Apparently....

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I'll be working at McDonald's for the rest of my life, that's what my special ed teacher says. I've been in this work study (AKA special ed) program throughout high school and it totally sucked. Trust me, I didn't choose to have that job at McDonald's. A couple of reasons I hate it is because it's a fast-paced job and it requires a lot of socialization, which is a little too much for me. But, I have talking to some social workers about going to community college, and if that doesn't happen, should I quit and find a better job after I graduate high school?

First your special ed teacher is a jerk for telling you that. Second you should be able to go to college and be very succesfull as long as you at least remotely enjoy what you are going to work at. If you still have trouble getting a job after college you can always go through agencies that help with job training and landing a job. In my area that is career links.

you are only as limited as you believe yourself to be.

If you are not good at fast paced or socialization, then I could not imagine you being around at a McDonalds for a significant amount of time.

I would say at least hold on to the job until you can find something better, or if your schedule (say because of college) prohibits you from actually working.

Don't listen to him.

Thats what you think.

You have my admiration for even trying to work at McD's. It would be a very difficult environment for me.

If you can, stay with this job as long as you can and at the same time work to get in to a community college program. It will look good if you can keep your job at McD's -- future employers / career counselors / admissions officers like to see that you can stick with something.

As for your special ed teacher, she shouldn't have said that even if she believed it to be true, I think. It was at the very least incredibly rude.

1. Your teacher was a jerk.

2. I give him kudos for trying to be honest.

The sad fact is that if you have Autism, depending on how adversely the symptoms affect you, you may or may not have hope for something OTHER than a dead-end job that seems to be the destiny of the lowest in the work pool.

I have a BA degree in two disciplines. I have a graduate degree. I'm still doing largely dead-end work. If this job goes away, I likely will have to work for a grocery store bagging items just to have a paycheck.

I so much wish I had a more realistic view of my life options rather than be encouraged to dream big...unaware that there were significant factors that stood in my way.

The sad fact is that AS can be a barrier to getting the things you want in life...particularly employment. Your best hope is to get in someplace that will tolerate you and look for opportunities to expand into better positions that work well with your condition.

Even McDonalds can lead to management positions in the company. While not glamerous you certianly wouldn't be stuck "flipping burgers" for life.

Still, it isn't the best job for people with an ASD.