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. (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…)
Women in Tech: DEVELOP(her) Scholarship and Bootcamp Field Notes
August 23, 2017While there were dozens of men who invented, improved and created the first computers, women were an essential and fundamental part of the development of modern programming. Today women are a presence the tech industry sorely lacks and sorely needs.
Each of us is fighting a whirlwind of career and job challenges that are often hard to wrap our strengths around. Such challenges are particularly fundamental to the experiences of women in the workplace. Those challenges are further magnified by the minority gap in tech. The DEVELOP(her) scholarship is our way of being responsible stewards of the coding knowledge we have at Grand Circus. It’s a scholarship and bootcamp combo that are awarded to women who want to follow in the footsteps of their predecessors (Grace Hopper, anyone?).
The DEVELOP(her) recipients train in the coding skills necessary to launch careers in tech, and participate in the tech industry’s growth. (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…)
Meet the 2017 DEVELOP(her) Scholarship Recipients!
June 1, 2017
The tech industry should reflect the the diversity of our community. It’s a core value that Grand Circus stands behind in everything we do. With just 26% of computing jobs being filled by women, we’re always looking for creative solutions to the problem.
Last year, we were proud to launch our inaugural DEVELOP(her) coding bootcamp. It gave 19 women an opportunity at free tech training and assisted them in finding a career after graduation. This year, we were proud to award our first round of DEVELOP(her) scholarships, which provides full-tuition funding to a select number of ladies and can be used toward our full-time coding bootcamps.
A Mission to Diversify the Tech Industry: DEVELOP(her)
November 30, 2016I first discovered Grand Circus when I heard about the Apprenticeship Program, a course that provides non-traditional pathways to high-demand tech careers for those underrepresented in the industry. My first thought was, “Where can I find a job that allows me to make a real change that will impact my community?”. Lucky for me, Grand Circus was hiring!
Startup Spotlight: SPLT
October 26, 2016Commuting to work can be tough. Waking up at the crack of dawn and setting out alone to battle miles of gridlock traffic, detours, and red lights isn’t exactly how you’d like to start your day. Plus, the further you live from work, the more costly this daily adventure can be. But what if there was a better way to travel that saved you time, money and most importantly, your sanity?
Ladies and gentlemen, meet SPLT–––a startup based in the Motor City that is changing the commuting game one
car pool at a time. Through its mobile app and partnerships with ride-sharing companies like Lyft, SPLT is helping make everyone’s journey to work more efficient and less stressful.
In addition to the company’s great idea, SPLT also holds a special place in our hearts at Grand Circus as an alumni company from our co-working space (they grow up so fast!). Since then, SPLT has gone on to participate in our statewide Google Demo Day and then made it to the nationwide Google’s Demo Day in Mountain View, California. SPLT has received numerous awards and funding prizes at events across the country.
With the energy behind the ride-sharing industry continuing to grow, we had to check in with our friends at SPLT to see what was new. In order to learn more about their mission and vision, we talked to SPLT’s Founder & CEO, Anya Babbitt.
7 Tips to Increase Workforce Diversity
October 1, 2016
At Grand Circus, our committed to diversity is embedded in everything we do. From our core values to student and employee recruitment, we work hard to ensure we’re recognizing talent from every background. We’ve spent much of this year working closely with various organizations, such as Code2040, to identify new ways we can improve as a team and share this mission throughout our community.