Blueprint Career Development Joins Neurodiversity Academy Pilot Program

I first stepped into the world of vocational education during the Global Financial Crisis. At the time, I was working in recruitment, but redundancies were becoming the story of the day rather than new hires. Training, however, always fascinated me — the promise of people building new futures for themselves. So, I took the plunge and completed my first TAE.

My first role was with Orion Training, and one of the earliest lessons still stays with me: not everyone who wanted to join a course should automatically be enrolled. It wasn’t about exclusion, but about care — ensuring that if someone began, they could also finish. We never wanted to set anyone up to fail.

That was back in 2012. Conversations around LLN (Language, Literacy and Numeracy) were beginning, and while neurodiversity wasn’t the common phrase it is today, we knew instinctively that learning needed to be flexible. Over the last 15 years, awareness has grown enormously. We now understand how adapting our methods not only improves student outcomes but enriches workplaces too, by bringing in fresh perspectives and different styles of problem-solving.

For me, this isn’t just professional. I’ve seen it first-hand through family and friends’ children. Their experiences have deepened my belief that neuro-inclusive education is not just valuable, it’s vital.

Two years ago, at the VELG Conference, I met Will Wheeler, the extraordinary force behind Neurodiversity Academy. His energy, enthusiasm and sheer commitment to making education accessible for all was instantly inspiring — and many of our trainers felt the same. What began as a conversation became a friendship, and before long, Blueprint and Neurodiversity Academy were kindred spirits, united by shared values.

So, when Will reached out and asked if Blueprint Career Development RTO #30978 would join the Neurodiversity Pilot Program, of course we said yes.

This pilot is designed to trial Neurodiversity Academy’s new platform, test their endorsement checklist, and provide a pathway for organisations like ours to demonstrate — and improve on— neuro-inclusive practices. It’s not about perfection. It’s about progress: making sure students feel supported, trainers feel confident, and organisations are equipped to provide environments where all learners can thrive.

We are immensely proud to be one of the first RTOs taking part in this pioneering program. By doing so, we hope to not only refine our own practices but also help shape a framework that others across the sector can follow.

Education should be a place where every learner feels they belong — where their strengths are recognised, and their challenges supported with empathy and creativity. That’s what this pilot is about, and that’s why it matters so much to us.

So here we are, at the start of an exciting new chapter and moving ever towards our vision of “Nurturing brilliance, one person at a time”. Together with Neurodiversity Academy, we’re determined to raise the bar, light the way, and celebrate embracing different minds and different ways of thinking.