Florida International University (FIU) has launched a new initiative to give students the necessary skills and credentials to excel in high-demand tech careers. The gap between the Latinx community and the tech industry The university has more than 32,000 students who identify as Hispanic or Latinx enrolled in their courses. However, despite the Hispanic community making up one-fifth of the U.S. workforce, only a tiny percentage of them find their way into the tech workforce. According to reports, the absence of Latinx people within the tech industry stems back to the
In response to the lack of diversity in the UK’s teaching force, Lewis Hamilton’s charitable foundation, Mission 44, has co-launched a campaign to to recruit and train more Black teachers in science, technology and maths (STEM) subjects. The STEM From Black campaign is part of Mission 44’s two-year partnership with educational charity Teach First. Fronting the campaign is Dr. Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE, tech leader and founder of the award-winning social enterprise, Stemettes. Research by Tech First has revealed that out of 500,000 teachers in England, only 2% are from Black
Software platform Adobe has partnered with HBCUs across the US to provide more Black Americans with the skillsets needed to prevail in the competitive tech industry. According to a study by Zippia, Black people currently make up 13.6% of the US population but only 7% of the tech industry. Abode’s investments aim to inspire students to express their ideas in a compelling, digital-first world and provide them with critical digital literacy skills needed to thrive in the modern workforce. “To create products that solve challenging problems for people all over the world, companies
The nation’s only historically Black liberal arts institution, Morehouse College, has partnered with the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) to launch the new Center for Broadening Participation in Computing (CBPC). Center For Broadening Participation In Computing The CBPC will prepare underrepresented students to compete fairly in the tech industry. The initiative represents a fusion of four distinct programs at Morehouse College, which aims to help tech companies strengthen the pipeline for recruiting and retaining diverse students. The CBPC will become a hub for supporting and assisting college students across the state
The Hidden Genius Project, a nonprofit for Black male youth in tech, is coming to the Formula 1 racetrack thanks to the Sponsor X initiative. McLaren Racing partner Smartsheet launched the Sponsor X initiative at the Australian Grand Prix earlier this year. Now, for this weekend’s US Grand Prix, McLaren Racing partner Smartsheet is replacing its logo on the McLaren race cars and all marketing activities with The Hidden Genius Project’s logo. Smartsheet will also work with the nonprofit to bring tech education to local youth ahead of the racing event. What
The world’s largest interviewing company, Karat, has announced that five of the world’s leading corporations have joined the Brilliant Black Minds program, which aims to double the number of Black software engineers in the US. Partners of Brilliance Organizations such as Prime Video, Citi, Duolingo, Indeed, and Flatiron Health have joined the movement to commit further to developing Black engineers. In addition to hiring Brilliant Black Minds program participants, these ‘Partners of Brilliance’ have committed to supporting aspiring software engineers from underrepresented backgrounds with workshops and learning opportunities. Brilliant Black Minds Program
Soft drink company, Mountain Dew (MTN Dew), has expanded its commitment to Black entrepreneurship by creating a new Esports tournament that will see students compete for a $500,000 prize. Following MTN Dew’s ‘Real Change Opportunity Fund’ initiative in 2020, the soft drink company has joined forces with HBCU Esports League to reinforce their commitment to supporting the next generation of Black entrepreneurs. The tournament, launched last month, will run until October 28 and will be available for any gamers enrolled at an HBCU to register and join. Black representation in gaming The
Black couple DeMario and Dawn Nicole McIlawin are the creators behind Skilldora. This Black-owned edtech startup is one of the first e-learning platforms to embrace “digitally created humans,” also known as AI instructors. Skilldora has partnered with Israel-based company, D-ID, to accelerate academic learning for the next generation. According to Yahoo Finance, edtech startups have helped boost the educational sector. Online education is now one of the most effective and fastest ways for modern learners to learn seamlessly. Skilldora is on a mission to revolutionize the education system by becoming
IBM has announced the launch of Cybersecurity Leadership Centers across six HBCUs. The move aims to give students and faculty access to IBM training, software, and certifications at no extra cost. Underrepresented students and professors can receive help with coursework, lectures, immersive training experiences, and knowledgeable skills they can always take with them as they grow. According to IBM, the program will be available at 20 HBCUs across 11 states to help co-create Cybersecurity Leadership Centers and create talent opportunities for employers and students combined. “Collaborations between academia and the private
Black coder, Sean Wiggs, has created a platform online for writing code to spam and troll companies that are unjust and discriminatory. Wiggs recently used his coding skills to oppose a Texas law banning women from having an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. After successfully shutting down that website, he has set his eyes on a new target, the Job Creators Network’s anti-student loan forgiveness campaign. Earlier this year, President Joe Biden announced a new plan to cancel $10,000 of student loan debt, allowing millions of Americans to apply. However, despite many people
