Forster says he felt he was given support he wouldn’t have received from a non-neurodiversity-based program, with regular access to resources to make the process less overwhelming. He says it’s particularly helpful to have a contact point to check in on him and help with anything while working in his new role. Additionally, he appreciated having a mentor who could offer insight into office dynamics, meeting structures, and other subtle unspoken rules of the office.
Another participant, Michael Hollows, says he found the DXC Dandelion program after his wife saw a Facebook ad. He knew he wanted a job in IT, so he joined to gain more experience in the field. The program fit into his life like any other job, but he says that through the program, he was able to gain better self-awareness, and the security knowing someone neurodivergent like himself has a career path in tech.
“The Dandelion Program has allowed me to enter the IT workforce based on the merit of my raw skills, rather than about how well I can sell myself in a job interview setting,” he says.
