Neurodivergent Apprentices: Why Only 10% Declare Their Learning Needs
Neurodivergent Apprentices: Why Only 10% Declare Their Learning Needs
When it comes to apprenticeships, providing the right support for apprentices is crucial for their success. However, a significant challenge facing employers and training providers is the underreporting of learning needs and disabilities among apprentices.
Shockingly, only about 10% of apprentices openly declare their learning needs. This can have serious consequences, including unmet support requirements and higher dropout rates.
The Impact of Underreporting
For many neurodivergent apprentices—those with neurological differences such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, or other learning differences—the fear of stigma or discrimination can prevent them from disclosing their needs.
As a result, they may not receive the necessary accommodations to thrive in their roles. This lack of support can lead to several adverse outcomes:
- Increased Stress and Anxiety: Without proper support, apprentices may struggle to meet the demands of their training programs, leading to heightened stress and anxiety.
- Lower Performance: Neurodivergent apprentices may find it challenging to perform to their full potential without tailored support, impacting their productivity and learning.
- Higher Dropout Rates: The absence of appropriate accommodations can cause apprentices to feel overwhelmed and unsupported, increasing the likelihood of them leaving their programmes prematurely.
How Optimum Student Support Can Help
At Optimum Student Support, we work together with employers and training providers to offer comprehensive assessments of learning needs and disabilities. Our 5 step wrap around support services ensure that all apprentices receive the necessary accommodations to succeed, reducing dropout rates and fostering a more inclusive environment.
We help organisations and individuals achieve their best by providing:
- Comprehensive neurodiversity screenings
- In-depth assessments of learning needs
- Tailored recommendations for support
The fact that only 10% of apprentices declare their learning needs is a clear indication that more needs to be done to support neurodivergent individuals in the workplace. By addressing these needs proactively, employers and training providers can create a more inclusive environment that benefits everyone.
At Optimum Student Support, we are committed to helping employers and training providers identify and support neurodivergent apprentices, ensuring that all individuals have the opportunity to succeed.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
ADHD is characterised by a predominance of either inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive symptoms, or a combination of both. The condition involves challenges in managing attention, with considerable variability in how individuals focus on tasks based on their relevance. ADHD individuals often seek sensory stimulation and may have a strong need for movement, which can aid in concentration, anxiety regulation, or serve as a form of release. Organisational tasks can be particularly challenging, and there may be difficulties in retaining information in working memory. Written instructions or note-taking can be beneficial. Support in breaking down tasks and managing organisation is often needed.
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Neurodiversity
Neurodiversity acknowledges the natural variations in human brain function and behavioural traits as integral to human diversity, viewing conditions like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and dyscalculia not as disorders but as different aspects of neurocognitive functioning. It advocates for societal shifts towards greater acceptance, rights, and accommodations for those with neurological differences, emphasizing inclusion and support. The concept of a "spiky profile" integrates with this view, illustrating how individuals may exhibit significant strengths in certain areas while facing challenges in others, further highlighting the diverse spectrum of human abilities and the need for tailored support.
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Dyspraxia
Dyspraxia affects both fine and gross motor skills, significantly impacting writing, typing, and self-care activities. Dyspraxic individuals may also face challenges with memory, attention, perception, and processing, leading to difficulties in planning, organisation, executing actions, or following instructions in the correct order.
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Dyscalculia
Individuals with dyscalculia struggle with mastering arithmetic skills, calculations, number sense, and mathematical reasoning. Challenges often extend to understanding quantities, time, and abstract numerical concepts. Dyscalculia is frequently accompanied by working memory difficulties. Approximately 50% of individuals with dyscalculia also face reading challenges, and many experience significant maths anxiety.
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Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that affects the ability to develop automatic and fluent word reading and spelling skills. It is often associated with challenges in phonological awareness, which involves understanding and manipulating the sounds in words, and may also impact orthographic processing—the recognition of whole words, letter strings, or spelling patterns. Dyslexic individuals might be self-conscious about reading aloud, which can also hinder comprehension, and may avoid using complex vocabulary in writing to prevent spelling errors. Though not officially part of the diagnostic criteria, dyslexic individuals often struggle with organisation, sequencing, and may have low academic self-esteem. A notable discrepancy exists between their confidence in verbal tasks versus written tasks.
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Autism
According to current diagnostic criteria, autistic individuals face challenges primarily in social communication and exhibit restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour. The severity of these challenges can vary significantly. Many autistic individuals have sensory sensitivities that are particularly challenging in new and unfamiliar environments. Furthermore, they often prefer structured and predictable settings, benefiting from ample time to process information and adapt to changes. Social anxiety can pose a significant challenge in unstructured and unpredictable social situations. While the challenges of autism might be less visible in certain settings, they can still have a profound, cumulative effect on mental health, well-being, and may lead to burnout.
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