Posts about Diversity in Tech
Making a Career in Tech Accessible to All. July 2018 Scholarships
May 22, 20182018 has already been a busy year for Grand Circus From graduating our 1,000th coding bootcamp student to extending our full-time bootcamps and even launching a new After-Hour Bootcamp, our team has been working on some major improvements to ensure a career in tech is accessible to everyone. We’ve also been working behind the scenes on some big goals and announcements that will further support our community and their ability to thrive in the tech industry. We recognize that the goal for the majority of our graduates is to land a new career in tech. Because of this, we’ve worked even harder in recent months to connect with more employers and dig deeper on their needs when it comes to attracting and retaining talent. (more…)
For Women in Tech, Mentors Make All the Difference
March 6, 2018For those not historically included in the tech industry – specifically, women and people of color – mentors that look like them are important factors for individual success. Seeing people who look like you have successful careers in your field can be remarkable and inspiring – it’s proof that success in the tech industry is possible for all women.
Diane Taylor
A mentorship allows women to truly understand their passion and how technology can have an impact,”says Diane Taylor, of the Michigan Council of Women in Technology (MCWT). “There are so many different areas of technology that many people may not think about like application development, total user experience, communication, project management, and more. By having someone in the field of technology mentor a woman interested in this field, it can open doors to different things that many have not considered.”
MCWT’s vision is simple and bold: to make Michigan the leading state for women in technology. Grand Circus partnered with the MCWT, connecting two cohorts of women students from the DEVELOP(her) bootcamps with mentors through the MCWT’s Ignite! Mentorship program. Ignite! is a mentoring program designed for women in the early stages of their tech careers, or in a mid-career transition into the technology field. (more…)
Meet our Grand Rapids DEVELOP(her) Graduates
December 14, 2017
With just 25% of computer programming jobs held by women, the tech industry has a lot of work to do to create equal opportunities. Grand Circus is committed to changing this narrative. In 2016, we launched our DEVELOP(her) program to equip women with the skills and resources they need to start a career in tech. Coupling our tech training with funding and support from amazing community partners, we’ve launched this initiative in Grand Rapids, Detroit and Flint by providing full scholarships to select women interested taking our coding bootcamps.
This fall, our first cohort in Grand Rapids launched, and we’re proud to have graduated eleven amazing women. Here’s a little about their journey: (more…)
Detroit In Tech: Latinx in Tech
October 29, 2017Hola, tech familia! In this blog, we’re featuring local Latinx working in tech and design.
We will begin with the wonderful Cristina Landa, director at Venture for America in Detroit, by day, helping young tech entrepreneurs find their place in the techworld.
I personally know Cris as an active member in her community in her freetime, and as someone who takes on leadership roles in order to provide for others. Most recently, she’s volunteering for Garlin Gilchrist who’s running for Detroit City Clerk and who promises to update our systems in order to make the city more tech savvy and efficient! Personally, I’m super grateful to both! (more…)
Detroit In Tech: Justins-In-Tech
July 10, 2017This month we’re featuring two millennial entrepreneurs of color, and their work in the Detroit tech industry. Our entrepreneurs are two Justins-in-Tech! From connecting college students to jobs, to providing marketing to increase the sustainability of local companies, these two Detroit entrepreneurs of color are working for more than just their own gain.
Let’s begin with Justin Dunn at Increase Branding & Design:
What do you do when you discover a personal talent? Do you ignore it? Or do you work on it in order to perfect your skill and use it to open other possibilities? Well, that’s just what Justin Dunn did! Read on to learn how to turn your talents into your next career move. (more…)