In August 1999, when I was 28, so I was diagnosed quite late. I had suspected for a long time that I might have a problem. I was working as a freelance site agent and I admit that my paperwork was not up to speed. It really struck me though when I was working on a job in the Isle of Wight. A fax came through and I had to put it to one side to read later when I could really concentrate on it. The contracts manager came into the office and read it out loud straight away. It put the question in my mind, why couldn't I do that? So I went to my doctor and was tested, and he confirmed what I had strongly suspected.
Do you think dyslexia is a problem that affects a lot of construction workers?
Definitely. Construction is a magnet for hands-on people who are no good with paperwork. I would never have ended up in construction if it hadn't been the fact that it was the only industry left for me because I didn't do well in my exams at school, although I have studied part time since and gained a Bsc Hons in Building Engineering and Management.
I've spoken to Dr John Clarke at the Northern Ireland Dyslexia Association, and he agrees that there is a high level of dyslexia in construction and that research into it needs to be done. If the industry wants to operate more efficiently, it is something that needs to be looked at. I've no doubt that people are making mistakes in construction because they can't read properly. I've seen symptoms of dyslexia in construction workers from directors to site operatives. For example, I worked under one contracts manager who was, by his own admission, atrocious at recording minutes from site meetings. He would try and pass off the problem by saying he didn't have time to write them properly.
People are scared to admit they may have dyslexia because if they are tested and it turns out they don't have it, they feel stupid. There is also a stigma attached to having dyslexia, because people think it is related to intelligence, which it isn't.
Does it affect the way you do your job?
Without a doubt. I can't work efficiently because I need to spend a lot of time on paperwork.
How do you cope with paperwork?
I do enough to get by, but I'm never ahead of myself, I'm always having to catch up, it's frustrating. I'm self-employed and have been for 10 years, so filling in tax returns, for example, is very difficult.
there is a high level of dyslexia in construction. I’ve no doubt that people are making mistakes in construction because they can’t read properly
How do you cope with running a business?
Dyslexia manifests itself through problems with reading and writing, but the route of it is an inability to recall details quickly and a bad short-term memory. I have to be very organised. When I'm talking to people on the phone, I take notes, or get them to speak slowly so I can get the chance to take details down, or I get them to call me back so I can be clear in my mind what it is that we are discussing.
Why did you start your own business?
I saw a huge opportunity for it. I distribute and install Extenzo Stretch Ceilings, which are produced in France, and I was the first company to introduce it to Northern Ireland and Eire.
When does your day start?
I try to arrive on site at about 8am. I travel all over Northern Ireland and Eire, but it takes me about an average of an hour to get to site.
What's the most common problem you encounter on a daily basis?
Organisation and remembering things. I make lots of lists to help my memory.
Source
Construction Manager
Postscript
Emmet McManus, 30, runs his own ceiling installation and project management business from Cushendall near Belfast in Northern Ireland. The business, E McManus Construction has been running since January 2001
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