The Kapor Center and the NAACP recently shared the findings of their research on the state of diversity in the tech ecosystem. From PreK-12 education to tech venture capital, Black people must overcome various challenges to progress through their careers. The research examined Black experiences at each stage of the Leaky Tech Pipeline, providing insights into the steps we need to take to ensure Black folk can thrive in tech. The leaky tech pipeline PreK-12 For Black students in the PreK-12 educational system, socio-economic disparities and a lack of access to
When it comes to job interviews, everyone wants to put their best foot forward. But Black, Hispanic, and younger Americans feel the need to go the extra mile to impress potential employers, according to a study by the American Staffing Association conducted by The Harris Poll. The study found that while the majority of Americans prefer in-person interviews, white Americans (74%) were more likely to opt for in-person interviews over virtual or audio-only formats than Hispanic (67%) and Black (65%) Americans. Hispanic and Black Americans are also more likely to feel
Leading cybersecurity and digital skills training company ThriveDX has partnered with the OneTen coalition to help Black talent secure tech and cybersecurity jobs – without needing college degrees. In 2020, America’s leading CEOs, companies, and talent developers banded together to form a coalition dedicated to upskilling, hiring, and promoting one million Black individuals who do not have four-year degrees. OneTen’s growing portfolio of 70+ partners includes educators, trainers, and providing Black people with the skills needed to secure “family-sustaining” jobs across the US. The coalition reports that they have helped more than 65,000 people secure top
This article was first published by Priyanka Jain on Medium. What a weight off my shoulders!! I opened my to-do list and scratched off all the items tagged work. After 20+ years in the tech industry, I experienced a first last week. I was unceremoniously let go from my position as Director of Engineering on a Zoom call that lasted 5 minutes at the end of my workday. I’ve witnessed and been indirectly affected by tech layoffs before. As we weather this latest round of shake-ups in the tech industry, I
This article was first published by Jennifer Opal on her blog. Let me introduce myself… My name is Jennifer Opal, I’m a DevOps Engineer currently working for Dropbox Sign. Outside of my day-to-day, I’m a Multi-Award Winning Technologist, Technical Blogger, Keynote Speaker & Neurodiversity & Inclusion Advocate. On top of this, I also sit on the Co-Production Board of a UK-based charity called, ‘Neurodiversity in Business’. You can learn more about me, my work outside of my full time job as a DevOps Engineer & more by checking out my
This article was first published by Chuma Okoro on Medium. This one is for you, fellow engineer. Folks in other career verticals, just observe. Seeing the recent news about layoffs and hiring freezes at top tech companies like Meta and Twitter; anyone who works in tech must have their eyebrows raised. You did all that struggling to get your job as a software engineer and now the idea of losing that job, due to reasons out of your control, is real. In most employment contracts, they indicate that you’re an
This article was first published by Ikenwa Chukwunonso on Medium. The job market has been crazy this year with the high inflation rate and high-interest rate to cool off inflation meaning funding from venture capitalists and financial institutions have reduced due to high-interest rates. In January 2023, prices had increased by 6.4 percent compared to January 2022 according to the 12-month percentage of change in the consumer price index. Few companies especially in the tech sector are downsizing and reducing their burn rates which mean cutting jobs to properly navigate
This article was first published by Quiana C Berry on Medium. Product Management is its own art form – equally an art and science. I often see the PM role lumped into other people management roles. It assumes PM’ery is easy because it is “people management” but it vastly underrates and misunderstands the profession. Although each profession has its own version of “hard”, the PM role is a mix of many roles in one. Here are 4 of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned going from a Anthropology, Biology, Chem
This article was first published by Chuma Okoro on Medium. Many organizations think money is the only incentive that employees value. But evidence-based research suggests that employment security is powerful in increasing commitment and performance. Modern technology companies are known for high salaries, yummy snacks, and beautiful offices. Despite this, according to DevSkiller, these companies still have high turnover. This may be due to the perceived lack of an incentive that evidence-based research (EBR) suggests is powerful in increasing commitment and performance, and employment security. Employment security is a notion
Black-owned startup Equipt is using the power of the community to help tech workers bounce back from layoffs. In 2021, Olajide “Jide” Osan and Hubert Dagbo co-founded Equipt as a talent marketplace using upskilling events to connect job seekers with potential employers. After first meeting at Lehigh University in 2008, Dagbo and Osan found mentors who used their skills and networks to find career opportunities in finance and tech, respectively. The pair reconnected during the Covid-19 pandemic and launched Equipt, using technology to replicate the path they followed years prior.
