Black representation continues to be lacking in the tech industry

Technology companies may have grown Become more vocal about prioritizing diversity But their strategy didn't bring about any major changes. That's because they haven't gotten to the root of the problem.

According to a recent study by the Computing Technology Industry Association, Black people make up just 8% of employees and 3% of executives in the U.S. technology industry.this lack of representation Within organizations, persistent barriers and barriers are created to hiring Black talent at every level of the hiring process.

“It's a very white, very male-dominated, very bigoted industry,” said David Lee, a technology expert who has worked in cybersecurity for more than a decade. “The biggest challenge black workers face is that they are often the only ones in the room. They don’t have a safe haven within the organization, which can lead to a feeling of great isolation.” There is a gender.”

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But for many aspiring Black tech workers, the limit begins long before they get to the office. More than half of Black adults can't afford to apply for technology jobs, according to a recent survey from Jobs for the Future. When do they enter the industry, and if they do, management consulting firm McKinsey has found that: black wage gap The proportion of technical jobs is expected to increase by almost 37% within the next 10 years.

The impact of those discoveriesLee said it's already having a long-term impact on the quality of the tools and programs big tech companies create.

“We're building technology in an echo chamber,” he says. “Different points of view and points of view are not considered because there is no room for them. As technology increasingly enters the fabric of everyday life, this is not just an inconvenience, it can lead to greater consequences. and may cause damage.”

For example, facial recognition technology has a hard time recognizing black faces, while AI chatbots are biased. Removed names that sounded “non-white” or the specific area code under which applicants will be reviewed. A company's current diversity efforts are a good starting point for finding and fixing these issues, but A technology industry accessible to diverse talent It's the only way to avoid it happening again.

read more: How to use AI to eliminate bias rather than perpetuate it

“It takes intention to change this,” Lee said. “It takes a willingness to have uncomfortable conversations, look in the mirror and admit that you have shortcomings.”

First, Lee suggests that recruiters remove demographic information from resumes. Just look at the qualifications, rather than guessing based on name or university affiliation. When it comes to filling pipelines, organizations should consider: Partner with HBCUsget involved with campus and student clubs and organizations.

“Bringing different voices and perspectives into the room means more ideas are presented about how to solve problems,” Lee says. “This should be the driving mission to grow these numbers over time. Intention is key here. Companies need to: want To create a more diverse workforce. ”