In a majority minority city, the tech workforce is the complete opposite. Though the workforce is growing, the diversity is largely staying the same, as only 6% of tech employees in Philadelphia identify themselves as Black or Hispanic. This affects not just the technology and companies we build, but also the city where we are dedicated to growing our businesses.
The success of Philadelphia’s tech companies relies on their ability to recruit and retain talent, but huge swaths of the city A.) don’t know about the opportunities available, B.) don’t have the skills to compete for tech jobs, or C.) both. As policymakers shift their focus to using the tech industry as a driving force of economic growth and opportunity in our region, we need to rethink our approach to education and talent development or we will leave people out. Join Coded by Kids staff and instructors as they lead a moderated discussion with CTOs from Philadelphia’s leading tech companies around the skills taught in Coded by Kids classrooms and the skills companies are hiring for. Attendees will leave this roundtable with ideas on the policy and program changes necessary to develop diverse tech talent in the Philadelphia region.
Part of #PTW18 presented by Comcast. This event is made possible through the generous support of our sponsors, Comcast & Envestnet.
Confirmed participants:
Dalila Wilson-Scott, Comcast
Mjumbe Poe, FixList
Chris Baglieri, Blackfynn
Chris Merrick, Stitch Data
Brian O'Neill, Monetate
Moderated by Sylvester Mobley and Maggie Deptola of Coded by Kids.