The Neurodivergent Experience26 Dec 2025

Hot Topic: Too Old to Start? How Neurodivergent People Are Locked Out of Apprenticeships

In this Hot Topic episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott examine how age limits, apprenticeships, and “youth-focused” career pathways quietly exclude neurodivergent adults — particularly those diagnosed later in life or whose paths didn’t follow a linear timeline.

They explore why these systems penalise late bloomers, how autistic and ADHD people are expected to “get it right” the first time despite growing up unsupported or misunderstood, and why burnout, delayed development, and real-world capacity are so often ignored in favour of rigid age-based judgments.

They discuss:

Apprenticeship age limits and youth-only career schemes
Late diagnosis and delayed life milestones
Why neurodivergent development isn’t linear
Burnout, missed opportunities, and starting again later in life
Why inclusion must account for neurodivergent timelines

A grounded, validating conversation about work, access, and why it’s never “too late” — even when systems pretend it is.

Our Sponsors:

🧠 RTN Diagnostics - Right to Choose – Autism & ADHD Assessments (UK)

🧘‍♀️ Ashley Bentley – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy

→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde

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