How an Inclusive Apprenticeship Led to Marketable Skills in IT: A Neurodiverse Apprentice Shares His Success Story

The Partnership on Inclusive Apprenticeship (PIA) just launched a new Apprenticeship for All podcast episode. In this episode, a graduate of the Bridge to Opportunity IT program who identifies as neurodivergent, shares his journey into an IT career through apprenticeship. He provides advice to other job candidates with disabilities, as well as to employers of neurodiverse apprentices about how they can create inclusive workplaces to broaden their company’s access to a large talent pool of tech professionals.

Listen to How an Inclusive Apprenticeship Led to Marketable Skills in IT

New Apprenticeship for All Podcast Episode: Creating a Truly Inclusive Workplace

The Partnership on Inclusive Apprenticeship (PIA) and the Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology (PEAT) just launched a podcast episode highlighting the importance of inclusive workplaces. In this episode, four colleagues discuss their personal experiences as employees with disabilities, including mental health disabilities, visual impairment and substance use disorder. Based on their lived experiences, they offer their advice on what employers and fellow team members can do to create a truly inclusive and stigma free workplace.

Listen to the podcast or read the transcript of “Creating a Truly Inclusive Workplace”.

LGBTBE Business Webinars and Video Resources During COVID-19

NGLCC

For Webinar questions, email NGLCC here

This page is dedicated to our network of exceptional, innovative Certified LGBT Business Enterprise® (Certified LGBTBE®) suppliers in the NGLCC network. Here you will find information on business development webinars and trainings; online matchmakers, both B2B and corporate; support with drafting capability statements and RFPs; and much, much more to help our businesses and community stay strong and ready for the year ahead.

For funding and economic relief information, click here.

Additionally, many NGLCC local affiliate chambers have regional information an economic recovery opportunities available.

To find your closest local affiliate, click here.

Making the Virtual Workplace Accessible: Podcast

The Partnership on Employment and Accessible Technology (PEAT)’s latest Future of Work podcast episode features PEAT co-director Josh Christianson as he discusses how employers can make the virtual workplace accessible.

The Future of Work podcast is developed in partnership with Workology.com as part of the PEAT’s Future of Work series, which works to start conversations around how emerging workplace technology trends are impacting people with disabilities.

Visit Workology’s Website by clicking here.

During the interview, Josh mentions several resources that employers may find helpful as they pursue making the virtual workplace more accessible:

Buy IT!

Buy IT! is an online resource that helps employers and their purchasing staff build accessibility and usability into their information and communication technology (ICT) procurement processes.

Click here to go to Buy It’s Website

Staff Training Resources

PEAT’s Staff Training resource features information you’ll need to train employees in order to ensure inclusive technology practices within your workplace.

Click here to access the Staff Training resources

Talentworks

TalentWorks is a series of resources that help employers and HR professionals make their eRecruiting technologies accessible to all job seekers—including those with disabilities.

To access Talentworks’ resources, click here

Listen to the complete interview with Josh by clicking here.

Eliminating Algorithmic Bias in Hiring and Employment: Podcast

One of the Partnership on Employment and Accessible Technology (PEAT)’s recent Future of Work podcast episodes features Steve Feyer, Director of Product Marketing for Eightfold AI, a leading HR technology company focused on talent acquisition and management, as he discusses Eightfold’s approach to reducing algorithmic bias and the steps that employers can take to do the same.

During the interview, Workology’s Jessica Miller-Merrell notes that 2020 was the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and she asks Steve what emerging workplace trends or technologies he thinks will have the biggest impact on people with disabilities in the next 30 years. Here is what Steve said:

“Well, I think there are two very important trends. The first, naturally, is artificial intelligence. By taking bias out of the equation as much as possible, we are enabling the decision makers to focus on what people are actually able to…and really focus on their potential rather than any personal characteristics that are irrelevant. I think this is so important because people with disabilities have that right to work. And frankly, I think organizations are obligated to do everything they can to realize that right that everybody has. But I think another important trend is the rise of accessibility technology. Voice assistants, screen readers and all these other kinds of accessibility technologies now live in our pocket. And they work really well. So I’m hopeful that these types of technologies will make it possible for more and more people with disabilities to participate fully in every kind of activity, every community in the workplace.”

Listen to the complete interview with Steve on the PEAT website.

The Partnership on Inclusive Apprenticeship Podcast

The Partnership on Inclusive Apprenticeship (PIA) released a new podcast episode, “How Inclusive Apprenticeship Programs and On-the-Job Training Can Address Talent Shortages in IT.” In this episode, Pat Romzek, retired IT Executive and CEO of Three Talents, LLC, discusses the benefits of inclusive IT-focused apprenticeships and Three Talents’ success in developing a diverse, skilled workforce.

Listen to the podcast episode or read the transcript of “How Inclusive Apprenticeship Programs and On-the-Job Training Can Address Talent Shortages in IT.”