August 9, 2021
We want to serve as a resource. To keep you abreast of critical issues dominating the national discourse—including diversity, equity and inclusion; the digital divide; STEAM education; entrepreneurship and small business—we’re compiling timely news and information in one place because the first step to fixing a problem is understanding it.
T.D. Jakes Foundation in Action
Last week, FWD>DFW spoke with Hattie Hill, President & CEO of the T.D. Jakes Foundation, about the launch of the PATHWAY Program, which is connecting people in underserved communities with living-wage employment. Click here to read more.
Next week, the T.D. Jakes Foundation will officially launch the PATHWAY program’s Virtual Hiring Platform, a 365 days-a-year program connecting job candidates to corporations actively recruiting diverse talent. We encourage people at all stages in their careers, from entry-level candidates and recent college graduates to experienced job-seekers and advanced-degree holders to become part of the program! Visit our website to learn more and submit your information and connect with companies looking for diverse talent!
In anticipation of the launch of the PATHWAY program, we’re talking to some of the exceptional candidates in our Skills Database. For our first profile, we spoke to Leshawn Richardson, an IT candidate who quickly went from front-desk receptionist at a major hospital to manager of a team of 25+ and is hoping to become the new ‘face of’ programming. Read about Leshawn here.
Need additional resources around STEAM this summer? The T.D. Jakes Foundation has compiled a list of STEAM resources for the arts, coding, and engineering and even resources specifically for kids and teachers. Check out our STEAM resources here.
Who Runs the World?
Graduates of Harvard University have gone on to become presidents, governors, senators and movie stars. In Tokyo, American sprinter Gabby Thomas, who is pursuing a master’s in epidemiology and health care management at the University of Texas, was chasing something no other Harvard graduate has—a track-and-field gold medal from the Olympic Games. Read more in Time Magazine.
During the pandemic, child care was a second full-time job for many moms of young kids. On average, moms with children ages 12 and under spent about eight hours a day on direct or indirect child care last year, while simultaneously working an average of six hours on weekdays, according to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and analyzed by the Brookings Institution. The findings, which capture the way Americans split their time from May to December 2020, are a stark illustration of who bore the brunt of caregiving duties when the pandemic shuttered schools and child-care centers across the country. The 19th has more.
Help Wanted
Employers in the U.S. face an interesting challenge ahead – How to fill nearly 10 million job openings with about a million fewer workers than there are available positions. How successful they are will go a long way in determining whether the recent string of outsized job gains can continue. CNBC has more.
FlexJobs has highlighted companies offering remote jobs since 2007, but the coronavirus pandemic put a renewed spotlight on the benefits of remote work. More companies are switching to long-term, remote work, and many people are focused on finding permanent (and part-time) remote jobs. Check out the full list.
A confluence of factors has led the rank and file at Big Tech companies to leave what were coveted jobs a decade ago for the potential riches of startups and young public companies, with some participants calling it the “Great Resignation.” Read more in MarketWatch.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) in the workplace has come under heightened focus since 2020 as social unrest grew, and the pandemic prompted many to reevaluate their lives. Accountancy firms are more committed than ever to making progress in this area. However, with many groups still underrepresented in the CPA profession, there is clearly still work to be done. Read more in CPA Practice Advisor.
Digital Divide
Some neighborhoods in Dallas have less internet access than others, but there are several with no adequate options at all, Joanne Hovis, president of CTC Technology & Energy, told City Council last week. The city has been grappling with a digital divide for some time now, and the numbers aren’t pretty. Dallas was identified as one of the major U.S. cities with the highest percentage of households with no fixed internet access, at 42.3%. To make matters worse, there are disparities in the lack of access. Read more in the Dallas Observer.
A new study by the University of Missouri found a lack of digital resources exacerbated Black families’ frustration with virtual learning early on in the pandemic, the onset of which hit right as Black families were already facing additional stress over the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and others. Read more about the study.
Education Update
Starting Tuesday, Dallas ISD will require students and teachers to wear masks at its campuses, defying Gov. Greg Abbott’s order that bars districts from issuing mask mandates. Superintendent Michael Hinojosa announced the change during a Monday morning press conference, saying that it was within his discretion to ensure the health and safety of his employees and the district’s students. Read more in The Dallas Morning News.
Developing future talent starts by investing in tomorrow’s leaders today. Career-ready partners like Capital One and NAF — a national nonprofit bringing together education, business and community leaders to transform the high school experience — have provided Dallas ISD students with paid, hands-on internships that not only prepare students for college and careers, but further build the talent pipeline. Read more here.
Superintendent Michael Hinojosa is hosting a series of Community Conversations to talk with parents and community members about Dallas ISD. The conversations are scheduled for almost every part of the district from August through April. The Dallas ISD blog has more.
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