Finding a career path

I'm with you on this

I really wanted to work on the railways so I got a placement at a train station for 2 weeks I got really sick after one week and I gave up on it after not long

I was a self employed guitar teacher but I struggled to get work after 1 month so I went into cleaning I didn't like the travel so I work in a shop for 2 years now 

I know it's not aimed at autistic people spicificly but you may find the prospects website helpfull www.prospects.ac.uk/planner

I used to struggle with same issue. I was thrown into the cruel environment of sales jobs and call center, also McDonald’s. It was really tough. I couldn’t cope and I had no idea why, I was bullied by co-workers for being quiet sensitive and unable to lie and cheat, just sticking to the rules and doing the right thing. I was depressed because I thought I don’t fit in this world and I’m a failure because of that. Accidentally I chose logistics. Although my family laughed me off and said I’m too stupid to graduate in a college, I did it, with good results and helped few other people. And of course no one guarantees that a degree will give you a good job in the learned profession, but it always opens chances. I struggled anyway because I’m not self confident and not a master of good impression but I finally found a boss who is not interested in wide smile long legs and eye lashes, rather with conscientiousness and will to work. So I got a job in logistics, in a warehouse of a hardware store, I do office job, I also do the physical job and I’m trained on a forklift. This is my world. The studies gave me a lot of fun, only afterwards I realised that many of the projects resembled my favorite activities from my childhood such as tram routes planning etc. I enjoy working with objects and data and I love the fact that pallets and delivery notes don’t talk to me. My job is kinda therapeutic for me, although I don’t earn good money, it’s enough for a normal life. 

I do feel a bit stuck I've had 3 jobs since 2021 one of which was welf employed but a career from that would of ruined my finances in the short term and was way too risky

So now I have a job but a career that I really want to do seems to allude me really 

I'm now retired. I never knew about a career. I had some jobs that suited me relatively well and some much less so. For me it was a long, largely unconscious, process of working out what my strengths were and playing to those. I was never very good at it. If I'd understood earlier on that I was probably autistic I think it might have been easier for me to navigate a smoother path. As it was, I always expected myself to perform well at things that people took for granted as basic skills, but which were harder for me. I viewed this as being symptomatic of personal deficiency, rather than simple difference. So my working life was harder than it ought to have been, I think.

In a nutshell: try to find out what your strengths are, and what gives you a "buzz", and make the absolute most of them. Which doesn't mean you can't learn new skills - you'll probably need to at some point. It's a long road, but hopefully there will be good experiences for you along the way. Take care!

I've never had a career path, I had a career tangent and I think lifes been all the more interesting because of it. Maybe its my age, but I often ask why do we have to choose a career instead of having a job? You sound like the job you're in now suits you, do you need to fix something thats not broken? Do you want to work to live or live to work? It's an important distiction, working to live means more balance and having time to devote to things other than work, living to work, mean giving yourself up to your work, is that what you want?

Does the National Trust have any internal courses that you could do? Is there an HR or career development office you could contact?

There are argricultural colleges that do woodland management courses, it might be worth doing a quick online search to see whats out there.

It annoys me that career advisors are so short sighted when it comes to things like this, all they seem to care about is office based stuff.

Hi. I see you are interested in wildlife. I wonder if there is a wildlife trust near you where you could volunteer. This could be good experience for a future career and give you an opportunity to ask others about their experience of paid work in this field.

Sorry I realise my 1st post was sort of parent mode giving advice etc.

Yes I was 27 when I finally started a career that I have stayed with. So many false starts and confusion about what to do. It was my husband that helped me calm down and stick to something. Then I plodded on with studying and getting work. 

I'm 31 and I still haven't figured out a career. I get an idea, try to put some learning in, and then burn myself out with overthinking stuff. Sometimes I wanna be a writer, sometimes I wanna be a game developer, yadda yadda. I get you on dealing with frustration of not being understood.

Could you start with an OU foundation course in an area of study that you're interested in? Councils may offer apprenticeship in conservation roles? Might be worth looking on your local authority job website and start there.

But it sounds like working for the National Trust is suiting you in some ways though. 

Be careful of thinking that other areas of work might be better and making the mistake of leaving a good role.

Maybe you can move into a more interesting job in the NT rather than start something new that might stress you out. 

Full time can be challenging for us who have autism aswell so how many hours you work are worth considering too.

I hope you find what you are looking for. It sounds as if you will,  you already have some good ideas of what might suit you. All the best with it.  Mainly enjoy what you do