ADHD – Earlier diagnosis could have changed my life

Overview

The ninth presentation in a series of online talks by engineers and technicians who live and work with disability on a daily basis.

Harry Harper struggled academically during his educational years which he found progressively more difficult the higher level of education he achieved. He (just about) succeeded in graduating at Leeds Metropolitan University in 2011 with a 3rd Class Honours BSc Degree in Civil Engineering.

Following graduation Harry spent the next 2 years applying for graduate positions at contractors and consultancies alike. His first professional appointment came with Fairhurst, Newcastle in 2013 as a structural engineer working within the commercial and domestic sectors. After 5 years he moved on (and over the water) to James Christopher Consulting, Gateshead where he spent 2 years within a smaller office setting.

Harry recently secured employment in his native Teesside with Nortech, where over the last two years has been working as a civil and structural engineer in the industrial sector with clients in mining, petrochemical and chemical manufacture.

Harry was diagnosed with ADHD in April of this year. Over recent months Harry has jumped into understanding effects of medication and opened his mind to behavioural therapy. Harry considers his undiagnosed ADHD an explanation as to some of the difficulties he had as a child. There are many moments in Harry’s life growing up where, had he had this diagnosis, his life could have turned out very different. For instance, knowing he was never ‘about to turn the corner’ and reinforcing the understanding that a more manual, outdoors type job would better stimulate his pseudo-inadequate dopamine reward circuit would have been good information at say GCSE level.

Harry joins us today to tell us about his converging-on-successful career as a structural engineer and to discuss potential changes within our industry to enable those who follow in our footsteps to enjoy the route into a career in civil engineering, for them to reach their full potential at an earlier stage and to highlight benefits to the industry wherein ‘different thinkers’ are able to be recognised, supported and championed.