Autistic Careers: Why Upskilling Often Beats Starting Over

College, Career, and Capital

I recently attended a research talk on a labor market analysis related to higher education. The researcher noted that college is thought of as possibly the last major institution offering tomorrow’s workers a path to economic stability, yet the value of going to college is increasingly measured through a narrow return-on-investment (ROI) metric: the idea that the reason to go to college is to get a degree so that you will make more money.

He shared preliminary analyses from several national datasets (e.g. ACS, CPS) suggesting a pattern of more negative labor market outcomes in recent years, especially for college grads in the bottom 10% of income. In other words, degrees are no longer paying off financially, especially for poor folks.

That’s interesting. And it raises concerns about both the legitimacy of higher education and the future of college enrollment.

Before we dig into how this connects to neurodivergence, let’s take a step back. When people talk about college, they’re often talking about a career. And when it comes to careers, the conversation often revolves around two key ideas: upskilling and reskilling. One of these things has some of us repeatedly starting over instead of building from what we’ve got.

Let’s talk about it.

Upskilling vs. Reskilling: What’s the Difference and Why Does It Matter?

If you’ve ever looked at your career footprints and thought, “Hold up. How did I end up here?” —you’re not alone. A lot of us, especially autistic and ADHD folks, tend to accumulate a colorful, possibly chaotic résumé or CV.

We start in one field, pivot, take a detour, circle back (I love that expression, sorry not sorry), and somehow become a living encyclopedia of oft-unrelated skills coupled with high unemployment (Leven 2020; Taylor 2011).

So, what’s going on with this mess of metaphorical footprints behind us? And why does it happen?

What is Upskilling?

Upskilling is all about getting better at what you’re already doing. It’s about leveling up. Upskilling is adding new tools to your existing toolbox while still keeping the tools you’ve got. Maybe you’re a teacher who picks up training in the latest ed tech, or a data scientist who learns more about agentic AI and its implications for data science.

The goal of upskilling is to remain relevant and advance in your career, not to start over. It’s updating the software on your phone, not buying a new phone. I’m out of metaphors.

What is Reskilling?

On the other hand, reskilling is starting over. You’re not adding tools to your existing toolbox. You have listed your whole toolbox for free on the neighborhood freecycle. You’re getting a new, empty toolbox, and starting from scratch. Bienvenido, novato.

Reskilling is learning a completely new skill set because your current role is no longer viable, or because you need Big Change. Think of the graphic designer who decides to become a therapist or the teacher who transitions to standup comedy (you know who you are). It can also result from necessity when workplace accommodations are inadequate.

Brand new, empty toolbox. Starting over is often exhausting, expensive, time-consuming, Sisyphean…

Look. Reskilling is sometimes the right move, and sometimes the only option, and if you have recently reskilled? Congrats to you!

Here’s the thing. While reskilling is sometimes needed, it’s worth considering how often we do it. There are only so many days in the year. And there are only so many years in the lifetime, friend.

Why do WE do it?!

I’d like to discuss this in terms of ADHD, autism, and workplace inaccessibility. Okay? Take what you need, and leave what you don’t.

ADHD and the Quest for Novelty

People with ADHD often have lower baseline levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that is very important not just for attention, but also for motivation and reward processing (Del Campo et al. 2011; Jiahao 2024; Koirala et al. 2024; Mehta et al. 2019; Swanson et al. 2013; Volkow et al. 2011).

This dopamine deficiency can lead to a persistent craving for new and stimulating experiences because novelty provides a short-term dopamine boost, enhancing focus and enthusiasm. And all of that is pretty reinforcing, so we’re likely to keep doing it this way.

Once the novelty wears off, interest may decrease, prompting the person to seek new challenges. This cycle can lead to frequent reskilling rather than upskilling within a profession. It can also possibly result in negative employee evaluations.

Autistic Folks and All-or-Nothing Thinking

Autistic people can sometimes be black-and-white thinkers, viewing situations and concepts in absolute terms (Petrolini, Jorba, and Vicente 2023; Suzuki and Hirai 2023). This lens on life can lead to some abrupt decisions.

For example, while preparing for my PhD preliminary exams, I first learned about Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness Index, and thought it was the greatest concept ever. Then I learned about the persecution of the Lhotshampas people (Hasan 2021) and immediately saw Bhutan as The Worst Place on Earth.

In the workplace, where we are likely to be regularly evaluated, this kind of thinking can lead to abrupt career decisions. One negative evaluation or even a negative piece of feedback can turn a once-satisfying job into an intolerable one, because it can flip the switch on our thinking. Maybe we were wrong! Maybe this job isn’t for us!

For students, an A-minus final grade can feel devastating. These experiences can contribute to reskilling, as people seek environments that better align with their current perceptions and needs.

Inaccessibility in the Workplace

Neurodivergent and disabled employees often lack adequate accommodations in the workplace. Someone may be in a job where they could otherwise excel, but an inaccessible environment makes it impossible to stay. There are some ambiguous sources claiming various autistic unemployment rates, but what we do know is that autistic people contend with being unemployed or underemployed and that it often has to do with a lack of accessibility.

For example, a noisy workplace may cause sensory overload. It’s often more broad. Denial of basic accommodations (e.g., receiving summary notes from staff meetings, or a provision allowing someone to attend some meetings via video conference) can create burdens that can be too great to endure.

Inaccessible workplaces force many disabled, autistic and ADHD employees to seek new positions or switch careers, not because they lack skill or commitment, but because external barriers make staying untenable.

This necessity-driven reskilling is a response to external barriers. Alas, there is again a brand new, empty toolbox.

So, What Now?

Understanding the difference between upskilling and reskilling can be useful for anyone sorting out their career, but for neurodivergent folks, recognizing these patterns is especially useful.

Awareness is the first step. If you recognize yourself in the cycle of frequent reskilling, consider why. Is it a need for novelty? An all-or-nothing way of thinking? A workplace that is not accessible?

For black-or-white thinkers, a helpful strategy is inserting space between the extremes. If you’re a student who once believed your major was perfect but now feel it’s awful after one bad class, take a pause. Identify the extremes (staying in the major vs. dropping out), and then invite a trusted person to help you explore the middle ground.

When it comes to career moves, donating another perfectly good toolbox should be a conscious choice, not an impulsive one. Think it through. Finding ways to pursue upskilling rather than constantly reskilling may be in your best interest.

If your workplace remains inaccessible and you cannot get the reasonable accommodations you require, I encourage you to seek legal support (I am not a lawyer). If this fails, reskilling makes sense. And your resume might then resemble that of the greats who have gone before you. You are not alone in the struggle.

Want to discuss this topic?

* There is this post on bluesky and this thread on facebook *  

 

References

Del Campo, Natalia, Samuel R. Chamberlain, Barbara J. Sahakian, and Trevor W. Robbins. 2011. “The Roles of Dopamine and Noradrenaline in the Pathophysiology and Treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.” Biological Psychiatry 69(12): e145–e157. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2011.02.036.

Hasan, Israr. 2021. “Bhutan: Shangri-La Society Masks Persecution of Lhotshampas.” The International Scholar, January 22. Accessed February 25, 2025. https://www.theintlscholar.com/periodical/2021/01/22/argument/bhutan-shangri-la-society-masks-persecution-lhotshampas.

Jiahao, L. 2024. Can Changes in Dopamine Levels in the Brain Be Used to Influence Concentration?: A Systematic Review (Dissertation). https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:his:diva-24438.

Koirala, S., G. Grimsrud, M. A. Mooney, et al. 2024. “Neurobiology of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Historical Challenges and Emerging Frontiers.” Nature Reviews Neuroscience 25: 759–775. doi:10.1038/s41583-024-00869-z.

Leven, Debra J. 2020. Invisible Social Identity in the Workplace: Narrative Research Exploring How Experiences of Autistic Adults Influence their Decision to Disclose. (Dissertation). Northeastern University, United States.  https://www.proquest.com/docview/2394306458.

Mehta, Tejas R., Alberto Monegro, Yash Nene, Muniba Fayyaz, and Pradeep C. Bollu. 2019. “Neurobiology of ADHD: A Review.” Current Developmental Disorders Reports 6(4): 235–40. doi:10.1007/s40474-019-00182-w.

Petrolini, Valentina, Marta Jorba, and Agustín Vicente. 2023. “What Does It Take to Be Rigid? Reflections on the Notion of Rigidity in Autism.” Frontiers in Psychiatry 14: 1072362. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1072362.

Suzuki, Noi, and Masahiro Hirai. 2023. “Autistic Traits Associated with Dichotomic Thinking Mediated by Intolerance of Uncertainty.” Scientific Reports 13(1): 14049. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-41164-8.

Swanson, James M., Timothy Wigal, Scott Kollins, Jeffrey Newcorn, Gene-Jack Wang, Joanna Fowler, and Nora Volkow. 2013. “The Dopamine Hypothesis of ADHD and Brain Response to Stimulant Medication.” Pp. 127–143 in Cognition and Brain Development: Converging Evidence from Various Methodologies, edited by B. R. Kar. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/14043-007.

Taylor, Julie L., Marsha M. Seltzer. 2011. “Employment and Post-Secondary Educational Activities for Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders During the Transition to Adulthood.” Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 41: 566–574. doi:10.1007/s10803-010-1070-3.

Volkow, Nora D., Gene-Jack Wang, Jeffrey H. Newcorn, Scott H. Kollins, Tim L. Wigal, Frank Telang, Joanna S. Fowler, et al. 2011. “Motivation Deficit in ADHD Is Associated with Dysfunction of the Dopamine Reward Pathway.” Molecular Psychiatry 16(11): 1147–1154. doi:10.1038/mp.2010.97.