Asperger's and Jobs

I have worked almost exclusively in education or children's services since graduating. This has worked really well. My first job was actually in a secondary school (school data manager) and then I moved to the local authority, where I am currently working as school performance data manager. 

I am really lucky to be in a team which is very supportive and actually values me for my "quirks" as well as the fact that I am really good at my job. 

I do however think that the fact that the people I work with all have been teachers at some point (and therefore have all had to work closely with SEN - and most likely autistic children at some point) helps them to recognise and forgive my behaviour. So, in addition to IT departments which seem to be the commonly suggested areas of work for individuals on the spectrum, education isn't a bad area, because you're working alongside people who have been trained to promote inclusion. 

Having said all of that, I'm quite a sociable aspie (in small doses) - I do like being around people that I like, I just do it wrong a lot of the time! And education does have a greater element of networking than IT does (or so I've observed) so education may not suit everyone. 

The one job I had outside of education/children's services was in the corporate policy unit of the same local authority. It was awful; but I was perfectly capacble of the work, so I think it is about finding an environment you are comfortable in. I didn't last 6 months in that job!

I have worked almost exclusively in education or children's services since graduating. This has worked really well. My first job was actually in a secondary school (school data manager) and then I moved to the local authority, where I am currently working as school performance data manager. 

I am really lucky to be in a team which is very supportive and actually values me for my "quirks" as well as the fact that I am really good at my job. 

I do however think that the fact that the people I work with all have been teachers at some point (and therefore have all had to work closely with SEN - and most likely autistic children at some point) helps them to recognise and forgive my behaviour. So, in addition to IT departments which seem to be the commonly suggested areas of work for individuals on the spectrum, education isn't a bad area, because you're working alongside people who have been trained to promote inclusion. 

Having said all of that, I'm quite a sociable aspie (in small doses) - I do like being around people that I like, I just do it wrong a lot of the time! And education does have a greater element of networking than IT does (or so I've observed) so education may not suit everyone. 

The one job I had outside of education/children's services was in the corporate policy unit of the same local authority. It was awful; but I was perfectly capacble of the work, so I think it is about finding an environment you are comfortable in. I didn't last 6 months in that job!