Declan Schubert has had a challenging road finding a workplace where he can bring his full self to work.  

However, this all changed last year when the autistic 33-year-old found Morphum: “I couldn’t be happier here as a permanent employee and graduate engineer – I feel really at home.” 

We asked Declan about neurodiversity, why his experience at Morphum has been so positive, and what employers can do to make their interview process and workplaces more inclusive and welcoming environments for everyone.   

What is neurodiversity? 

Neurodiversity is about diversity of neurotypes. It’s about absolute inclusion of neurodivergent people with neurotypical people in the community and workforce, ensuring that everyone has the same opportunities.  

It is incorrect to use the term ‘neurodiverse’ with respect to an individual with a neurodivergence.  People have different neurological conditions and that makes them neurodivergent.  My condition is autism spectrum disorder. 

I get concerned when firms use the term incorrectly. It’s a red flag as it shows a potential lack of understanding and interest. You can’t just have neurodiversity in your company.  You need to accommodate and be accessible to neurodivergent people. Simply not discriminating is not enough.  In fact, you sometimes need to discriminate – to treat particular people differently, in a positive way, so that they can succeed. 

It’s very important to be more open-minded about the differences between people. Neurodiversity is a long-term goal about creating more inclusive environments for everyone – neurodivergent and neurotypical people. 

What is a respectful way to refer to your condition? 

I like to be known as autistic. Although technically I’m neurodivergent, I don’t think this term is helpful because you lose the information that the word ‘autism’ carries.  

There are things about the autism spectrum that are frequently misunderstood. Many people think it is like a gradient of severity with a high and low end. However, autism has a specific diagnostic definition – a person is either autistic or they are not.   

The autism spectrum is a set of seven categories of brain function. You have autism spectrum disorder if you have some level of difficulty in every category. Some autistic people have less obvious difficulties resulting in more subtle, but not necessarily less severe, symptoms. 

I’ve heard people say: “He’s not autistic, but he’s on the spectrum” or “We’re all a little bit autistic.” These statements are incorrect and quite harmful because they create misunderstandings. Autism is not a personality type; it’s a neurological condition.          

I’m severely autistic but I have a lot of masking, and I’ve found this knowledge empowering. It’s very important to have the correct information otherwise it can be very harmful to autistic people because it affects how we are treated and what is expected of us. 

How does your life today compare to when you were younger? 

There have been many difficulties for me. Some things improved over time with growth and understanding, and much of my life is better now that I have a suitable career and living situation. But some things also become harder for autistic people as they get older. 

I have understood some aspects of autism for a long time such as my hypersensitivity, restricted social empathy and monotropic mindset. However, I also have difficulty with pragmatic communication, understanding instructions and executive function (the mental ability to make decisions, plan, and get things done). I didn’t understand those aspects until several years ago and now I understand why my first crack at university was so difficult.  

What inspired you to study engineering? 

Climate change and sustainable development have concerned me since I was in high school, which is why I ended up at Morphum.  

Around 2020, when I was stuck working in logistics and needed something new for myself, I had the opportunity to study for a New Zealand Diploma of Engineering at Manukau Institute of Technology. 

You started at Morphum in October 2023 and quickly felt at home. Why? 

The trick for me was having good instructions and the opportunity to ask questions and communicate. Morphum has made that easy. I was able to call their People and Culture Lead Yuliya Schamrel before my first interview, which was the key to making it work – getting that conversation happening early on. And my manager Matt has been great. 

Yuliya has been my back-up contact. If I don’t know who to talk to, she’ll find out. I was also given a buddy, which is helpful, but it’s important that they’re well prepared. 

The work environment is helpful too. It’s an open office space but I feel like I have my own section. There isn’t a lot of noise, and I have natural light. There’s lots of planting around that breaks up light and sound – it stops things from being overwhelming as I can’t filter out to the same degree as other people. 

It’s also never felt like a problem when I’ve asked for accommodations. They changed things right from the start. 

How did they change the interview process?  

They were going to do a panel interview with the panellists sitting at a desk and interviewing the various candidates in turn. I called Yuliya before the interview to tell her I was autistic and uncertain about this process. 

In response to my concerns, Yuliya changed the format, and the process was better in every way. It felt very personable. Five consultants sat in different parts of the room, and the candidates rotated among them. Each consultant asked an opening question and some follow-up questions. It was almost like speed dating.   

The whole process was open. The candidates were able to sit down and talk with each other, which broke all the tension. Every interview for interns and graduates should be done like this.   

Is this approach unusual? 

I think so. I’ve made a lot of attempts to apply to other engineering firms, but Morphum is the only one that’s had such an open approach with me. They practice genuine inclusion and diversity, rather than just having a badge. I reached out and tested them on their principles and they met me at the table. 

I knew that I would be best suited to working in a larger consultancy, as they were more likely to be flexible and have better resources to support me.  However, most consultancies I applied to had complicated automated application systems for graduates and wouldn‘t change anything about them to accommodate neurodivergent applicants, even when I disclosed my autism to them.   

I don’t know why I didn’t get interviews as I never received feedback. The automated systems usually told me that my CV had been read and I had progressed to the next stage, but I now think this might not have happened. I usually couldn’t speak with people at those other firms either.   

Many people also told me to use LinkedIn, but I can’t. The saturation of promotional information from people and companies makes it such a hostile place.  LinkedIn shouldn’t have a monopoly over our professional networking, and no one should be disadvantaged for not using it. 

What does a tough day at work look like? 

The most difficult days for me are when I must go somewhere new, such as when I’m working with a contractor all day. I take the initiative and ask lots of questions. My manager will also happily go into more detail about simple things that can catch me out, such as what clothing I should wear and what I will eat. Breaking the day down into steps and providing information about what is going to happen helps with preparation.  

What are your hopes for the future? 

Our industry has a long way to go but we don’t have to wait to do these things. We can do them today.  

Neurodivergent people need to be able to connect and talk more directly with potential employers. Start the conversations straight away by opening doors and keeping the dialogue free of stigma. Conversations are the way forward.