Hi, I'm James.

I was born and raised in Essex, with Epping Forest on my doorstep. I was lucky to have direct access to nature from the small school that I attended. Although I enjoyed my childhood, I did face challenges due to my disability. I was born with a type of congenital muscular dystrophy that causes limited mobility and fatigue. I can walk very short distances, but I rely on a wheelchair to go further. My parents were keen to give me a normal childhood and they encouraged me to take part in lots of activities. However, there were still structural and institutional barriers. I couldn’t run around and play sport like other children, and people would make assumptions about my intelligence or interests because I use a wheelchair. For me one of the biggest challenges was not the disability itself, but the way people treated me.

After school I went to Oxford to do an English degree. I liked university but Oxford is an academically challenging environment and nobody in my family had gone to university before. People came from different socioeconomic backgrounds to me, and living alone for the first time was tiring. I was also studying during the Covid lockdowns and because of my condition, I was classed as clinically vulnerable. It meant I was isolated for much longer than other students, which was very hard.

When I graduated, I searched ‘great companies to work for’ and that’s how I discovered Deloitte. I applied for the graduate scheme but ended up accepting a position with a PR firm. After a few months I realised it wasn’t a career I wanted to pursue. That’s when I received an email inviting me to an assessment with Deloitte. As soon as I attended the interview, I immediately felt like it would be a better fit for me.

I work in a consulting role for public sector clients. My team advises them on implementing new technology, often as they’re going through big transformations. For example, if a client is building a website, I advise on how to shape the features, before agreeing these with the company and passing to our developers. Then our team overseas the project as it’s implemented, to manage the risks and make sure it runs smoothly. I enjoy solving problems in a practical way, and it’s great to know that the work I do really matters.

Outside of my role I’m part of the Workability Network, which is Deloitte’s internal network for people with disabilities and long-term health conditions. It provides community and support, as well as events and signposting to areas you can get more specialist support. I’ve found it a really useful space because you can open up and be yourself. Disability can feel isolating, so it’s nice to have other people who understand what you’re going through.

My condition can also cause fatigue and make me feel run down, but the support I get at Deloitte is excellent. As well as adaptive equipment and help from occupational health I’ve got a supportive team who understand my needs.