Living with Dyslexia: From Struggles in School to a Career in Tech
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
My name is Daniel, I am 31 and I live in Anglesey, Wales. I work in the Financial Technology (Fintech) industry, providing IT support and managing Microsoft 365 systems. I solve complex technical problems every day.
What I do not do is read out loud.
As a dyslexic individual, my main challenges are with reading and writing traditional text. In this blog, I want to share how I navigated a confusing school system abroad and eventually discovered my strengths.
School
When I was ten years old, my family moved to Almeria in Spain. I am Neurodivergent, specifically dyslexic. Moving abroad is difficult for anyone, but learning a new language while undiagnosed was overwhelming.
I always did well in maths, especially algebra and geometry. But I struggled heavily in Spanish language lessons. The school system at the time was not supportive. I was kept back for a few years and, because I was always struggling, I believed I was stupid. I became a quiet child who kept to myself.
Eventually, my family paid for a private assessment. The result confirmed my dyslexia. It was not a magic fix, but it finally gave me an answer.
In March 2010, I moved back to the United Kingdom and joined a secondary school in Anglesey. I went into Year 10 to complete my GCSE exams. Without the language barrier, everything changed. I could finally interact fully with teachers, and the staff were incredibly supportive.
At home, I lived in a rural area and mostly socialised at school. I remember having an old computer and spending hours on it alone, completely content in my own company.
Results day was amazing. I achieved an A star in Physics. I had been placed in the foundation tier for Biology and Chemistry, which limited my highest possible grade to a C, but I still scored a perfect 55 out of 55 on both exams.
Living and Working Today
Today, I thrive. I manage Microsoft 365 and Intune systems and provide IT support for staff. It is a highly technical role where my neurodivergent brain truly excels.
I have developed effective strategies that help me work at my best. When I need to write a complex technical guide, I never try to write it perfectly in one go. Instead, I start with a very large list of bullet points. They are often out of order at first, and that is completely fine.
The goal is simply to get the information out of my head. Once everything is on the page, I expand each point slowly and naturally. This allows me to produce detailed, accurate documents without stress.
To polish my work, I use some language tools and ask supportive colleagues to review what I have written.
Presenting is another area where I have found my own way of working. Reading out loud does not help me, so I avoid it entirely. Instead, I make sure I understand the core concepts deeply. When I know the material inside and out, I can speak naturally and confidently.
Volunteering with SEDSConnective
Alongside my professional work, I also volunteer with SEDSConnective, a charity that supports people with neurodivergence, hypermobility and related conditions. Contributing my skills and lived experience to a community that understands these connections has been incredibly meaningful. It feels good to help others navigate challenges similar to the ones I faced growing up, and to be part of an organisation with this vision.
Closing Thoughts
My journey has had challenges, confusion and moments of feeling lost, but it has also been full of growth. Dyslexia does not stop me from being successful. It simply means I have learned to work differently and to understand the strengths that come with the way my brain works.
If my story helps even one person feel understood or less alone, then sharing it is worth it.
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