I broke into tech without a tech degree. I used to see my autism as a weakness, but it helped me gain the skills I needed.

"I wasn't diagnosed with autism until late 2020 at 27 years old. But as a professional with autism, my skills gave me an edge in breaking into quality assurance (QA) without a tech degree. During my undergraduate studies, I didn't know what QA was or that it could be a viable career option. After graduating in 2015 with a degree in public health policy, I applied for an internship at a healthcare startup, and they assigned me to my first real taste of QA."

"I've learned that autism isn't a limitation. It allows me to innovate, problem-solve, and build systems that serve people better. It's my superpower. I never planned on working in the tech industry While at the University of California, Irvine, I became involved in research labs and clinical research. I monitored metrics, kept experiments on track, and streamlined iPad processes in trials."

"I had no tech background, but I taught myself everything from scratch. I'd quickly glance over tutorial videos and the user guide, but most importantly, I just spent time playing and using the app and platforms. I was able to grasp platforms with ease within a couple of hours and days, which helped set me up for success in my role."

Dennis Tran received an autism diagnosis at 27 and discovered that autistic traits enhanced his approach to work. He entered quality assurance after a public-health internship at a healthcare startup introduced him to QA and a social-media referral led a QA company to hire him. Tran had no formal technology training but taught himself by skimming tutorials and exploring apps until he could master platforms quickly. He credits autism with enabling innovation, intense problem-solving, attention to systems, and rapid grasp of software behavior. He now flourishes in roles and projects that value neurodiversity, including Community-led Autism Research.

Read at Business Insider