BOSTON and PHILADELPHIA,
Aug. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/
-- JFF, a national nonprofit driving transformation in the
American workforce and education systems, today announced a
$500,000 partnership with Comcast
NBCUniversal to support research that will identify promising
evidence, practices, and policies that create the conditions for
advancement of Black learners and workers in technology and digital
fields. Outputs of this work will include a framework for improving
education and career outcomes for Black learners and workers.
Black workers are underrepresented in technology careers. In the
U.S., people who self-identify as Black make up 12.4 percent of the
population, but just 7.4 percent of the tech industry workforce,
and women of color overall accounted for just 4 percent. While
Black students made up 6 percent of the computer science and
engineering graduates, they were only 3 percent of the total
Silicon Valley workforce. That reality poses a risk of growing
occupational segregation, as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
reports that growth in IT occupations will continue to outpace the
broader economy through 2029.
"Even with similar education and training, Black technology
professionals earn less than white peers across nearly all
education levels," said Michael
Collins, a vice president at JFF. "We want to promote Black
economic advancement by interrupting the long-standing pattern of
Black learners and workers being concentrated in industries
associated with low wages and more susceptible to disruption by
technology and automation. In an era where digital and IT skills
are in demand across a wide range of industries, we hope that this
work will lead us to a deeper understanding of not just barriers,
but practices that unlock the potential of Black talent."
In an effort to uncover opportunities that can strengthen
pathways to economic advancement for Black learners and workers in
the digital economy, a team of experts in research, public policy,
and systems change at JFF will evaluate a wide range of hiring,
training, talent development, and other practices throughout the
next several months. They will work to identify promising evidence
of strategies that create the conditions for increased economic
equity. This research will be shaped by insights from a
cross-sector and multi-industry advisory council of Black leaders
who will further inform and create a framework for economic
mobility for Black Americans.
Council members include Aimée Eubanks
Davis, CEO and founder, Braven; Allison Scott, CEO, Kapor Center;
Angela Jackson, managing
partner, New Profit; Duwain
Pinder, associate partner, McKinsey; Dwana Franklin-Davis, CEO, Reboot
Representation; Greg Gunn,
co-founder, Lingo Ventures; John
Simpkins, president and CEO, MDC, Inc.; Kenyatta Lovett, managing director of higher
education, Educate Texas; Melissa
Bradley, managing partner, 1863 Ventures and co-founder,
Ureeka; Michael Ellison, CEO
and founder, CodePath.org; and Monique
Umphrey, president, Houston
Community College Northeast.
"To support this work, we sought out a strategic partner who
drives meaningful progress by working across sectors. JFF knows how
to navigate the complex intersection of learning and employment,
and they also have experience exploring the human dimensions of
systemic challenges," said Dalila Wilson-Scott, executive vice
president and chief diversity officer of Comcast Corporation.
"Michael Collins brings a
systems-level understanding of the ways in which education and
training can increase access and success in high-wage, high-demand
industries."
Comcast NBCUniversal's partnership with JFF is an extension of
the company's ongoing commitment to digital equity, including its
$1 billion pledge over the next 10
years to further close the digital divide in communities across the
country with a focus on helping to ensure those facing the greatest
barriers have the skills, tools, and resources necessary to benefit
from the expanding digital economy.
For more information, visit www.jff.org.
About JFF: JFF is a national nonprofit that drives
transformation in the American workforce and education systems. For
nearly 40 years, JFF has led the way in designing innovative and
scalable solutions that create access to economic advancement for
all. www.jff.org
About Comcast Corporation: Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq:
CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects
people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on
broadband, aggregation, and streaming with 57 million customer
relationships across the United
States and Europe. We
deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast
Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading
entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed
Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC
and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock,
NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and
provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in
the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for
more information.
Contact: media@jff.org
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SOURCE JFF