Pearson is hiring on pocitjobs.com Tanya Ivey joined Pearson fresh out of college 24 years ago, and she could never have foreseen the twists and turns her career would take. Over the years, she’s witnessed the tech industry transform, pivot, and evolve, while she learned to do the same. Now a senior systems analyst, Ivey is an integral part of Pearson’s Digital and Technology group for global science. She spoke with POCIT about her remarkable career journey as a woman of color in tech. She shares her tips for forging
October marks Black History Month in the UK, an occasion to recognize and celebrate the contributions of Black people to British society. Black people from African and Caribbean communities have been integral to British history and society for centuries. The UK Black History Month 2023 theme is “Saluting our Sisters”, highlighting Black women’s crucial role in shaping history, inspiring change and building communities. CIO reported that just 0.7% of Black women in the UK work in the IT industry, compared to 1.8% across the UK’s entire workforce. They also found
A Florida State University researcher has been awarded the largest National Science Foundation (NSF) career grant in the university’s history. The award is one of the NSF’s most prestigious, designed to support early-career faculty who showcase outstanding scholarship through their research and contributions to education. Dr Yolanda Rankin Yolanda Rankin, an associate professor in the School of Information, was awarded a five-year $1.5 million grant to support her research on Black women’s careers in computing. Her approach prioritizes understanding and valuing the perspectives of Black women. Her work delves into
Forbes has unveiled its third annual 50 over 50 list, highlighting dynamic female leaders and entrepreneurs who have achieved significant success later in life. Let’s meet some Black women over 50 making moves in tech and proving that success has no age limit. Brenda Darden Wilkerson – President and CEO of AnitaB.org Wilderson, 63, founded the nonprofit AnitaB.org, which aims to diversify tech by bringing in more women and nonbinary talent. She began the role at age 57 after spending eight years with Chicago Public Schools and has now boosted her organization’s
Following Elon Musk’s announcement to buy Twitter in April 2022, many users, particularly Black users, opposed it. Some have found other platforms, such as Mastodon, Spill, and Bluesky. Bluesky, however, has recently raised some alarm bells after a moderation policy change following a death threat against a Black woman left many questioning the safety of the platform. What is Bluesky? Bluesky is a decentralized social app that started off as a project by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey in 2019 when he was Twitter’s CEO. Dorsey chose Jay Graber to lead
HelloBeautiful and Madame Noire’s special cover, Women To Know: Tech Titans, is a celebration of Black women blazing trails in tech. Despite making up just 1.7% of the tech workforce, Black women are leading, innovating, and disrupting the industry. So, HelloBeautiful and Madame Noire brought eight Black women changemakers and visionaries together for a shoot by Black women-owned production company Oracle Media and photographer JD Barnes. HelloBeautiful and Madame Noire also hosted a roundtable discussion with four Tech Titans: Kelsey Davis, Michelle James, Bozoma Saint John, and Kimberly Bryant. Together, they celebrated each other’s strengths and successes, were candid
In an ideal world, the development of AI will come with no added biases. But, unfortunately, this is not the case. As many organizations look to find a solution to AI bias, reports suggest bringing more Black women into data science will help eliminate this issue – but is it true? Diversifying data science If the developers behind AI systems look, sound, and share the same life experiences, how can we expect to have a tool reflective of society? Novelist Chimamanda Adichie touched upon this when highlighting the dangers of “a single
Damilola Awofisayo is in a league of her own. The young hacker, who was born in America but spent part of her childhood in Nigeria, has learned to use technology to solve societal problems. Awofisayo fell in love with computer science at high school and was keen to help run hackathons. However, after several unsuccessful attempts to take part in hackathons, she decided to take things into her own hands. Now a Duke University freshman, Awofisayo is the founder of TecHacks. The all-female and non-binary student virtual hackathon aims to
Twitter has appointed Bukky Ojeifo as its new global head of culture and community following the departure of God-is Rivera, who previously held the position. In her new role, the Nigerian-American marketing expert will continue to carry the company’s mission of serving diverse voices who contribute to the public conversation on the platform. Before her new role, Ojeifo was the firm’s senior manager, global culture, and community. Her main role at the time? She guided how Twitter amplifies and engages with the underrepresented communities that use the service. Speaking to
Global Tech Advocates Black Women In Tech has launched their first ever Voices In The Shadows festival, which will take place in London, UK this October. The festival has been sponsored by industry giants including Google, HSBC, Goldman Sachs, Discovery+, and more. Inspired by The Voices in The Shadow books, which was first published last year, the program will showcase the journeys of 51 Black women in the UK who have impacted the tech industry. The event aims to provide all attendees with an intimate setting to help them connect
