Almost all of them are unemployed, and it’s because the way we hire leaves them out in the cold.

Of the 35 percent of young adults on the autism spectrum that go on to pursue postsecondary education, 75 to 85 percent are unemployed when they graduate—about half a million people, according to Marcia Scheiner, president and founder of the Asperger Syndrome Training & Employment Partnership (ASTEP), who took part in a panel Thursday as a part of Internet Week New York.

“Today’s interview process is largely based around the concept of socialization: Your ability to network, your ability to interact with others,” said Scheiner. “This can be one of the biggest challenges for individuals on the spectrum.”

Further, there are few of the crucial networks of support available to those on the spectrum as they prepare to enter the workforce. While most neurotypical students enlist their institution’s career-services office, Scheiner says students on the spectrum often only have mental-health or disability offices to turn to, in both their education and beyond.