Which Cities Are Best for Diversity in STEM? 

Bizwomen: The Business Journals | Melissa Wylie | December 20, 2017
https://www.bizjournals.com/bizwomen/news/latest-news/2017/12/which-cities-are-best-for-diversity-in-stem.html

“While some cities have thriving science, technology, engineering and math sectors, the local workforce may be lacking in diversity. Personal finance company SmartAsset identified the cities with the best diversity in STEM fields. SmartAsset analyzed data from the 50 cities with the largest STEM workforces and compared them across racial and gender diversity metrics.”

How Tech Firms Are Embracing Ex-Prisoners

Fortune | Jennifer Alsever | January 20, 2018
http://fortune.com/2018/01/20/coding-jobs-prisoners-employment/

“In San Francisco, husband-and-wife tech veterans Beverly Parenti and Chris Redlitz have been training prisoners to be coders and entrepreneurs—even before they get out of prison. Their nonprofit, the Last Mile, teaches software programming, design, and entrepreneurship in four California prisons—using computers without Internet access. Over the course of four years, a string of local tech executives and entrepreneurs have come in as guest speakers, garnering connections that have led to higher-paying jobs when prisoners are released. Those enrolled in the group’s web development shop inside San Quentin State Prison do design work for businesses while still behind bars, building their portfolios, references, and cash for when they get out.”

Job Referrals May Spur Hires but Also Lead to Less Diversity and Pay Gaps, Study Says

Seattle Times | Rachel Lerman | January 23, 2018
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/job-referrals-may-spur-hires-but-also-lead-to-less-diversity-and-pay-gaps-study-says/

“Job-candidate referrals from current employees may help companies hire faster, but a new industry study finds that relying on these suggestions can result in a less diverse workforce for businesses, and sometimes less money for new hires. A study from Seattle-based PayScale found that people who get a job after being referred by a friend or family member are offered on average $1,600 per year less than those who hear about jobs in other ways. Friends and family members are the largest source of referrals, the study says, making up about 14 percent of all employee hires.”

5 Things Companies Can Do To Attract Diverse Talent

Forbes | Laurence Bradford | January 24, 2018
https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurencebradford/2018/01/24/5-things-companies-can-do-to-attract-diverse-talent/#2a495d836f1a

“Today’s tech companies are starting to realize that in order to truly attract top talent and run a business that appeals to the greatest amount of people, they need to be proactive about having a diverse workforce. Some of them go the extra mile by posting openings on female-focused job boards or offering perks like fertility treatments and egg freezing. But there are other simple things that any company can do to make sure they appeal to a wider talent pool and eliminate any unconscious biases during their hiring process. By taking intentional action on this front, companies can make sure they have a variety of perspectives contributing to their products — from women to minorities to veterans–and be more successful for it.”

#MeToo: How to Address Discrimination and Harassment at Seattle Tech Companies

Seattle Times | Ruchika Tulshyan | January 30, 2018
https://www.seattletimes.com/nwshowcase/careers/metoo-how-to-address-sex-discrimination-and-harassment-at-local-tech-companies/

“The crusade for gender equity in the workplace appears to be at a tipping point. I’ve been feeling sick to my stomach following the horrific stories of child sex abuse revealed against former USA Gymnastics team physician Larry Nassar. But this is also the first time in my career covering women in the workplace that I’ve seen gender equity featured heavily across the international stage like it was last week at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Thanks to the momentum created by the #MeToo campaign, greater attention is being paid to how women are treated across industries. My question is — what comes next? How do we drive and sustain meaningful change?”