Help with logic?

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I?d like to pick your brains, as I sit hit pickling my brain (red wine).

When I got diagnosed as an Aspie several years back, I was, and still am, unemployed. I was advised to go on disability for a couple of years to have a break from job searching, to work out what ASD was and how it applied to me, and from there to work out an appropriate re-entry to work strategy.

Unfortunately, before the designated time was up, a year and a half into it and filling in disability job search forms, my doctor filled in his section, adding Parkinson ?s disease. This was in relation to unrelated tests, but It?s a one-way disease, so I decided to retire.

Fast forward to this year. A new doctor and I decided to question her about Parkinson?s. She checked my files and discovered that I don?t have it. Apparently the previous doc had made a mistake by elevating something that was on a list of possibilities, to the status of possibility number one.

Well, that?s left me in the unenviable spot of several wasted years in one of Australia?s highest unemployment problem areas, with no skill or trade, at age 47.

I?ve got nothing if not time. And the laws are changing so that I won?t be able to get the old age pension until I?m 70. I doubt such a thing will exist, the way the world?s going, by then anyway.

So, I?m in a hole that I?d like to dig myself out of. And THIS is where the problem is.

I can go milk cows, work with fiberglass, or pick fruit, which is about all that?s likely to be available within an hour?s drive. But I?d rather not.

All the subjects I might devote to (primitive skills, teaching biology, mathematics, languages, etc.) either require university education, or simply won?t make a living wage. There are no local universities offering beyond first year, and since I own my own home, I won?t be moving.

What I need is a method to work this all out logically. I?m stuck on the elements I don?t want to do (aging worker competing with young folk in low skilled jobs) VS what would interest me (high education) but no local options to study.

Logically, I should accept reality... but don?t want to accept what that means.

So, what strategies do you advocate for working things out logically to a favourable outcome?

You stated you are in Tasmania.

Don't they have a full-fledged university in Hobart? How far do you live from Hobart? I would guess that the unemployment people there would pay for your education.

I graduated from university (college in the US) when I was 45.

I can see that you're in a quandary. Do you know how to type? Maybe you could try data entry.

In order to really offer you decent advice, I'd have to know about the local conditions of where you live.

I live in Sydney and I am nearing retirement, so I can understand many of your issues.

It is good news that you don't have Parkinson's disease.

I did my first degree, with some significant undiagnosed Aspie difficulties, by attending a university.

I did my second degree - making up for the mediocre first degree - by correspondence from Armidale (450-500 KMs north of Sydney). On my week-long residentials I even had several people from Tasmania staying at the same college.

There are quite a few universities that offer at least some courses that don't require any personal attendance on campus at all, or only attendance at brief residential sessions once or twice a year. If you think you can undertake a course of study, and think it will help you get a job within travelling distance of your house, then I would recommend that. It has some advantages for an Aspie - familiar surroundings with few social triggers. If you have NBN or decent ADSL2 you could even watch lectures online, maybe even use Skype or other software to be "virtually present" at tutorials or in interviews with a tutor, etc. Of course, if you have serious problems with executive function, then you might need to enlist someone to help you get started on uni projects, etc.

Anyway, correspondence or remote courses are designed for people in your situation - wanting to study, but too far away to attend the campus. There's the Uni of New England, Deakin University, and many other unis with online/off-campus courses. And you can research all the institutions and courses online.

Thanks.

I'm on the opposite side of the island. The main campuses are about four hours and two hours away. The local campus is only half an hour away, but only offers first year of subjects, then you have to finish in either of the main campuses.

Internet is a mobile stick because I'm in a rural setting. So I pay about $180 for 12 Gig.

However, thinking it over, I've managed to pare it down to the simple idea that I can settle for learning a skill that is both interesting and commercial, without having to necessarily having to be degreed (though that would be nice). That may be possible through whatever Tasmania passes off as TAFE (community college) these days.

Seems like a good plan.

Good luck to you.

I don't know what the situation in Tasmania is like, but they are offering some degree courses (or degree level?) at NSW TAFEs.

Also, research first to find out what industries look at ability/knowledge rather than experience. I'm planning to go into programming next year because I already know I have an affinity for it and friends in the industry tell me they primarily look for knowledge of the coding language/s when hiring.