Bryan Rowe, a 21-year-old man from Sholing, Southampton in Hampshire, has been rejected twice for a permanent binman position with the local council despite completing a nine-month unpaid internship in the same department. Mr Rowe, who has myotonic dystrophy and ADHD, worked as a waste management loader for the city from November 2024 until June 2025 as part of a college programme.
The internship was arranged through Eastleigh College to help young people with special educational needs find work. Since finishing his studies in the summer of 2025, Mr Rowe has applied for several roles with other local authorities and private companies but has not yet been successful.
His mother, Claire Rowe, has filed a formal complaint with Southampton City Council after the most recent rejection occurred in March 2026. She was told by officials that the recruitment services for the local authority are currently under review.
A spokesperson for the council stated that they are committed to fair and inclusive hiring and that all recruitment decisions are made through formal interview processes involving HR. Under the Equality Act 2010, employers are required to make reasonable changes to ensure disabled applicants are not at a disadvantage during the hiring process.
According to Muscular Dystrophy UK, myotonic dystrophy is a condition that causes progressive muscle weakness and degeneration over time. Mr Rowe, who has wanted to be a binman since he was a child, continues to look for a permanent role in the waste management industry.
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