For Neurodiversity Celebration Week, we’re highlighting volunteer Peter Gribble, who makes a difference in the engineering community. He has been supporting neurodivergent applicants for the past eight years, starting from the day he received his CEng certificate and applied to be a Professional Review Interviewer. Since then, he has continued to advocate for neurodivergent applicants and play an active role in supporting the wider neurodiverse community.
For the past eight years, Peter Gribble has dedicated his time, expertise, and lived experience to supporting neurodivergent candidates within engineering. His volunteering journey began the very day he received his CEng certificate in the post, when he applied to be a Professional Review Interviewer (PRI). What started as colleagues informally seeking his advice quickly grew into impromptu workshops on applications. In 2021, Peter went on to become a Professional Registration Advisor (PRA). “I figured if I was going to be doing a PRA role, I might as well make it official!”
In 2022, Peter joined the Registration Group, further expanding his contributions. Among his favourite moments is his role on the advisory board for the IET’s Neurodiversity in Engineering report. Being part of a group run and chaired by neurodivergent people was, for him, both energising and affirming. He recalls facilitators being surprised by the pace and dynamism of the discussions as ideas bounced around the room - a reflection of the diversity of thinking that neurodivergent individuals bring to engineering.
Clear Communication Matters
Peter’s approach to supporting neurodivergent individuals is similar to his advice for interacting with anyone: be clear with your ask, make sure your questions and comments are unambiguous, and ask if they have any specific concerns or if there’s anything you can do to make things easier for them. The main source of miscommunication he has encountered with neurodivergent applicants is that they’re far less likely to agree to do something “just because”. If you’re having trouble getting buy-in for something you’ve asked them to do, it may be because you need to do a better job explaining why it’s needed.
Neurodivergent applicants are over-represented in engineering, but many roles and workplaces are not built to accommodate them well. Diversity without inclusion does more harm than good - it makes little sense to bring neurodivergent people into the field because we value their skills, only to refuse to accept the things that make them so good at the job. “We need to make sure that everyone has the best chance possible to demonstrate their competence, and that means valuing everyone’s viewpoints and doing whatever we can to help them shine.” This, Peter believes, is essential for a fair and thriving profession.
The Reality Behind the Mask
Peter also reflects on the diversity within neurodivergent professionals themselves. He notes that many organisations misunderstand just how varied neurodivergent experiences can be, and how skilled individuals often become at masking. Many people hold a fixed idea of how a neurodivergent person might think or act, yet in reality, many learn to disguise their challenges so well that an outsider would never know – sometimes individuals don’t even recognise it in themselves for years. This is why, he emphasises, cross-cutting accommodations such as plain language, clear asks, and supporting different ways of working are crucial in allowing people to be themselves and give their best to the organisation.
If he could make one change across the sector to better support neurodivergent people, Peter would focus on improving access to diagnosis. He acknowledges how difficult the process can be, especially with long NHS waiting lists and the high cost of private assessments. It can be all too easy for people to push it aside. His own organisation has partnered with a diagnosis service to offer this support as a workplace benefit, and he has seen firsthand how transformational this has been for many.
Embracing the Power of Neurodiversity
Looking to the future, Peter hopes the sector will move towards fully embracing the power of neurodiversity. He believes strongly in the value of different skillsets and worldviews, and the way they can drive innovation. People with different brains bring unique perspectives and lived experiences, which can be pivotal in solving some of the toughest engineering challenges. When organisations learn how to harness these varied capabilities effectively, Peter is confident that remarkable things can be achieved.
Peter’s story shows how small changes, clear communication, practical support, and flexibility in how people work can make a real difference. As we mark Neurodiversity Celebration Week, his focus on helping people use their strengths is a reminder of what the sector can achieve when it creates space for different ways of thinking.
Are you an IET Volunteer? Join us for our Sharing Session with Peter: Supporting neurodivergent Professional Registration applicants
Join us on Friday 20 March, 12–1pm for an online session during Neurodiversity Celebration Week, focused on how volunteers can better support neurodivergent engineers and technologists through their Professional Registration journey. You'll hear from numerous perspectives on the typical barriers experienced during the process, and some of the supportive adjustments that have made an impact in the past. Attendees will leave with practical tools to make Professional Registration smoother and more accessible.
More info and registration here: Supporting neurodivergent Professional Registration applicants *
* This link will only work if you are an IET volunteer and signed in to your EngX account.
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