well. We aren’t only tolerated for our differences, but are celebrated for them. The positive qualities we bring to the table are seen and respected.”
Eric States, an engagement manager at Aspiritech, joined the organization in June 2014, a week after graduating from college.
Originally, he wanted a career in cybersecurity, but those positions required experience or security clearances that were nearly impossible to obtain without already working in the field.
When Aspiritech announced its own cybersecurity training program and apprenticeship, States signed up immediately — “emphatically,” he said.
Over 11 years, he has moved from manual quality assurance into teaching and management at Aspiritech. What has kept him there, he said, is the culture.
“We care about our people here,” States said. “We’re all professionals and can trust each other to get the job done. How isn’t important, so long as it’s done well, and there’s no reason to fear asking questions or requesting accommodations.”
Looking ahead, Bogdan said Aspiritech’s goal is to scale both training and employment. This year, the organization expects to train at least 250 people across its programs.
In the coming years, Bogdan wants to double that number. The organization is also exploring additional pathways in automation, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing.
“We’re just one little island,” Bogdan said. “But as we grow and scale, we can help close the gap that is autistic unemployment and underemployment, and show what’s possible when people are given a chance to do the work they’re capable of.”
For more information on the April 30 event and to register, visit Aspiritech’s website.
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