Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi. A friend of mine who is 19 with ASD (I'm sure of it) wants a career in electronics. At high school he completed a GCSE in Design and Technology - Electronic Products. He got (I am told) a grade "A" in practicals and a "C" in electronics theory (I think an overall grade of "B" - or grade 6). But he only got a grade 2 in math and 3 in English (Need grade 4 for a standard pass in GCSEs). He took his math and English GCESs again recently, but won't know until August his results. At school he also did the European Computer Driving License (ECDL), where he got a distinction.
The problem he has got is that his math and English GCSE results are poor and that's why they had him doing gardening in his first year, In his second year he did business and some IT studies. For this coming September, the local college don't want him to continue with IT/ computing, they want him to do retail. His parents have decided he is not going back to college to do retail.
Anyway, at some point he has done some coding in class and pupils have come to him when they got stuck. So, the way forward seems to be for him to focus first on coding. It might be that through coding he will get to grips with electronics. In other words if he first gets to grips with coding that might lead to an understanding of electronics, and is preferable to getting a grip on electronics leading to an understanding of coding. Who knows but in the end my friend might end up focusing on coding.
I just wonder if anyone here has experience of trying to get on in a career in electronics or coding where ASD has been an issue. Especially if it's been difficult to sort out a placement at college. Thanks. Rich
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.
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.
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.