Students’ vision toward a future for autistic job candidates

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Students’ vision toward a future for autistic job candidates

The Powerpuff Girls Team stood out in The Accessibility Design Competition 2025 (ADC) with NeuroAICC, a solution designed to make job interviews fairer and more inclusive for autistic adults. Their solution not only promotes equal opportunities in the workplace but also reflects a broader vision of creating a more inclusive world for everyone.

Organised by RMIT University Vietnam’s Careers, Alumni and Industry Relations department, the ADC 2025 drew 54 submissions from 162 students across 21 universities.

Organised by RMIT University Vietnam’s Careers, Alumni and Industry Relations department, the ADC 2025 drew 54 submissions from 162 students across 21 universities.

Organised by RMIT University Vietnam’s Careers, Alumni and Industry Relations department, the ADC 2025 drew 54 submissions from 162 students across 21 universities. The competition concluded with a vibrant showcase of empathy-driven innovation, as university students from across Vietnam presented bold solutions to real-world accessibility challenges. Twelve finalist teams explored issues from communication barriers to mobility and safety challenges for people with disabilities.

The Powerpuff Girls team consists of Shirin Shuja, Trịnh Phương Thảo, and Trịnh Hoàng Xuân Nghi, three students united by a passion for inclusion through technology. Shirin and Thảo are Software Engineering majors at RMIT University, and Nghi studies Digital Communications and Multimedia Design at University of Economics, Ho Chi Minh city. Together, they created NeuroAICC, a bilingual online platform that supports high-functioning autistic adults in preparing job interviews through interactive practice and personalised guidance. The platform also provides resources for caregivers and employers to help build understanding of neurodiversity and promote more inclusive workplaces.

Combining technical expertise with creative empathy, the Powerpuff Girls are using innovation to drive meaningful social impact, earning them the First Runner-Up position at ADC 2025.

NeuroAICC (AI Interview Coach & Community)

First steps towards neuroinclusion

The team began when Thảo and Shirin, both Software Engineering students at RMIT, met during a project and quickly bonded. “As women in tech, we don’t meet many people like us,” Shirin said. “So we’ve always tried to support one another.” They later met Nghi, whose shared passion for creativity and excellence completed the team.

While most teams focused on physical disabilities, the girls shifted theirs to neurodivergence. When asked why the team chose to focus on this particular community, they explained that the idea came from a deeply personal place. Thảo shared: “I have a younger brother who is autistic, so I’ve been involved in his care and development from an early age.” Her experience shaped her understanding of inclusion and inspired the team to explore how technology could empower individuals like him.

The focus consolidated even further after the team had a pivotal conversation with Ms Sandy Sinn, founder of the Center for Positive Psychology & Wellbeing and one of the competition’s industry mentors. “As a neurodivergent educator and sister to my late autistic brother Jimmy, I see in their work a future that might have been for him,” Ms Sinn said. “A world where his unique talents would be celebrated rather than overlooked. Their dedication gives hope that workplaces can become spaces of true belonging, where diversity is not only accepted but embraced.”

From that moment, Ms Sinn became a guiding voice in their journey. She encouraged the Powerpuff Girls to view accessibility not as a checklist but as a practice rooted in empathy, dignity, and shared humanity.

Mentor Sandy Sinn took a photo with the team at the ADC 2025 final.

Mentor Sandy Sinn took a photo with the team at the ADC 2025 final.

A world that works for all

Guided by the principle “Nothing about us without us,” they co-created the platform alongside autistic individuals, caregivers, and professionals. The team committed to creating a platform that not only supports people on the neurodivergent spectrum but also helps caregivers and employers build understanding and empathy. Working on NeuroAICC also changed how Thao viewed autism and herself. “I realised I had made assumptions about my brother’s behaviours and how little I actually knew to support him,” she said.

Over 3 months, they received valuable guidance from various mentors to refine their idea

Over 3 months, they received valuable guidance from various mentors to refine their idea

During the journey, they learned that autism is a spectrum of needs and strengths. Many behaviors reflect sensory loads or unclear expectations, thus clear structures, with plain language and detailed breakdowns, would benefit people on the spectrum greatly. Consent, autonomy, and strength-based support are essential. Most importantly, inclusion means changing environments and processes, not changing the person.

Under Ms Sinn’s guidance, NeuroAICC grew from a simple interview-preparation tool into a platform that challenges how society perceives neurodiversity. “The Powerpuff Girls’ journey shows that inclusion is not the responsibility of those who are seen as different,” Sinn said. “It is up to us, neurotypical colleagues, leaders, and organisations, to create environments that foster psychological safety, compassion, and equity.”

Shirin, Thảo, and Nghi then brought NeuroAICC to life with empathy, lived experience, and deep listening. Every feature was shaped by real feedback rather than assumptions, such as:

AI-powered coaching helps users practice interviews in calm, predictable ways.
Interactive storytelling builds communication confidence.
Practical tools for employers transform inclusion from a good intention into real action.

Visit NeuroAICC (outside of RMIT Vietnam)

Late nights, overlapping internships, and tight deadlines didn’t stop them from accomplishing NeuroAICC the joy of seeing autistic individuals test the prototype for the first time. Their mentor later called the project “groundbreaking and life-changing,” and the team realised they were building something bigger than themselves.

Looking ahead

The team believes that inclusive hiring in Vietnam can move from awareness to standard practice, but only if there is committed action across sectors. This includes stronger public and private collaboration, clearer skills-based hiring pathways, and workplace environments that support different ways of thinking and communicating.

Reflecting on the journey, Shirin shared that NeuroAICC grew from a simple question about interview fairness into Vietnam’s first bilingual platform supporting autistic job seekers, caregivers, and employers. Thảo added that the project stood out because it was co-created with the community it serves and grounded in listening and shared purposes. Today, their project has been selected for Spark Hub incubation, a step toward reaching more users nationwide.

Being named First Runner-Up at ADC 2025 affirmed that their work carries real impact and real potential.

Being named First Runner-Up at ADC 2025 affirmed that their work carries real impact and real potential.

Looking ahead, the team envisions a future where inclusive hiring is not an exception but the norm. They encourage others to build for underrepresented communities to follow the principle “Nothing about us without us” and to design with empathy and respect. Their advice to future creators is simple:

Do it for the right reasons. Advocate with sincerity. When your purpose is genuine, meaningful change follows.

Story: Pham Thanh Thao, a Professional Communication student at RMIT Vietnam. This article does not reflect the views of RMIT Vietnam.

06 November 2025

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