Dealing With Dyslexia in Defence

During the early phases of my school life, I significantly struggled with adapting to change and took much longer than my peers to adjust.

I often wished I had another brain so I could be on the same level as my peers, but I learned to love myself for who I am!

I knew I had to work ten times harder than most of my peers to get through my GCSEs. Through hard work, I became more articulate in my verbal and written communication. Finally, I could see a path to success and Alhamdulillah (Arabic phrase ‘praise be to God’) it felt like the ‘floodgates’ opened as I passed my GCSEs and A Levels. It felt amazing to see tangible results of hard work and receive the incredible support from everyone around me!

I left school and joined the Ministry of Defence through the Civil Service Finance Fast Track Apprenticeship Scheme as an Executive Officer (Band D) in September 2015. Adjusting to the world of work was a big struggle especially when learning the acronyms in Defence! ​​​​​​​

Sadly, I struggled with my first ever job in the Civil Service, and my performance fell below the expected standard; the confidence I had in myself started to diminish.

I told my line management about my struggles during school and how LSAs and my SLT supported me with my Speech, and Language Disorder.

My line manager assigned me a ‘buddy’ who created numerous guides to help me grasp the work processes and set up frequent meetings to routinely ‘check in’.

My line manager also helped me set up an Occupational Health Assessment with the support of DBS.

​​​​​​​Not only did I learn about the adjustments available in our organisation, I also learnt Defence, through DBS, have a service whereby trained practitioners offer assessments and provide formal guidance on reasonable adjustments.

​​​​​​​I would strongly encourage anyone who requires reasonable adjustments to have a read of the Workplace Adjustment Services page on the People Portal.

My Occupational Health Assessment effectively concluded I would struggle in management grades despite the adjustments in place which was hard to take. I subsequently took the difficult decision to resign at the age of 20.

It was really difficult, however reflecting back, I had no regrets joining Defence as the apprenticeship provided me with first-hand practical experience of working in Defence. Yes, the role wasn’t for me, however I learnt of the breadth of opportunities in Defence and was ‘sold’ on the incredibly supportive culture.

I saw an opportunity to re-join Defence through a PA/Administration bulk recruitment campaign. My mind was filled with anxiety/ worry over how a long-term career might go, but I applied and subsequently returned as an Administrative Officer (E1) in September 2017 as PA to a 1* RAF principal at Air Command.

This was the role where I felt I could see a path to progress in Defence, building on the knowledge I already gained in my previous role which provided me with the confidence to develop my networking and communication skills. I was in a privileged position ,as a PA, to see how Defence was led at 1* level, this helped me to shape my own ambitions.

I was promoted back to Band D in March 2019, working as an Assistant Business Manager at MOD Main Building and had the opportunity to develop on my previous experience and learn more about Defence. This provided the perfect platform to HEO (C2) promotion in November 2020 which was a milestone achievement for me at the age of 23 – this is thanks to everybody who has supported and mentored me.

Now, 25, looking forward, I don’t want to stop there and have further ambitions to progress. Whether you’re reading this as someone with a learning disability or somebody you know has a disability, it is imperative to note people with a learning disability are just as capable as those who don’t and can have a successful career.

Reasonable adjustments are likely to vary between individuals and it is vital we give each other the opportunities to thrive. I personally don’t require any adjustments due to the incredible support I received earlier in my life; however, colleagues may need adjustments in the workplace.

As a colleague or LM in Defence, I strongly encourage you to have those conversations to ensure the best support is provided to our staff. Defence is the formidable workforce it is today courtesy of our individual and collective abilities.

I learnt there is a place for all of us in Defence irrespective of our backgrounds and skills. My Skype/Teams is open to anyone who would like to have a chat. I would be delighted to answer any questions and help to raise awareness.

I hope you can take some inspiration from this blog; remember, the sky is the limit!

By Siraj Badarudeen