Brian Huang was diagnosed with severe autism when he was four years old. He couldn’t speak or follow simple instructions.
Now in his early 20s, Brian is a high-school graduate, thanks in large part to the love and dedication of his parents. He works for Technology North Digital Services (TNDS), an Edmonton company that digitizes documents for law firms, governments and other organizations.
TNDS is a local—and national—success story, making an impact as an inclusive employer. Most of Brian’s co-workers are young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). They call themselves the A-Team. They can sort, scan and verify three boxes of documents in less than three hours.
Brian’s dad, Ling, launched TNDS to offer meaningful employment for his son and others with autism. Fewer than 15 percent of autistic adults have jobs, according to Autism Speaks Canada.
“When Brian was 14, I asked myself: ‘What is he going to do after high school?’ “says Ling. “TNDS breaks down very complex IT work into very small, manageable components.”
TNDS, located in downtown Edmonton, now employs 16 workers and two job coaches. The company has digitized more than 2 million documents—with zero errors—and made more than $500,000 since its start in 2019.
A winning team
“Before I came here, I was essentially treated like a disposable diaper,” says Matthew Lambregts, another member of the A-Team. “Now, I’m treated like a person. My skills are respected.”
Matthew works as a verifier for TNDS. So does Ryan Wolfert. They make sure each and every document is scanned without flaws (such as folded pages or leftover sticky notes). To do so, they have to check each piece of paper with its digital scan—and quickly.
“I like all the people who work here,” says Ryan.
His dad, Rob, says Ryan enjoys being part of a group. As a teen, the younger Wolfert was a member of Strathcona High School’s swim, track and cross-country teams. Rob says TNDS gives Ryan a chance to excel—just as he does at running. (He placed 38th in the half-marathon at the Edmonton Marathon in 2022.)
“Ryan is extremely adept,” says Rob. “His hand-eye coordination is incredible. I would perceive TNDS as very tedious work, but he just gravitates towards it. He likes the routine. TNDS is tapping into a specific skill set that these young adults have and Ryan fits into that like a glove.
TNDS is part of Technology North, an IT company that Ling started in the late 1990s. His wife, Ling Sun, stayed at home to help with Brian’s therapy and lessons. Since their son’s diagnosis, Ling has also created software to improve the lives of people with ASD around the world.
He first created an online platform to track an autistic child’s therapies and progress. His latest, RoboCoach, helps monitor the wellbeing and work of autistic employees.
Ling has won several awards, including the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee medal, for his work. (He’s a finalist in 2023’s Canadian Immigrant Awards. He emigrated from China in 1989.) TNDS, Ling and Brian are also featured in a local documentary, Cliff 20: A Future on the Spectrum, about three young men with autism and their dads.
While Ling knows he’s helping to change lives, he’s not swayed by the accolades. “Just seeing the progress Brian is making makes me very happy,” he says.
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