Louise’s Story

I was working as a veterinary assistant but was sadly made redundant at the beginning of 2019 after four years working for them. I had a lot of difficulty finding a new job and was going through the process of being diagnosed as autistic at the time (I finally received the diagnosis last November). I had interviews but was having a lot of difficulty with them due to my autism. I was referred to Enable through the Shropshire Autism Hub last September/October time after I requested it.

Kirsty was very helpful throughout the whole process and understanding of the difficulties I faced. She was more than happy to make adjustments that made our meetings easier for me, such as my mum attending the first few meetings with me. I was quickly made to feel at ease and was able to attend on my own. The main barrier for work I found was the interview process, as being autistic I find the typical interview process very difficult. Kirsty helped me update my CV and cover letter in a way that enabled me to inform employers of my autism and reasonable adjustments I may require before the interview process. Kirsty also helped me expand on the jobs I was looking at by helping me realise what transferable skills I have. I was initially looking only at jobs related to animals as that is what my degree is in.

 

Having been struggling to find a job for a year, I was finding myself becoming increasingly depressed and losing hope. Receiving help from Enable helped me massively with this, and Kirsty was very supportive and understanding throughout. I was fortunate to receive a job offer at the start of this year and I now work as a laboratory assistant. Being back in work has greatly improved my wellbeing, and I have found the position is very well suited to my abilities and autistic quirks.

 

While I would love to return to work with animals, I do truly enjoy my new job and find it is a very good fit for myself. I want to continue learning new skills and improving on those I already have and would like to aim to become a laboratory technician if the opportunity ever arises.