Program Details

For the first eighteen years of my life, there was always an invisible wall separating me from other people. It was as if I was fundamentally defective, or perhaps God accidentally sent me out into the world with missing parts – ones crucial for social survival and societal success. At the very end of my senior year, I finally had an explanation as to why I was the way I was – neurodivergence. I was given many cognitive tests and received an official diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder from a neuropsychologist.  

Fast-forwarding to young adulthood, my neurodivergence encountered drastically different obstacles from before. I sought out degrees at two different colleges. Though the learning material was fairly interesting, there were subjects my brain never managed to digest. No accommodations would ever have been enough to accomplish those particular classes. After many defeats, I considered the possibility that my neurological wiring wasn’t the kind the college education system was designed for. My hope dwindled further and further.

Shifting my focus, I decided to look for a part-time job. I hoped to gain work experience and/or find a new direction. I created my resume and started applying for retail positions on Indeed. Having SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder), I absolutely hated the idea of returning to retail after my previous work as a seasonal sales associate. For better or worse, not a single place I applied to got back to me. Still, I was an adult in need of a job; once again, hope was getting harder to hold onto.

Knowing I was unemployed, my older brother reached out to me about a career workshop at his workplace. The discovery of workNet DuPage gave me a slight degree of hope. Anxiously, I attended the workshop and met several intelligent, kind employees. The following sessions, consisting of resume tips and career prospect research, eventually ended. I was certain that nothing else would come of it and that the claims this program made were too good to be true. However, months later, my brother informed me of his newest project – putting together a social media team. He knew of my many creative endeavors and my experience with photo editing. His higher-ups approved me to apply and submit my portfolio. I was scheduled for an interview with 3-4 workNet DuPage employees, none of them being my brother (of course). Though nervous, I still showed up, holding on to what little hope I had left in me. The workNet DuPage employees were not threatening in any way. They made my anxiety decrease significantly, and I could be myself as the interview progressed.

About a week after the interview, I received a job offer on the phone. After a background check and an HR visit, I showed up for my first day a week later. It was stressful at first to navigate, adjust, and gain some confidence. But at the moment, I feel I’ve got a better grasp on things. The interns and I, despite our differences, have learned to work in tandem. We share, acknowledge, and incorporate our individual ideas when brainstorming. I’ve been given a space for my creativity to be nurtured and to flourish; for my unconventional perspective to be an asset. Despite my neurodivergence and lifelong insecurities, I managed to conquer and accomplish what I never thought I could. In the end, my experience with workNet DuPage taught me that having even the slightest bit of hope can unveil an abundance of opportunities.