A career in electronics or coding (computer programming) for persons with ASD.

Hold on there, I left school with couple of O levels and went down the Electronics and Computers route.  So, I was accepted on a degree with other qualifications than O and A levels as a mature student.  My friend at University was dyslexic got a 2:2 with honours and has been coding for 20-25 years at a major engineering company on safety critical systems.

That is why I mentioned NVQ's or what ever they are now called. 

Richard,

I would always say follow your heart. Try what you think you like, and if you don't like it, try something else.

I didn't do that well at school, and had no idea what I wanted to do, nor did the careers advisors.

However, at 16 all I wanted to do was get out. I ended up on a mechanical engineering apprenticeship. It was a lot better than school with practical and academic learning. However, after three years I got bored with it and thought I really wanted to do electronics. I found an electronics engineering apprenticeship and switched. I loved it and still love my job. There are so many varied jobs relating to computing, programming, electronics, systems, designing, installing, commissioning, managing, that it can take a while to find the niche that suits, but a college course in either computing or electronics is a good place to start. I've eventually ended up doing a degree part time with the OU, which I enjoyed.

If your friend does have ASD I cannot imagine anything worse than retail dealing with the public. I would find that a daily hell.

In terms of education professionals telling you what to do with your life, I always recall a relative's story. It will have been many years ago now but his career's advice was to become a bus driver. He liked computers, ignored the suggestion, went to college and studied computing and ended up setting up his own tech company.

The expectations of a degree in CS come from people that don't know how to program. CS graduates tend to be no better at programming than many other graduates, and actually less capable as a group than (e.g.) people with a degree in physics.

I think the real question is why he's failed English and Maths. If he can't get a pass in those subjects then programming just isn't the career for him (and I suspect electronics will likewise be a non-starter).

If he's just struggling on the exams but has a brain that can understand and work with computers then the best approach is to start contributing to Open Source projects. That builds experience and a track record that he can put in a CV to demonstrate skills and competence, and that counts for far more than a degree in CS.

He is not diagnosed as having ASD. But I think it's clear he has that. Perhaps he needs officially assessing.  It seems to me that he has no real support at the moment .  Not sure, but unless he gets into some form of employment soon the powers that be will require him to be on a course of some description  or he will come under the classification of NEET.

Hi Richard, I work in apprenticeships and really believe in them! Is this something your friend would consider? You get the added benefit of gaining industry experience, gaining recognised quals and get paid for the pleasure. These days it's experience that counts and there's no better way of gaining experience in the working environment than an apprenticeship (OK I'll stop the sales pitch now!). 

Another thing your friend would benefit from an apprenticeship is the English and maths training that's required. Your friend would be up-skilled to sit functional skills in English and maths as part of the apprenticeship. I've had a quick search in your area:

Electronics:

https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeship/-410980

Software developer:

https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeship/-400467

https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeship/-432750

Yep, I think it will work out better concerning his life's work, if my friend concentrates his efforts on coding, and sticks to gaining a mere appreciation of the electronic side of things.

Further to my original starting post: Although my friend has said he has in interest in electronics, his college studies over the past 2 years have not propelled him forward with that in mind  He studied gardening one year, then this year business and IT.  No doubt because he does not yet have a GCSE pass in English and math. Now the college want him to get into retail. But, anyway, I think it is becoming clearer that whether or not my friend wishes to have a career in electronics, his best bet is to set his hand to learning code (computer programming). I think we have a typical case where my friend has difficulty with many things, which to outsiders makes him appear non too bright, but he is bright and he's a natural at coding. Therefore I think my advice to my friend ought to be don't get too hung up about electronics, first learn coding, and let a study of electronics come second. In other words have a goal to become coder and if he has an aptitude for electronics, well, that's icing on the cake.  I'm now searching for possible courses (in Kirklees area) he could start this September that involve coding and where he could also be helped with his GCSE math & English. Or even online courses.

http://specialisterne.com/

Also in about 14 other countries, although mainly in Europe.

Stick to what you're good it would be my advice.

If that's coding, find a course that focusses on that and ditch the electronics - I'm a Business Analyst in IT and I work with developers all the time - the write code all day, every day and if they do anything with 'electronics' it's in their spare time as a hobby.

As an aside, I've just started looking at an Arduino based project and from my couple of days experience the coding aspect came easily while the hardware/electronics side is just frustrating... you'd think they'd be similarly logical... but no.

My daughter is on the spectrum, she is not in exactly in similar situation, but  also has a spiky profile. She is hopeless with wordy things and natural at coding. Many autistic people struggle with exams, but do well in practical assessments. As others said, try to find a very hands on coding course, the more practical and pure coding the better. You might also conciser enrolling him in Maths functional skills qualification. You need a 4 in Maths really for IT credentials, maybe Functional skills would work better. The are private providers who do fast track coding courses for money, can't remember the name, try to research. You might also put him on Udacity or Coursera and see whether he could pass the coding courses. When my daughter was doing career fairs, IT employers were looking for a portfolio of projects, not for academic grades, so if he could develop decent portfolio from online courses, he might find some suitable apprenticeship where they would take him on regardless of GCSE, based on his coding skills. Is he diagnosed? Does he have support?

Lots of pharmaceutical / medical manufacturers too - production licencing changes are complex and expensive so they stick with the electronics they know and maintain it.   I was maintaining DEC PDP 11/23 and 11/73 computers in mission-critical applications until 2012.

Plastic said:

a lot of legacy installed equipment can be 20 to 30 years old

Yes, especially in the rail industry. I may be getting my wires crossed though with electronics and electrical ... : P 

Eccentric1 said:

I cannot believe that he is being forced by his college away from what he is good at.

Neither can I - who are they to dictate your career?   As far as I'm concerned, you choose what courses you like at college - you're paying for it!

Eccentric1 said:

Remember now that electronics is not quite the same as it used to be - everything is surface mount on multiple layer circuit boards unlike the historic stuff.

In most niche industries, it's still old fashioned discrete electronics because of the huge investment needed to productionise pcbs.    Also, a lot of legacy installed equipment can be 20 to 30 years old and perfectly good for the job so don't dismiss getting handy with a soldering iron.

Look to the City & Guilds/NVQ route as it may suit him (it did me in my youth with my poor results).  There is some company that only employs Autistic/Asperger people but I cannot remember their name.  

I cannot believe that he is being forced by his college away from what he is good at.  

Remember now that electronics is not quite the same as it used to be - everything is surface mount on multiple layer circuit boards unlike the historic stuff.

Hi. I'm near Wakefield in West Yorkshire. I think I'll do some searching, see if there is some kind of a course that teaches coding in my vicinity. Maybe a City & Guilds type of course.

Most jobs in coding you will be expected to have a degree in computer science. There is a massive shortage of programmers in this country so they are well sought after. There may be an opportunity to do a foundation year prior to university if he doesn't have higher qualifications than GCSE. There may also be apprenticeship options which would be well worth looking into. I don't know about electronics side though.