Stephen

Writing this personal piece for the umpteenth time in a bid to pen the perfect statement; the irony is not lost on me that the disorder I am trying to portray is the root cause of my inability to do so.  By way of introductions; my name is Stephen, I am a Mechanical Engineer and have worked for AWE for about 5 years.  I’m the Co-Chair / Neurodiversity Lead for AWE’s Disability and Neurodiversity Working Group.  It is worth adding at this point that one of the key things which differentiates me from my peers (at least in my eyes) is that I am diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome.

For the uninitiated, Asperger’s is a developmental disorder which can influence a person’s behaviour and their communication skills.  It is a lifelong condition and is characterised as a spectrum disorder due to the wide array of symptoms an individual may or may not experience.

It would be tedious to capture all my personal traits here, but to give you a flavour of what I deal with, I’ll provide a few examples.  It is a challenge to grasp vague or abstract concepts requiring me to request clarity / visuals in order to process.  Typically, I struggle to willingly demonstrate empathy – perceived because of my inability to maintain eye contact and maintain a discussion about something which isn’t pertinent to me.  I appear cold and calculating with a preference for logic and structure over undesirable displays of social affection.  Yes, this makes life difficult – i.e. Its really hard for me to make friends, but there are positives that can be taken from my diagnosis.

My workplace is enthused by my atypical approach to my job.  I strive for detail that others wouldn’t, I’ve already alluded to my desire for perfection and I don’t allow myself to become emotional about my work.  When I deliver something, it is always 100% or nothing.

I was diagnosed through the workplace in my 30’s.  This has been a mixed blessing; yes, I’m now more enlightened as to why my behaviours differ from those around me, but at the same time, I now have to live with the knowledge that society marks me as different.  I’m coming to terms with this through a mindset that I am my own person and that everyone should accept me for who I am and what I deliver rather than for the superficial stuff.

Lastly – I would encourage anyone considering employment at AWE to apply even if diagnosed with any spectrum condition.  AWE is learning to fully embrace these individuals and looks to exploit the positives that their traits can offer.

Thank you for taking the time to read my musings and I hope you feel a little more enlightened from the experience.