Shazia Hussain
BBC Apprentice – 2023 and Senior Specialist Recruiter (Technology).
Speaker profile
Shazia is a child of Pakistani Immigrants from humble beginnings Shazia is one of 4 siblings growing up in an underprivileged area of Yorkshire. Shazia struggled to read and write in school and was labelled as “not very bright” by teachers in school. Despite the undiagnosed neurodiverse conditions until the age of 34. Shazia was educated at Goldsmith College London with a degree in media and communication. Shazia’s career is predominantly in the technology recruitment industry and corporate banking sector working for some of the most prestigious tech companies in the world including JP Morgan Chase. Having discovered her condition later on in life, Shazia is a advocate for educating and training teachers to spot Nero diverse conditions in children at an early stage so that children can be given the correct support to maximise on their potential in life. Shazia is currently lobbying parliament on this matter.
In 2023 Shazia was also successful in participating in the TV show “the Apprentice” with Lord Alan Sugar. The first ever candidate to champion neurodiversity, saying that her neurodiversity is her super-power and launching her second business, Gourmet Mithai, Indian Fusion Desserts.
The technology sector has always been at the forefront of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion -& Shazia is extremely proud to work in it as a woman of colour with neurodiversity. The tech sector has always embraced her and allowed her to navigate her neurodiversity but it’s time for the rest of industry to catch up.