Renewed efforts to bring more tech engagement to our community are underway: InnoPower, Rooted School (Rooted), the Indianapolis Recorder and Eleven Fifty Academy have announced a partnership to improve exposure to technology and light up career paths into the tech industry for African Americans. The shared mission is to create opportunities and a clear career roadmap, from high school to adulthood, for African Americans, who are currently underrepresented in tech.
By reverse-engineering clear pathways to entering the tech workforce, these partnering organizations are working to create a tech talent funnel. Creating change and opening doors to mentorship, internships and open forum discussions on career opportunities for people of color to enter the tech workforce has been a driver of Emil Ekiyor, CEO and Founder of InnoPower.
“Tech is supposed to be the great equalizer. It is projected that the Indianapolis area’s base of tech occupation employment — a subset of net tech employment — will grow by 7.8% by 2026*. We can’t just sit back and hope Black and brown students are prepared for these opportunities,” said Ekiyor, who was born in Nigeria and moved to the U.S. at the age of 15 to pursue his education. “We must create them.”
Community engagement is a major component of the plan, with town halls planned in 2021.
Creating awareness is critical so that people can discover their own potential for a career in tech. Starting young, as with Rooted School, provides students early experience and exposure to highly sought-after jobs in technology. A goal for Rooted School graduates is to go onto college with a sense of purpose and a relevant context for being there. All graduates will leave with a job offer in one hand and a college acceptance letter in the other.
