Embracing Neurodiversity: Bridging the Skills Gap in Engineering

Earlier this month, we marked Neurodiversity Celebration Week (March 17-23, 2025), a time to recognise the talents and contributions of neurodiverse individuals, while also acknowledging the barriers they can face. Traditionally, diversity efforts in engineering have focused on gender and ethnicity, with neurodiversity often overlooked. 

However, this year’s celebrations highlight a positive shift – conversations around the topic are growing, and employers are making stronger commitments to support neurodivergent employees. This shift is particularly significant in engineering and manufacturing, a sector facing severe skills gaps.

In the UK, about one in seven people is neurodivergent. The Engineering Professors Council suggests there are between 12-15,000 neurodiverse students in the UK beginning courses in engineering each year, while the engineering charity Foothold estimates there are currently 820,000 neurodivergent engineers in the UK – though the actual number is likely much higher. This sizable pool of highly skilled, innovative thinkers can be a huge asset to the industry.

Why is neurodiversity an asset in engineering and manufacturing?

At its core, engineering is all about problem-solving, innovation, and thinking outside the box - skills that many neurodivergent people excel at – and crucially, that the industry is crying out for. A 2023 report by the IET grouped some of these strengths into several categories: 

• Information processing – logical thinking, spotting patterns, summarising details.
• Innovation – finding new and different angles on a problem. Ideas generation.
• Interpersonal skills – honesty, empathy, and listening.
• Resilience – remaining calm in a crisis.
• Management and leadership – outlining what needs to be done, and getting others involved.

Despite these strengths, neurodivergent individuals may face challenges in the workplace, such as difficulty with time management and organisation, sensory overload in noisy or bright environments, and struggles with traditional job application and interview processes.

Employers must provide accommodations to give neurodiverse individuals a fair chance to succeed, but identifying supportive companies isn’t always easy from the outset. To help identify a neuroinclusive employer, explore their website or social media – and if it’s unclear, get in touch to ask.

Candidates could consider questions such as: is there any mention of neurodiversity, or equality, diversity, and inclusion (ED&I)? Do the company hold any neurodiversity-friendly accreditations like ‘ADHD Friendly Employer’? Do they promote training, support groups, or neurodiversity champions within their workplace? Do they offer flexible working arrangements for individual needs, such as remote work or flexible hours?

It is, of course, a personal choice whether to disclose that you are neurodivergent to an employer. Some people choose not to. However, it’s important to remember that if you don’t disclose, you may find traditional assessments put you at a disadvantage, whereas an employer that’s aware can make reasonable adjustments for you to perform at your best.

Under the Equality Act 2010, employers must make reasonable accommodations to support neurodivergent individuals, even if they don’t have a formal diagnosis.

Examples during recruitment might include neurodiverse-aware interviewers, a quiet space for the interview, and receiving the questions in advance to prepare properly.

Crucially, in the workplace itself, workers may benefit from receiving clear, detailed instructions on a task, breaks during long meetings to prevent cognitive overload, and task management tools to support organisation and focus.

As the IET report on neurodiversity highlights, creating an inclusive environment is a collective responsibility involving everyone – not just the underrepresented group. So, it’s important to ensure that your employer recognises their responsibilities.

Finding support and resources

If you are neurodivergent and considering a career in engineering and manufacturing, there are many resources available to help you succeed, and to empower your employer to better support you.

The Neurodiversity Celebration Week website features a resource hub for navigating the workplace. Their Smart Employer Guide offers helpful recommendations for businesses on how to be more inclusive, while the Sanjay Mortimer Foundation supports neurodivergent young people interested in engineering and making. 

Professional institutions like IChemE and IMechE offer resources for neurodivergent members and their allies, and the engineering charity Foothold has a ‘Differently Wired’ hub, sharing neurodivergent engineers’ experiences and providing support and guidance to engineers and their families.

If you’re considering a career in engineering or manufacturing, don’t let challenges discourage you, and remember to advocate for yourself to give yourself the best chance. Your unique perspective and skills are a strength.

With the right support, neurodivergent individuals can thrive, helping to shape the future. A more inclusive industry benefits everyone, and your talents could be exactly what it needs. 

Tabby Hanlon-Scott, Sector Engagement Lead at Enginuity.

The Student Engineer is a special channel of The Engineer aimed at educating and inspiring engineering undergraduates about the career opportunities in engineering and also offering practical advice on how they can access these opportunities. 

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