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Getting a job in construction with autism

Stephen.

So not to sure if this is the right section so apologies if it isn’t. 

I’m 30 and looking for my first job, I left school and went to college and got a range of qualifications from a level 1 diploma to a level 3 certificate, left but was told by the job centre when I was like 20 that I’d be better off on benefits because I’d struggle with meeting the requirements for JSA, so I’ve been on ESA (the one were you don’t need to work). I’m sort of sick of staying on benefits and with my dad dying from cancer this year it’s sort of made me realise life is too short. So I’ve always been interested in physical hands on type of work I don’t like the thought of sitting at a computer all day even though my mum is insisting that I get either get a computer related job or stay on benefits. I’ve got a phone call from the disability advisor on Monday to arrange a face to face appointment. The autism I suffer with is mainly communication so like for example I wouldn’t start a conversation with someone about football but if someone talked to me about it I’d speak. Or if I’m not sure what I need to do I tend to stand around until someone tells me what to do. But I can work just as hard if someone else once I know what to do.

I’ve looked a lot this week into taking steps towards working as a labourer on construction sites. As someone with autism how advisable would this sort of career be. I know construction sites are loud but that wouldn’t bother me as much because theres more pros to it than cons, mainly it’s hands on, all weather work and it’s not the same work everyday. I’ve looked also looked into possibly taking training as a construction plant operator working on the excavators, I don’t know if I should bring this up to this up with at the job centre because every time I bring certain job up me mums like oh no you don’t want that type of work. I mean I wouldn’t be looking at careers I don’t think I could do. 

So would a career in construction be a good move to come off benefits? 

Parents

  • There are definite advantages, construction is not public-facing, so communication and social skills are not at a premium. Also you will tend to be working with relatively restricted numbers of other people. There is a tradition of leg-pulling, especially of newcomers, that you would have to be OK with, being sent for a 'long stand' etc.

    If you are unaccustomed to lots of physical work, it might be worthwhile building up with some cardio-vascular and strength exercise. I have only ever done intensely physical work once in my life, when I worked backstage in a theatre - scene shifting, moving props around, making props and scenery and dismantling old stuff. Believe me, stage scenery and props are solidly built and heavy, not flimsy at all. Every morning muscles ached and bruises were discovered. Every evening I ate a meal and went straight to bed. Physical work is tough and exhausting. Also, in a production of Moby Diick, I walked into the business end of a harpoon in the dark. It went straight through my jeans and into my leg, just a flesh wound though, as they say.

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  • There are definite advantages, construction is not public-facing, so communication and social skills are not at a premium. Also you will tend to be working with relatively restricted numbers of other people. There is a tradition of leg-pulling, especially of newcomers, that you would have to be OK with, being sent for a 'long stand' etc.

    If you are unaccustomed to lots of physical work, it might be worthwhile building up with some cardio-vascular and strength exercise. I have only ever done intensely physical work once in my life, when I worked backstage in a theatre - scene shifting, moving props around, making props and scenery and dismantling old stuff. Believe me, stage scenery and props are solidly built and heavy, not flimsy at all. Every morning muscles ached and bruises were discovered. Every evening I ate a meal and went straight to bed. Physical work is tough and exhausting. Also, in a production of Moby Diick, I walked into the business end of a harpoon in the dark. It went straight through my jeans and into my leg, just a flesh wound though, as they say.

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