Technical school certificate question

[Pen]

Maybe he needs specific coaching in finding what is meaningful in what people do, whether he is the one doing it, or someone else is. 

Surely playing video games doesn’t count as “meaningful”—?

 

[Night Elf]

4 minutes ago, Lanny said:

OP  I have now read (I believe) all of the responses to your post, up to this point. Someone above here suggested Vocational Rehabilitation of the State of Georgia. That is an extremely sound idea, IMO.  They can probably do testing with your DS and make some suggestions. Possibly they might even pay for the course(s) they suggest that your DS take.  Call them or go to their office, on your day off!

You really do not want to encourage your DS to spend 2 years studying for something where there might not be any job openings.

I am under the impression we need to have him tested for a disability first. Their website says "Put simply, the Vocational Rehabilitation wing of GVRA helps people with disabilities find and maintain employment." 

He was diagnosed with Aspergers when he was 9 years old with a simple one page questionnaire. He had IQ testing done before that by a family friend. He went through some kind of testing when I took him to a private testing office who garbled his results so I couldn't be sure what his results really were. I believe we need to figure out what testing he really needs done currently at the age of 22 before the Voc. Rehab. center can take him.

[Pen]

Just now, Night Elf said:

I am under the impression we need to have him tested for a disability first. Their website says "Put simply, the Vocational Rehabilitation wing of GVRA helps people with disabilities find and maintain employment." 

He was diagnosed with Aspergers when he was 9 years old with a simple one page questionnaire. He had IQ testing done before that by a family friend. He went through some kind of testing when I took him to a private testing office who garbled his results so I couldn't be sure what his results really were. I believe we need to figure out what testing he really needs done currently at the age of 22 before the Voc. Rehab. center can take him.

 

Why not go ahead and apply with what you have at this point  

There clearly seems to be something wrong that needs some help. 

[Night Elf]

I would also like to add that he's looking at this PC Repair certificate in response to our suggestion that he get out of the house and get a job. He's interested in being a security guard that isn't a policeman or working with computers. He applied to two entry level security positions at Target and Best Buy. We can't find another store that has such a position. He can't work at the mall until he gets a license which we are in the process of working on. He won't take Uber or Lyft anywhere. We were hoping that by the time he finished a certificate at the technical school, he'd have his license and a car.

[Arcadia]

46 minutes ago, Night Elf said:

The page I'm looking at says this:

Program-Specific Core – Total of 18 Hours

COMP 1000 Introduction to Computers (3) AND CIST 1001 Computer Concepts (4) AND CIST 1122 Hardware Install/Maintenance (4) AND CIST 1130 Operating Systems Concepts (3)

CIST 1401 Comp Networking Fundamentals (4) - OR - CIST 2441 Network Home/Small Business (4) - OR - CIST 2451 Cisco Introduction to Networks (4)

The instructor I talked to said ds should take comp 1000, cist 1001 and cist 1130 the first semester, and then cist 1122 and cist 1402 the second semester.

 

I am guessing that the CIST 1122 is the one that preps for the CompTIA A+ certification exam.

The three modules that the instructor suggested are all more theoretical than hands on. My DS12 won’t do well with too much theory because he would day dream but it might be okay for your son.

I didn’t see a description of CIST 1402 in your reply.  I would pick whichever module that would prep for the entry level Cisco network certification exam for the three choose one module portion.

You could PM me the link if you want me to look at the syllabus. I’m just waiting around web surfing while DS12 is having his tennis lesson.

If your son isn’t interested, then it really would be a waste of his time and your money. If he is interested in a particular area (networking, system administration, hardware, security), going for specific certification exams might be more practical than two semesters of courses.

[Pen]

I think if he can take the tech course it could be progress. However the problem seems to be working world, not taking classes.

I am not clear how the tech course will then result in him being ready able and willing to do job. 

[marbel]

7 hours ago, Night Elf said:

I don't know what other kinds of tests to ask for. He had an IQ test done when he was young and it was a high number in the gifted range. He's never showed any signs of LD's. He never had problems with his schoolwork or testing. He learns quickly and retains everything he learns. He's organized when it comes to assignments and papers. He liked being homeschooled because he could do things on his own time but he had no problem meeting deadlines in college and often finished assignments before the due date.

What other tests do I ask for?

I don't think you need to know specifically what tests to ask for.  I think you start with what's going on with the individual and the professionals determine the tests required. But it's obvious from your threads about your son, that something is going on. 

[feel free to skip to the last sentence if you are not up for my personal anecdote]

In my own kid's case, we knew for a long time that something was not quite right.  He seemed bright and could remember everything I read to him, but could not learn phonics.  He couldn't spell. He had trouble with interpersonal communications (subtle cues, verbal cues, stuff like that).  So at age 10 or 11 we took him to a neurophychologist, where he underwent a series of tests, including IQ tests, and rec'd a "provisional" (I think that was the word) dx of Autism/Asperger's, a wildly variant IQ score that could not be expressed in a single number because he had areas with superior scores and areas with well-below-average scores (I don't remember the exact terms), ADD, and reading and math disorders.

We worked with various professionals on all the stuff the doc recommended.  The kid learned to read. He started improving in interpersonal communications. Etc. 

At age 17 we took him to be reevaluated so we could access accommodations in college if appropriate. Similar battery of tests, similar results in most areas, but they scratched autism/Asperger's off the dx. He is a great reader, has been in the 99th percentile in all reading and language associated tests he has ever taken (including ACT) but still has a dx of a reading disorder (among others), because he still can't get phonics; he sight reads and makes a lot of (correct) guesses at unfamiliar words based on context because he has a lot of information in his brain. 

If you talked to him, you would never guess he has these issues.  He presents as a bright but quirky and somewhat socially inept young man.  He gets good grades; he is a good student. But in many ways he's a mess.  He needs a lot of scaffolding at home. He's got a lot of anxiety with regard to transferring from CC to a university. He needs to be pushed, a lot.

I get you that it's expensive (one of our evals was OOP; the other was covered by insurance) and can be hard to find the right person.  For us, it was so worth it just to know.  It was worth it to him just to know he wasn't stupid or defective.  I also get that my kid's story - if you read the whole dang thing - may not look exactly like your kid's story.

The point is, finding out what is going on is important because it gives you a path to move forward.  

Edited September 23, 2018 by marbel

[Pen]

6 minutes ago, marbel said:

 

I get you that it's expensive (one of our evals was OOP; the other was covered by insurance) and can be hard to find the right person.  For us, it was so worth it just to know.  It was worth it to him just to know he wasn't stupid or defective.  I also get that my kid's story - if you read the whole dang thing - may not look exactly like your kid's story.

The point is, finding out what is going on is important because it gives you a path to move forward.  

 

Yes. And not being able to move forward is probably far more expensive than the cost of private evaluations. 

[Mergath]

7 hours ago, Night Elf said:

He's applied to Game Stop, Ingles grocery store, Target and Best Buy. He doesn't want to work in food so no department in a grocery store like produce, meat, deli, bakery. He doesn't want to stock anymore. He doesn't want to run a cash register. He has no clerical skills. He can't speak on the phone well. He gets a block for some reason. He types with only 2 fingers. He doesn't seem interested in an office job. I wanted him to go to tech school for accounting because he's so good with numbers but he said no. He won't apply to Walmart for anything. He can't apply to Publix grocery stores because they don't hire men with long hair or facial hair. He has been volunteering but there isn't a part-time job available there that he wants. He has been volunteering in intake which takes donations from cars but he has no initiative to start sorting donations and putting them where they belong. He just stands there so he really hasn't impressed the Board Member that has worked with him. He doesn't want to work directly with customers which is why he didn't apply to Kohls or choose such jobs at Target when he filled out that application. He has considered applying to Costco but it would have to be in stocking and he doesn't want to do that. 

This is his Aspergers. He doesn't like change. He doesn't want to do something that doesn't have a specific meaningful purpose. He doesn't consider stocking or cash register meaningful.

The mall is about 30 minutes away. He would need to use Uber/Lyft but he doesn't want to ride with strangers. He's been practicing driving because he wants to buy his own car. That will open possibilities I suppose. 

 

7 hours ago, Night Elf said:

I thought about Geek Squad but I don't see favorable reviews for it. Most say they really only hire people with sales experience. There is very little tech involved. It's about selling contracts. So I don't know.

Y'all are worrying me. Ds won't attend any school that requires general education courses. 

He know most of Office Suite because he used those programs in high school. He helped build a computer. We considered the possibility of him building computers to sell. My dd's boyfriend can build them and my ds can finance him and they'd split the money but dd's boyfriend can't sell the one computer he built. It's too specialized I suppose and there must be lots of companies that do that anyway.

Honestly, I think this is why his psychiatrist is pushing us to get disability. Ds has limited himself tremendously. I can't force him to get into a specific job. I thought he was doing well at Kroger but he got frustrated with them. I asked if he'd consider going to the new super Kroger further away to work with new people and he can tell them about his Aspergers so maybe they won't expect the same level of work as from other employees but he said he didn't really want to do that. He's trying to find something completely different.

 

From what you've typed here, it doesn't sound like getting his A+ cert is going to be very useful. Like I said before, most of the jobs that would enable him to get would be virtual help desk stuff, and the bulk of that is going to be talking on the phone and typing. If he doesn't talk on the phone well and doesn't type reasonably fast, he most likely won't enjoy that kind of work.

I doubt he's going to make much money building custom PCs. The bigger companies buy components in bulk, and so they can charge lower prices than he'd ever be able to. And the people who are willing to pay more for a more specialized machine can typically build it themselves, and so aren't going to pay a premium to have someone else do it. 

Has he considered learning how to repair cell phones and tablets? Even people who exclusively repair cracked screens do pretty well financially. He could learn the skills online without going to college, the investment in tools upfront is relatively low, and mobile devices aren't going away anytime soon, so he'd have a reasonable amount of job security. It wouldn't require a ton of typing or much human interaction, and he could set his own hours.

[Lanny]

2 hours ago, Night Elf said:

I am under the impression we need to have him tested for a disability first. Their website says "Put simply, the Vocational Rehabilitation wing of GVRA helps people with disabilities find and maintain employment." 

He was diagnosed with Aspergers when he was 9 years old with a simple one page questionnaire. He had IQ testing done before that by a family friend. He went through some kind of testing when I took him to a private testing office who garbled his results so I couldn't be sure what his results really were. I believe we need to figure out what testing he really needs done currently at the age of 22 before the Voc. Rehab. center can take him.

 

The GVRA Vocational Rehabilitation, hopefully,  would be wonderful for him. 

He has ruled out so many possibilities, for one reason or another, that he is going to be a very unhappy person, for many many years to come, if he does not change his thinking. He is only 22 years old. He will probably live another 50 or 60 years. He needs to become a productive member of society. That will help him have a positive image of himself.  If he does not change, very soon, what will happen to him, after you and your DH pass away and can no longer take care of him? He needs to get a handle on this, NOW.   Good luck to him and to you.

[Pen]

Btw some similar I don’t like this and won’t do that —like don’t want to work with food, etc—attitudes in a child of people I know, turned out to be OCD related and responded to OCD medication. 

This is another example of a reason to get an evaluation instead of assuming that you know what is wrong. 

[Lanny]

1 hour ago, Mergath said:

 

 

From what you've typed here, it doesn't sound like getting his A+ cert is going to be very useful. Like I said before, most of the jobs that would enable him to get would be virtual help desk stuff, and the bulk of that is going to be talking on the phone and typing. If he doesn't talk on the phone well and doesn't type reasonably fast, he most likely won't enjoy that kind of work.

I doubt he's going to make much money building custom PCs. The bigger companies buy components in bulk, and so they can charge lower prices than he'd ever be able to. And the people who are willing to pay more for a more specialized machine can typically build it themselves, and so aren't going to pay a premium to have someone else do it. 

Has he considered learning how to repair cell phones and tablets? Even people who exclusively repair cracked screens do pretty well financially. He could learn the skills online without going to college, the investment in tools upfront is relatively low, and mobile devices aren't going away anytime soon, so he'd have a reasonable amount of job security. It wouldn't require a ton of typing or much human interaction, and he could set his own hours.

 

Amen.  Also, many of the cell phones and tablets have batteries that are not user replaceable. They require some special tools (and heat) to remove the Display to take device apart, to get to the battery, to replace it. So, yes, being able to replace the Display and/or the battery in a Cell phone or Tablet is a skill that many customers might need for their devices.

Who would buy a Custom PC from someone without a track record?  If one is spending that kind of money, one wants a guarantee and one wants Support.

Much of that Support work done over the phone can be done Remotely, by people in the Philippines, or India or in some other country. I think there are even companies here in Colombia doing that, now, in 2018.  That's not years off, that is here and now.   Better to have Skills that are not so easily "outsourced" to other countries.  People would not send their phone or tablet to India to have the Display or Battery replaced.

[Lanny]

In the OP it says the course is two (2) semesters. IMO that will simply delay the DS of the OP from working on whatever is causing his current behavior, regarding different types of employment.  A delay tactic and probably not a solution to his employment issues.  There may be Psychologists who specialize in that type of behavior?

[TechWife]

3 hours ago, Night Elf said:

It's not a matter of who our psychiatrist is but how she can work within the Kaiser umbrella. She told me Kaiser doesn't do the type of testing that I asked about. If we have to go outside of Kaiser, we have to pay out of pocket so we're trying to do all we can within Kaiser that we can.

Check to see if the technical school offers this type of testing. It’s possible they can do it or refer to someone who can. 

[Caroline]

I know this isn’t really near you, but it might be a resource. 

https://tommynobiscenter.org/

[Pen]

One thing I am confused by is that it sounds like your son’s kaiser psychiatrist apparently thinks Ds is disabled enough to get SSI or SSDI disability—but not disabled enough to get Vocational Rehabilitation??? 

Or thinks he is hopeless for any job???

[Pen]

2 minutes ago, Caroline said:

I know this isn’t really near you, but it might be a resource. 

https://tommynobiscenter.org/

 

Thanks for sharing that. I never heard of it before. 

I wonder if mailroom could work for op son as for the person in the profile. 

[Caroline]

6 minutes ago, Pen said:

 

Thanks for sharing that. I never heard of it before. 

I wonder if mailroom could work for op son as for the person in the profile. 

I know that the center works with our school system’s transition services. I have heard really good things about it and know a couple of people they have helped. 

[Storygirl]

Night Elf, I just wanted to offer some support. My son on the border of the spectrum is still a young teen, but we are worried about future employment, for the very reasons you mention.

When you say that working a cash register, doing customer service, answering the phone, working with food, and sorting and stocking are things he doesn't want to do.....I GET IT.

It's not that he is just stubborn and unwilling to do something he doesn't like. It is that those are things that are super hard for him, due to his areas of disability. DS is the same. He will not be able to answer phones or interact with customers. He would fail at those kind of responsibilities. They are poor choices for him. And, DS has a math disability, so running a cash register or working with computers are poor choices, as well. He has fine motor and visual spatial issues that rule out most trades.

It is very, very hard to think of something that DS could aim toward for work, and it worries me.

So I understand that you are not saying just that he does not want to try those things, as if he could just change his mindset and get over it. It is, for my son, and probably for yours, part of the disability.

****

Do you think your son could do audio visual installation, like putting after market stereos into cars or installing home theater equipment?

Edited September 23, 2018 by Storygirl

[Storygirl]

Also, I understand the limitations on the insurance.

But filling out a form is not a sufficient evaluation for autism. It just isn't.

Now, if the psych upholds the diagnosis, I would just accept that, because the diagnosis would give him an opportunity to possibly get into Vocational Rehabilitation.

But if he says the forms didn't indicate ASD, I would not consider that enough to rule out ASD.

Especially if your son alone filled out forms, and you did not. Because the current diagnostic standards take the person's childhood into consideration, and I doubt your son has enough perspective on that to give a full picture.

So I would say the OPPOSITE of what you think -- if the answer comes back that there is no ASD, I WOULD try to get more thorough evaluations elsewhere.

[Pen]

5 minutes ago, Storygirl said:

So I would say the OPPOSITE of what you think -- if the answer comes back that there is no ASD, I WOULD try to get more thorough evaluations elsewhere.

 

Yes, if no ASD it even more begs the question what IS going on?

[Pen]

What about regular government state department of labor etc job counseling/ assistance??

[Pen]

https://dol.georgia.gov/learn-about-education-and-training

[Lang Syne Boardie]

NM, I missed a few posts...I'm not likely to be helpful. Disregard.

Edited September 24, 2018 by Tibbie Dunbar

[QueenCat]

On 9/21/2018 at 7:37 PM, Night Elf said:

One of the instructors called me back. That man was WEIRD! He was asking questions that had nothing to do with what I wanted to know. At one point he told me this certificate would help my son get a job for about 10 years but then the field will dry up so he should pursue something else like programming. It was a very strange conversation. However, he did verify it was for beginners and he told me which classes to take each semester.

 

That's actually pretty normal for technology. It's constantly changing so one needs to continually update their skills. That said, if you're good with tech stuff, once you have the basics, it's easier to get the other skills as they become the "new" thing. However, this program sounds like it's not really going to help much with even short-term job prospects. If he had several CompTIA certs, he would be much more marketable to employers. Although my son has a bachelors, he also has several of these certs. He self-studied for them, but I do see how being out with people could help your son with his social skills right now.

Edited September 23, 2018 by QueenCat

[Pen]

before starting such a tech program could your son job shadow with someone doing the sort of work he might be qualified for afterwards 

possibly that would help to avoid him doing the program and then refusing the sort of work it could lead to

[Catwoman]

13 hours ago, Night Elf said:

The classes prepare him to take the Comptia A+ exam. There will be some places that want to hire someone with that specific certification. If he wants to go further, there is another diploma program but he doesn't want to take all those classes. 

The school is 10-15 minutes away. I haven't yet gone to admissions because of my working hours. Next week I only have Monday off. Then starting the week after I'll have Thursdays off. 

He took the assessment that his psychiatrist gave to him to see if he's still on the spectrum. I didn't look at his answers. He finished the test and we put it in an envelope. She's supposed to call him when she looks it over. She doesn't do the rest of the testing, like IQ or aptitude test. Those we have to go to a private psychologist for and pay out of pocket. If his psychiatrist says he's not on the spectrum, the rest of the testing is moot, IMHO.

 

His psychiatrist is going to make a determination as to whether or not your ds is on the spectrum based on a single written test that your ds completed at home and mailed back? 

That seems entirely inadequate. 

If you don’t know what’s really going on, you (and any psychiatrists or counselor who work with him) could be making incorrect assumptions and end up inadvertently doing your son more harm than good.

As others have posted, I think your son needs a full evaluation, not a mail-in written test.

Edited September 24, 2018 by Catwoman

[Arcadia]

I do think you should private message 8FillTheHeart.  She has gone down a similar road with her older son with autism.

This is an old post by her https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/228544-adult-with-aspergers-vs-autism/?do=findComment&comment=2243268

 

[Catwoman]

6 hours ago, Night Elf said:

I would also like to add that he's looking at this PC Repair certificate in response to our suggestion that he get out of the house and get a job. He's interested in being a security guard that isn't a policeman or working with computers. He applied to two entry level security positions at Target and Best Buy. We can't find another store that has such a position. He can't work at the mall until he gets a license which we are in the process of working on. He won't take Uber or Lyft anywhere. We were hoping that by the time he finished a certificate at the technical school, he'd have his license and a car.

 

Have you signed him up for driving lessons yet? If he takes lessons at a driving school, that will probably help him get his license more quickly than if you try to teach him on your own, because I know your time is limited. Also, he might enjoy working with a driving instructor.

[itsheresomewhere]

In your area, a complete and good evaluation should cost around 1500-1800.  That is what my friend paid in GA not too long ago.  Only some insurances pay for it so most of us pay for it out of pocket.  It is worth it.  It is a sacrifice but really shows you so much. And if you don’t have coverage for it, you may be able to take it off on taxes. Since your DS saves all his money and spends little perhaps he might be able to contribute to the testing.  

Reading between the lines- is it possible that your anxiety and maybe depression might be scaring you away from testing?  I get it and the unknown is scarier than the truth. 

Edited September 24, 2018 by itsheresomewhere

[QueenCat]

1 hour ago, Catwoman said:

 

His psychiatrist is going to make a determination as to whether or not your ds is on the spectrum based on a single written test that your ds completed at home and mailed back? 

That seems entirely inadequate. 

If you don’t know what’s really going on, you (and any psychiatrists or counselor who work with him) could be making incorrect assumptions and end up inadvertently doing your son more harm than good.

As others have posted, I think your son needs a full evaluation, not a mail-in written test.

 

I agree. My son is on the spectrum. The evaluation that determined his diagnosis was far more encompassing than a written test or even forms filled out by the parents & person being evaluated. 

[DawnM]

8 hours ago, Night Elf said:

I am under the impression we need to have him tested for a disability first. Their website says "Put simply, the Vocational Rehabilitation wing of GVRA helps people with disabilities find and maintain employment." 

He was diagnosed with Aspergers when he was 9 years old with a simple one page questionnaire. He had IQ testing done before that by a family friend. He went through some kind of testing when I took him to a private testing office who garbled his results so I couldn't be sure what his results really were. I believe we need to figure out what testing he really needs done currently at the age of 22 before the Voc. Rehab. center can take him.

 

Yes, you do need to have official testing done.  Not a friend, not a one page online print out, not by someone completely incompetent (garbled results!)

but some of those places have waiting lists!  You really need to jump on this ASAP.  

 This may take a while!  A while for him to figure things out, a while to get tested, a while for Voc Rehab to come through if you choose that route.  If I were in your shoes I would be spending a few days researching, calling around, getting him on whatever lists he needs to be on, etc...

 

[moonflower]

I thought Tibbie's idea of looking into blue-collar work made a lot of sense.  Much of the white-collar economy in the US is either service-oriented, which NightElf's DS won't do, or requires many years of (sometimes gen ed) school, which he won't do.  He might be willing/able to do something entry-level that isn't public-facing, like painting, landscaping, etc.

[Ausmumof3]

3 hours ago, Catwoman said:

 

Have you signed him up for driving lessons yet? If he takes lessons at a driving school, that will probably help him get his license more quickly than if you try to teach him on your own, because I know your time is limited. Also, he might enjoy working with a driving instructor.

Better still see if you can find an instructor who specialises in teaching people with autism.  They are out there and it can make all the difference to managing be anxiety and overwhelm that driving can create for some.

[Catwoman]

6 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Better still see if you can find an instructor who specialises in teaching people with autism.  They are out there and it can make all the difference to managing be anxiety and overwhelm that driving can create for some.

 

That’s an excellent idea!

It would be good for for Beth, as well, because I know she is sometimes anxious about driving, and I’m sure she wouldn’t want to pass that anxiety along to her son as he’s learning to drive, which could inadvertently happen if she tries to teach him herself.

Edited September 24, 2018 by Catwoman

[Arcadia]

4 hours ago, Pen said:

before starting such a tech program could your son job shadow with someone doing the sort of work he might be qualified for afterwards 

possibly that would help to avoid him doing the program and then refusing the sort of work it could lead to

 

Most of the CompTIA A+ exam contents can be learned from apprenticeship/job shadow. The employer might even reimburse the exam fee. 

Another possibility is car mechanic at a place like Jiffy Lube. At our favorite location, the manager does all the interaction with customers and the mechanics interact with us only if they want to. This location manager doesn’t give us a sales pitch either. Our favorite Toyota dealership for recalls is similar in that the manager would do all the talking to customers and the mechanics would talk if they want to. Like one of mechanics love to chat (small talk) but the rest prefer not to talk. At Jiffy Lube, it was the manager that drives our car from arrival to departure. At Toyota, there was two people doing the “valet service”. So both locations don’t need their mechanics to have a driver’s license to work there.

[Catwoman]

22 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

 

Most of the CompTIA A+ exam contents can be learned from apprenticeship/job shadow. The employer might even reimburse the exam fee. 

Another possibility is car mechanic at a place like Jiffy Lube. At our favorite location, the manager does all the interaction with customers and the mechanics interact with us only if they want to. This location manager doesn’t give us a sales pitch either. Our favorite Toyota dealership for recalls is similar in that the manager would do all the talking to customers and the mechanics would talk if they want to. Like one of mechanics love to chat (small talk) but the rest prefer not to talk. At Jiffy Lube, it was the manager that drives our car from arrival to departure. At Toyota, there was two people doing the “valet service”. So both locations don’t need their mechanics to have a driver’s license to work there.

 

How would an auto mechanic not need a driver’s license? They need to be able to test drive cars before repair for diagnostic purposes, as well as after repairs are made to be sure the cars are running properly. 

But jumping off of your idea, if Beth’s son gets his driver’s license and some driving experience, he might be able to get a job at a car dealership as a valet, picking up cars from customers’ homes or workplaces and dropping off the loaner cars, then bringing the customers’ cars back to the dealership for repair, and delivering them back to the customers afterward.

Edited September 24, 2018 by Catwoman

[Arcadia]

Just now, Catwoman said:

 

How would an auto mechanic not need a driver’s license? They need to be able to test drive cars before repair for diagnostic purposes, as well as after repairs are made to be sure the cars are running properly. 

 

At the entry level, they are running on computer diagnostics and the cars are on jack up platforms. The guys doing the oil change service aren’t driving for example. The manager obviously can drive and so does the floor supervisor. We were there during the massive Takata airbag recall and there were a few mechanics that were permanently at the stations/bays. 

I have no idea if OP’s son is even interested in vehicle maintenance. I’m just suggesting possible apprenticeship jobs that doesn’t necessarily require talking which is of course store and location dependent. For example, my usual car mechanic’s (family business) wife helped her husband by changing tires for us and her husband does the rest of the preventive maintenance work. His wife can drive, just that she was helping in repair jobs that didn’t require her to drive our car. 

[TechWife]

The mechanics at the two dealerships I use regularly don’t drive in house, but they do test drive vehicles for diagnostic purposes. For most test drives they don’t even need to leave the lot, though. 

ETA: Things to consider re: ASD and being a mechanic that may be sticking points: noise, dirt, and production requirements 

Edited September 24, 2018 by TechWife

[marbel]

8 hours ago, Arcadia said:

 

Most of the CompTIA A+ exam contents can be learned from apprenticeship/job shadow. The employer might even reimburse the exam fee. 

Another possibility is car mechanic at a place like Jiffy Lube. At our favorite location, the manager does all the interaction with customers and the mechanics interact with us only if they want to. This location manager doesn’t give us a sales pitch either. Our favorite Toyota dealership for recalls is similar in that the manager would do all the talking to customers and the mechanics would talk if they want to. Like one of mechanics love to chat (small talk) but the rest prefer not to talk. At Jiffy Lube, it was the manager that drives our car from arrival to departure. At Toyota, there was two people doing the “valet service”. So both locations don’t need their mechanics to have a driver’s license to work there.

 

I know a guy who works at Jiffy Lube.  He doesn't do any driving. The customers drive the car in and out of the service bay.  He does oil changes; that's it. No diagnostics, no driving, just oil changes. There may be people at Jiffy Lube who do other things, but there are people who stat out doing the basic tasks. ETA: of course this could differ by franchise, employee type/level, etc.  I'm not implying that that's how it works at every location and for all employees, LOL.

Riffing off this, tire installers at a place like Costco. Though I don't know if all of them drive the customer's car in and out of the service bay. 

Edited September 24, 2018 by marbel

[Lecka]

This will depend on where you live, but two places I know of (my hometown and the last town I lived in) have a van service for people who have qualifying disabilities.  It’s possible to qualify with Aspergers (but they don’t look at diagnosis, they look at whatever they look at). 

This can help with transportation to a job, church, doctors appointments, etc.

It doesn’t help with things like a job where to do the job you are expected to drive during the work day as part of the job.  

Another thought is, right now Uber and Lyft are outside his comfort level.

In two years could you build up his comfort level with them?  Maybe this is something worth trying, maybe not.

My cousin had a lack of comfort with the van service, and it is something where there are ways to start small and provide a lot of support with using it.  But there are also times where my cousin goes from riding it regularly, to just not being comfortable with it again, and then my aunt and uncle will have to help him get back into it.  

Do you think he is able to handle driving in traffic and handling the extreme multitasking needed to pay attention to the road and also think of driving directions?  This is a rhetorical question, but if he moves slowly on things and doesn’t multitask well, maybe this will make it hard to drive in traffic.  This is how my cousin is.  He can drive in the sense he can operate a car, though, and he can drive when there is not much traffic and not many turns to take etc.  But he can’t drive well enough to drive for transportation, because of traffic.  

Anyway I think for him to drive would be a top option.   But increasing comfort with Uber/Lyft might be worth a try too, since right now you could do some short trials where you set it up for him and maybe follow him or meet him at the destination, without pressure of needing to use it in a short time frame.  

Where we live now I have done state services for my son.  Here they will pay for testing to see if people qualify, you don’t have to show up with private testing or walk in the door with completed testing.  I think that’s worth a phone call to ask how people enter into those services.  Here there is a woman who works just with the early steps of intake.  She covers a huge geographical area (like 7 counties or something) but she comes through and holds information meetings and then is available by phone and email.  

I don’t know what the process would be where you are,  but I think call and they can tell you who to call to get started, and what you need to do.  

That could take a long time too so it is probably worth starting now even if he may not need it.  

Also here the agencies define “qualifying as someone with a disability who qualifies for certain things” according to their own guidelines.  They don’t just go off of a private diagnosis.  So — I think probably you need a private diagnosis, but call them because maybe you don’t, and even if you do maybe it’s easier or cheaper or faster to do it that way.  

[DawnM]

10 hours ago, moonflower said:

I thought Tibbie's idea of looking into blue-collar work made a lot of sense.  Much of the white-collar economy in the US is either service-oriented, which NightElf's DS won't do, or requires many years of (sometimes gen ed) school, which he won't do.  He might be willing/able to do something entry-level that isn't public-facing, like painting, landscaping, etc.

 

Or find a school that doesn't make you take all the same general education classes that the local state school requires.  My son thought most of high school was a waste of time, classes he had no interest in, didn't care if he knew the info or not, etc....but once he got into a program that had minimal general ed classes, he was hooked.  

My son would find blue-collar work mundane and unfulfilling.  

I am honestly thinking NE's son needs to find something fulfilling, based on the comments she has made about him.  That might be in computers, it might not, but until they can figure out some diagnosis and maybe some interest inventory forms, they are spinning their wheels IMO and in my experience with my own son.

[DawnM]

1 hour ago, Lecka said:

This will depend on where you live, but two places I know of (my hometown and the last town I lived in) have a van service for people who have qualifying disabilities.  It’s possible to qualify with Aspergers (but they don’t look at diagnosis, they look at whatever they look at). 

This can help with transportation to a job, church, doctors appointments, etc.

It doesn’t help with things like a job where to do the job you are expected to drive during the work day as part of the job.  

Another thought is, right now Uber and Lyft are outside his comfort level.

In two years could you build up his comfort level with them?  Maybe this is something worth trying, maybe not.

My cousin had a lack of comfort with the van service, and it is something where there are ways to start small and provide a lot of support with using it.  But there are also times where my cousin goes from riding it regularly, to just not being comfortable with it again, and then my aunt and uncle will have to help him get back into it.  

Do you think he is able to handle driving in traffic and handling the extreme multitasking needed to pay attention to the road and also think of driving directions?  This is a rhetorical question, but if he moves slowly on things and doesn’t multitask well, maybe this will make it hard to drive in traffic.  This is how my cousin is.  He can drive in the sense he can operate a car, though, and he can drive when there is not much traffic and not many turns to take etc.  But he can’t drive well enough to drive for transportation, because of traffic.  

Anyway I think for him to drive would be a top option.   But increasing comfort with Uber/Lyft might be worth a try too, since right now you could do some short trials where you set it up for him and maybe follow him or meet him at the destination, without pressure of needing to use it in a short time frame.  

Where we live now I have done state services for my son.  Here they will pay for testing to see if people qualify, you don’t have to show up with private testing or walk in the door with completed testing.  I think that’s worth a phone call to ask how people enter into those services.  Here there is a woman who works just with the early steps of intake.  She covers a huge geographical area (like 7 counties or something) but she comes through and holds information meetings and then is available by phone and email.  

I don’t know what the process would be where you are,  but I think call and they can tell you who to call to get started, and what you need to do.  

That could take a long time too so it is probably worth starting now even if he may not need it.  

Also here the agencies define “qualifying as someone with a disability who qualifies for certain things” according to their own guidelines.  They don’t just go off of a private diagnosis.  So — I think probably you need a private diagnosis, but call them because maybe you don’t, and even if you do maybe it’s easier or cheaper or faster to do it that way.  

 

When we were looking for my son to use the van service, we found he probably didn't qualify.  It specifically said that the person must be deemed by a professional to not be able to take the bus on his own (physical or more severe mental issues).   My son has anxiety with taking the bus, but probably not severe enough to not ever get on it again.  

YMMV.

 

ETA:  My son is 20 and still does not drive.  He is terrified of driving.  He took drivers ed and passed!  He decided then and there he did not want to drive!  He may change his mind later on, but we decided to let him be the one to decide rather than us pushing.   His therapist actually told us to back off!

Edited September 24, 2018 by DawnM

[Pen]

@Night Elf  

I think Another thing to consider in re computer tech training, driving, other work, help around the house, etc, etc, is what will happen if when you and your dh are unable to take care of son.

Will he be able to manage on his own? If not would he be able to live with a sibling or would his lack of contribution to household (chores, financial...) be unfair to burden a sibling with?  Will there be a residential program that takes care of all the things he seems to be unable to do on his own? Is that set up so that if something were to happen to the parents the adult disabled dc has a place to go where he can be cared for? Or would dealing with that be a burden that a younger sibling would be left with?

  Perhaps thinking about what would be fair for an adult sibling to deal with in care of another adult sibling could also help a parent to be more clear on what the disabled adult child could  be learning to do and doing in the parents’ home in order to be as helpful and independent as possible.  

[Lecka]

Dawn, your son’s therapist might be a professional able to write a letter for the van service.  

His therapist might think it could be good, or not, etc.  

Just FYI sometimes people start small with van service and then a year or two later are using regular bus service or driving, but at the time it could have been really helpful and appropriate.  That is my impression at least.  

[Ausmumof3]

As another random suggestion has he looked into any kind of career in either technical drawing or electronic engineering?  They are both jobs that can require minimal interaction depending on the role?

it seems like his issue with the retail type jobs is lack of intellectual challenge or interest but his unwillingness/inability to do study is going to hamper him from getting into something more at his level.  I think anyone with a reasonable iq is going to find the thought or target forever pretty boring.  I think the technical drawing courses here at least are a relatively short path to more challenging employment.

 

[DawnM]

5 hours ago, Lecka said:

Dawn, your son’s therapist might be a professional able to write a letter for the van service.  

His therapist might think it could be good, or not, etc.  

Just FYI sometimes people start small with van service and then a year or two later are using regular bus service or driving, but at the time it could have been really helpful and appropriate.  That is my impression at least.  

 

Yeah, not sure.  The wording was odd, I haven't looked at it in a while, we don't even have vans available here, but if we move to the area we want to go to and if he ends up moving there as well (He is currently in college), then I will look more seriously.

There was also a train service there and a shuttle that didn't require a disability, so we were kind of keeping all the options open.  And, we haven't moved yet.....

 

Ok, looked it up again, since you got me thinking.  Yeah, I knew there was a reason.....he would have to be labeled "disabled" by the ADA, and have certification through them, not just a letter from his psychologist.

Edited September 24, 2018 by DawnM

[kbutton]

On 9/23/2018 at 2:24 PM, Pen said:

Yes. And not being able to move forward is probably far more expensive than the cost of private evaluations. 

 

Yes, and with wait lists (as another poster mentioned) might mean you could save enough money to pay for an eval by the time it rolls around.

On 9/23/2018 at 4:14 PM, Pen said:

One thing I am confused by is that it sounds like your son’s kaiser psychiatrist apparently thinks Ds is disabled enough to get SSI or SSDI disability—but not disabled enough to get Vocational Rehabilitation??? 

1

There are people that are simply to rigid/anxious, etc. to get a job, but I think they often have to have failed at a few jobs. You just never know. 

You can work both ends of this--you can ask the VR people EXACTLY what you need in order to get this documented. They might hem and haw about how each case is different, but they should have some general guidelines about what qualifies him to be considered for VR. You can tell them he had an ASD diagnosis from x years ago, tell them that IQ doesn't seem to be affected, and then ask what kinds of life skills need to be absent to get help. What kinds of psychiatric symptoms (anxiety, rigidity) need to be present to qualify him, etc. They will fuss that they can't guarantee you a certain outcome, but since this is not the same as a board of developmental disabilities, my guess is that they will not reject your questions out of hand or suggest that they can't do anything for him. 

On 9/23/2018 at 4:42 PM, Storygirl said:

But filling out a form is not a sufficient evaluation for autism. It just isn't.

Now, if the psych upholds the diagnosis, I would just accept that, because the diagnosis would give him an opportunity to possibly get into Vocational Rehabilitation.

But if he says the forms didn't indicate ASD, I would not consider that enough to rule out ASD.

Especially if your son alone filled out forms, and you did not. Because the current diagnostic standards take the person's childhood into consideration, and I doubt your son has enough perspective on that to give a full picture.

So I would say the OPPOSITE of what you think -- if the answer comes back that there is no ASD, I WOULD try to get more thorough evaluations elsewhere.

 

Yeah, your son could present very differently on a form that what you know him to be capable of. 

You need better evals. I strongly suggest having at least a little bit of language testing, including pragmatic language (social stuff) and maybe something like the TOPS for adolescents. They tend to be very insightful.

I suggest you try to find a psych that gets 2e autism in all it's forms (a "matrix" of IQ, strengths and weaknesses, adaptive functioning, rigidity, etc.). My 2e kiddo with autism has more academic challenges than your son but better adaptive functioning, for instance. He's not really rigid unless totally backed into a corner, super tired, etc.

21 hours ago, Arcadia said:

I do think you should private message 8FillTheHeart.  She has gone down a similar road with her older son with autism.

This is an old post by her https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/228544-adult-with-aspergers-vs-autism/?do=findComment&comment=2243268

 

Yes, yes, yes.

19 hours ago, DawnM said:

If I were in your shoes I would be spending a few days researching, calling around, getting him on whatever lists he needs to be on, etc...

 

Get on multiple waiting lists and don't cancel yourself on any of them until you've started the eval process and know it's what you need, and it's FINISHED.

17 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Better still see if you can find an instructor who specialises in teaching people with autism.  They are out there and it can make all the difference to managing be anxiety and overwhelm that driving can create for some.

Driving instruction is a specialty within occupational therapy. I am not sure how difficult it is to find this service, but that is one place you can begin looking.