MILWAUKEE, WI—BDPA would like to welcome Northwestern Mutual as a Gold Sponsor! This partnership is an opportunity to work with Northwestern Mutual to discover new insights and to create new opportunities through networking and potential employment. During the 43rd Annual Conference, this partnership will be highlighted in several ways.
BDPA’s Data Science Academy (DSA) and Northwestern Mutual are partnering to provide experiences for educational and career growth through research and lab-based programs for students and professionals.
Message from Northwestern Mutual
Our BDPA partnership extends beyond the sponsorship and funding.
It provides opportunities to build relationships with diverse talent, especially students, opening the door for future tech talent to participate in our world class tech internships program and the possibility of a tech career at Northwestern Mutual and beyond.
At the same time, we can support our communities and grow local tech talent through working with the BDPA Milwaukee chapter.
“We’re excited to work with a new group of data and analytics professionals to deliver impactful learning experiences that attract, develop, and retain the best talent in the industry.”
KERI MCCONNELL, SENIOR DIRECTOR DATA SCIENCE & ANALYTICS, NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL, & CO-DIRECTOR, NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL DATA SCIENCE INSTITUTE
JPMorgan Chase reaffirms commitments to creating economic opportunities for Black Americans
WASHINGTON—One year after launching the Advancing Black Pathways (ABP) program, JPMorgan Chase is reaffirming its commitment to help more black Americans achieve sustained economic success. ABP builds on the firm’s existing efforts to help communities of color by focusing on three key areas where black Americans have historically trailed other ethnic groups: wealth creation, educational outcomes and career success.
“We’re committed to bringing the full force of our firm to provide improved access to education, job training and wealth creation for the black community,” said Jamie Dimon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of JPMorgan Chase. “We believe we’ve laid a strong foundation for Advancing Black Pathways to achieve lasting, meaningful impact, but recognize that we have a long way to go towards accomplishing that goal.”
According to Prosperity Now, if the current trends persist, the median wealth of black Americans will fall to $0 by 2053 1. In addition, despite accounting for nearly 13% of the U.S. population 2, black people occupy less than 8% of the nation’s white-collar jobs 3. The educational achievement gap is significant as well. Only 46% of black college students complete four-year degree programs within six years, compared to 69% of white students and 77% of Asian American students 4.
“JPMorgan Chase formed Advancing Black Pathways over a year ago to invest in black individuals, families and businesses in an effort to help more African Americans fully participate in our growing economy,” said Thasunda Brown Duckett, CEO of Chase Consumer Banking and executive sponsor of ABP.
“We’re proud of the progress we’ve made through Advancing Black Pathways to hire more black talent, invest in black owned-businesses and help black Americans of all wealth levels achieve their long-term financial goals. We look forward to building on these efforts for years to come,” Duckett said.
Here are some highlights of what JPMorgan Chase accomplished through ABP to help black Americans in 2019.
1. Wealth Creation:
In partnership with Essence Communications, ABP engaged nearly 16,000 people, primarily black women, in dialogue about how to achieve financial wellness through Currency Conversations. ABP gathered women in bank branches and in other locations nationwide to explore basic financial topics and set goals as a key step towards long-term wealth creation.The firm focused on this demographic because more than 70% of black women are either the sole or primary breadwinners for their families, according to the Center for American Progress 5 .
ABP partnered with the firm’s Supplier Diversity group to support black businesses in 2019, helping to double the number of black suppliers to JPMorgan Chase. The firm was also inducted into the Billion Dollar Roundtable, an exclusive group of U.S.-based companies that have spent at least $1 billion with diverse suppliers, and work collectively to advance supplier diversity.
2. Education and Careers:
ABP created an apprentice program dedicated to helping black college underclassmen get on a path to internships and entry-level roles with the firm after graduation. The initial class of 50 apprentices worked on real-time business challenges for Business Banking clients in Plano, Texas; Columbus, Ohio; and Wilmington, Delaware. The firm hired more than 1,000 black students in 2019. ABP will help drive the firm’s efforts to hire at least 4,000 by 2024 as apprentices, interns and full-time analysts.
Through ABP’s efforts, the firm delivered financial health training to more than 4,000 students, including 2,000 summer interns. The training consisted of live instruction on a wide range of personal finance topics, including budgeting and saving, credit health, and how to manage a monthly budget. Incoming Howard University students were required to take this training as part of their freshman orientation program, which will be delivered to additional Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in 2020.
JPMorgan Chase launched the Advisory Development Program in 2018, which seeks to expand racial, ethnic and gender diversity of financial advisors. Today, with support from ABP, this program has 222 participants—25% of whom are black.”
How JPMorgan Chase Is Building on its Commitment to Helping the Black Community
1. Student Financial Hardship Fund
Through ABP, JPMorgan Chase is committing $1 million to help students attending HBCUs cover the cost of personal finance emergencies. The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) and Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) will evenly administer these funds to students who attend publicly-supported HBCUs within their respective networks of 84 member schools.
Students can access these funds to pay for a wide range of expenses – including outstanding tuition balances, apartment deposits, unanticipated car repairs, medical expenses, unpaid utility bills and short-term food insecurity. Students can also use these funds to buy textbooks, or travel home for family-related emergencies.
“TMCF prides itself on removing as many barriers to opportunity as possible for the nearly 300,000 students in our 47 member-school network,” said Harry L. Williams, TMCF President and CEO. “Mission-driven partners like JPMorgan Chase understand that finances can be a significant hurdle for our students but they are doing something about it through this important scholarship.”
UNCF President and CEO Michael Lomax said that for low-income families – like those of the 92% of UNCF students who qualify for financial aid – the money needed to handle an emergency can mean the difference between staying in school and dropping out.
“This program is vital because once students leave school due to financial hardship, there is a huge risk that they will never return,” Lomax said. “We owe it to these students to be there for them when their college education is at risk.”
UNCF is the nation’s largest private provider of scholarships and other educational support to African American students.
2. Advancing Black Entrepreneurship
JPMorgan Chase also announced a new initiative to improve access to capital and business advisory services for black small business owners. This initiative— which is still under development and will launch later in 2020— will prepare black entrepreneurs for the loan application process and provide improved access to Chase’s Business Banking advisory services.
To create the program, ABP and Chase’s Business Bank formed a coalition with four partners: the National Minority Supplier Development Council, National Urban League, U.S. Black Chambers and Black Enterprise. McKinsey & Co. and E. Smith Advisors will assist the effort as consultants.
“In addition to homeownership, entrepreneurship holds an important key towards closing the racial wealth divide,” said Sekou Kaalund, Head of Advancing Black Pathways. “Black entrepreneurs are job creators, and possess a net worth that’s 12 times higher than black non-entrepreneurs 6, so we must do our part to promote and advance small business ownership.”
3. Helping Non-Profit Organizations Advance Racial Equity in Local Communities
Prosperity Now: JPMorgan Chase announced a $3 million commitment over two years to help nonprofit leaders of color in Minneapolis and Seattle address racial economic inequality. This new philanthropic investment brings the firm’s support for this initiative to more than $8.8 million across eight cities – Dallas, Wilmington, New Orleans, Miami, Baltimore, Chicago, Seattle and Minneapolis – since 2015. The initiative provides leaders with intensive leadership training, resource development and support for network building to enable them to both help their clients build wealth and strengthen
their organizations. It also supports critical research and policy efforts to help address the racial wealth divide. Research from Prosperity Now shows that from 1983-2013, the wealth of African American households declined by 75% compared with a 14% percent increase for white American households. “Through our partnership with JPMorgan Chase, we are building a national network of leaders of color working to achieve racial economic equity,” said Lillian Singh, Vice President of Racial Wealth Equity. “Through the release of our city-level racial wealth divide profiles, there is consensus that we must address growing racial economic inequality – so we are investing in the capacity and resilience of organizations to harness public, private, philanthropic, and political partnerships as they build power to serve their clients and build community-level assets.”
Inclusiv: The firm is making a $1 million commitment to Inclusiv to help people in low- and moderate-income communities in Detroit and Cleveland, improve their financial health. With JPMorgan Chase’s support, up to 10 Minority Depository Institutions (MDI) credit unions will increase their operational capacity to better serve more people in the communities where they operate. In addition, with JPMorgan Chase’s support, Inclusiv will build tailored FINtech solutions to address the needs of low-and-moderate-income individuals. Inclusiv will share best practices and lessons learned with the 264 credit unions in their network that spans 48 states. “Inclusiv was organized over 40 years ago by primarily minority credit unions, and these institutions continue to serve a critical function today, acting as a force for economic empowerment and inclusion within communities traditionally excluded from accessing safe and affordable financial services,” said Cathie Mahon, Inclusiv President and CEO. “African American credit unions are, and will continue to be, some of the best tools we have to strengthen our communities and fight back against the growing divide of income inequality and the racial wealth gap.”
Additional Efforts by JPMorgan Chase to Help Communities of Color
In addition to ABP, JPMorgan Chase has a number of programs designed to help people of color achieve economic and career success. These programs include:
The Entrepreneurs of Color Fund: A program that has provided support to more than 400 minority-owned businesses through community lending partners across five U.S. metro areas.
The Fellowship Initiative (TFI): The Fellowship Initiative (TFI): Launched in 2010, TFI is a three-year intensive program that provides young men of color with academic support, college preparation, professional development and mentorships. In the decade since TFI’s launch, the program has expanded to serve 200 Fellows across four cities (NYC, LA, Chicago and Dallas). One hundred percent of TFI graduates have been accepted into college. Four have been hired by our firm. JPMorgan Chase is expanding the program and also working with nonprofit partners across the country to implement the TFI model to reach significantly more young men of color.
Advancing Black Leaders (ABL): Launched in early 2016, ABL is a firm-wide strategy focused on increasing black representation across all businesses and levels. The ABL team works with senior leaders and the HR community to identify and implement strategies that close the gap in attracting, hiring, retaining and advancing black talent within JPMorgan Chase. Through strategic sourcing, internal talent development, manager accountability and a focus on students, the program is committed to creating an inclusive environment where all can thrive and advance.
— Source and photos: JPMorgan Chase,H.O.P.E. Project DMV, and National BDPA
Annual IT Summit in D.C. Broadens Tech-Inclusion and Community Outreach
WASHINGTON — Helping Other People Excel.
Now in its tenth year, H.O.P.E. Project DMV (HOPE) has successfully developed a proven approach to broaden community engagements within the tech industry and the Defense Industrial Base (DIB). HOPE’s program sources untapped talent from traditionally underserved communities for classified and unclassified entry level technology roles. Starting salaries for GED credentialed candidates, high school graduates, and returning citizens with newly minted tech industry certifications approach $35,000 for tens of thousands of unfilled entry level and junior level technology positions. Several alumni already have reached HOPE’s “six-figure” club — some with Top Secret security clearances; A+, Network+, and Security+ certifications.
Opening these exciting new career pathways to a better way of life for families not only provides peace of mind, but significantly impacts economic growth for communities in the National Capital Region. Moreover, according to Defense One, technology is drastically altering what makes our nation strong, prosperous, and secure. The DIB is not only becoming a strategic innovation base, but a military artificial intelligence (AI) complex.
Founded by Raymond Bell, Jr., HOPE knows this all too well and has always recognized an urgent need to upskill local communities since inception. Over 25 cohorts later and owning unique relationships with industry trade associations such as CompTIA, HDI, and BDPA, HOPE continues to prepare HOPE alumni for advanced pursuits, and certifies cybersecurity professionals for trans-generational sustainment. Moreover, HOPE alumni are industry’s new project managers and hiring managers.
Sean G. Conner (left) of 22nd Century Technologies, Inc. was this year’s keynote presenter and one of HOPE’s panelists from industry. He listed career opportunities in Defense and Health IT. His firm has successfully captured new defense contracts in the Pentagon, in Maryland, and in Florida.
This year’s panel featured Richard Honesty from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bea Braxton, CEO of BeaKen Systems & Technology Solutions Inc., and Perry Carter, President of National BDPA’s Greater Washington D.C. Chapter. Panelists stated today’s leading digital companies have disrupted every industry they have touched, from publishing to automotive. Digital transformations determine how industry identifies and sources raw talent from every community. Yet far too often, future workforces are left out of groundbreaking innovations and economic development opportunities, especially those 18 to 24 years of age.
Sergeant First Class Warren Martinez (above) highlights current training opportunities in cyber, telecommunications, and information technology with the United States Army. For those entering technical fields or seeking security clearances with additional income as a reservist, access to the Army’s specialized training, high-tech equipment, and cyber operations are unavailable in most civilian jobs and becomes extremely invaluable on technical resumes when presented across growth industries.
New technologies notwithstanding, emerging success stories with industry and the DIB from suppliers and local communities hardly ever are deemed newsworthy. HOPE has changed this narrative. This year’s I.T. Summit was an annual value-packed information technology conference with Industry offered at no cost to District Residents, HOPE students and alumni, BDPA Members, and the public. Participants were able to discover new concepts while discussing industry’s requirements with HOPE alumni and Industry panelists. Government contracting with related start-up opportunities, acquiring security and facilities clearances, and pursuing degrees while entering technology fields were discussed.
The following workshops were offered this year:
Interviewing for I.T. Jobs, Building I.T. Resumes, Working with Recruiters and Job Boards
HOT Technical Certifications and Cybersecurity Tools
“Must-Have” Technical Skills for Entry and Mid-level I.T. Jobs
“A Day in the Life” of a HOPE Project’s World Class IT Help Desk Professional
Rocking her new ‘HOPE Hoodie’, Ms. Alaisha Etheredge (inset photo), shares dashboard and analytical reporting requirements during her session. Attendees discussed using the latest security information and event management (SIEM) tools such as Splunk and related certification tracks from novice to expert.
Conference and tech summit attendees met with IT professionals, small business executives, and workshop presenters, some of whom “walked in the same shoes” and recently launched their careers with HOPE.
During this year’s sessions, participants discovered how to prepare for an IT career within any vertical industry segment such as defense, healthcare, or transportation while acquiring practice skills that helps one succeed with certification testing toward any assignment.
TOWSON, MD — The Fisher College of Science and Mathematics, home to a variety of programs especially designed for Towson University students studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and STEM education, hosted this semester’s panel — Let’s Talk STEM.
BDPA and NSBE student members were invited to participate with industry professionals from various STEM disciplines including biology, chemistry, math, computer science, information technology, and forensic chemistry.
Towson also offers Bridges Programs which aim to promote the participation of underrepresented minority students in biomedical research with the goal of changing the face of the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workforce.
The Bridges to the Baccalaureate (B2B) Program supports students at Baltimore City Community College (BCCC) and the Community College of Baltimore County as they complete their associate’s degree and transfer to a four-year institution to complete their Bachelor of Science degree in a STEM field.
In collaboration with the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), the Bridges to the Doctorate (B2D) Program provides mentoring and training to students as they earn their Master of Science in biology at Towson University and ultimately “bridge” to a doctoral program at UMSOM or elsewhere.
WASHINGTON (bdpatoday)—The H.O.P.E. Project DMV launched its inaugural IT Summit and Town Hall in the District of Columbia on Saturday, October 1, 2016. The IT Summit and Town Hall provided District residents unique opportunities to network and discuss industry trends with H.O.P.E. Project DMV alumni, IT industry experts, talent acquisition professionals, human resources (HR) managers, and project managers who run state-of-the-art IT departments, tech support, and help desk operations.
This year’s workshop topics included, but was not limited to, the latest skills and certifications needed to land technical jobs, interviewing techniques, and the latest industry trends in areas such as Help Desk, Network Administration, and Cybersecurity. Obtaining security clearances and cultivating professional networks with community and trade associations also was presented and discussed.
Town Hall panelists (seated right to left) included: DC Workforce Investment Council Executive Director Mr. Odie Donald; Ward 8 Workforce Development Council Chair of the Board Ms. Carla Harris; U.S. Census Bureau IT Service Desk Manager Ms. Richard Honesty; and Ms. Ashley Williams, D.C. Department of Employment Services Office of Youth Programs. BDPA-DC Chapter President, Perry Carter, provided the Town Hall’s opening remarks.
This year’s IT Summit provided unique opportunities for District and Washington-area residents to get introduced to the H.O.P.E. Project. One of America’s fastest growing award winning training programs was founded by Raymond Bell, Jr. in 2009. It has been called “Harvard of the Hood” as hundreds of District residents successfully continue to move from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and minimum wage jobs directly into new technical career paths earning annual wages north of $42,000 on average in less than a year.
Courtney R. Snowden (right), Deputy Mayor for Greater Economic Opportunity (DMGEO), was the Town Hall’s featured speaker. She highlighted how this evolutionary program continues to make positive and significant impacts for the local economy and east of the river (EOTR).
Participating HOPE students, BDPA Members, HOPE Volunteers, and HOPE Alumni provided testimonials lauding their recent success stories. As one student clearly stated, “H.O.P.E. is really Real!” In 2017, H.O.P.E. Project DMV, HOPE Alumni, and IT industry experts will travel to major U.S. cities, taking their IT Summit and Town Hall on the road to other underserved communities and BDPA Chapter cities.
This month, nine concurrent training and certification sessions begin featuring CompTIA’s A+, Network+, Security+; PMI’s PMP certification, and ITIL® Foundation’s certification training.
Best Buy is hiring nationally for its Geek Squad Covert Dispatch — an arm of the famed Geek Squad.
Minneapolis, MN—As a work-from-home covert dispatch agent, you would offer technical support to customers online and over the phone. You’ll be the first line of contact when a customer has a question about their products or software.
This remote position requires a minimum of 35 hours each week, with day, night, weekend and holiday shifts. You can work from anywhere in the United States, except California, Washington, Alaska or Puerto Rico.
You should love problem-solving and be able to talk to less-tech-savvy people about technology in a way that helps them make sense of their equipment, devices and programs. Learn more or apply now…
AT&T Nation’s Football Classic® will host its first annual Diversity in Sports Career Fair for HBCU Graduates and Students
WASHINGTON—In her ebook “Getting the Call: How to Land Your Dream Job in Sports“, Lana Berry states people know all too well global sports and infotainment industries are one of the hardest and most competitive fields to break into. She asked over 100 people all over the sports world how they did it and what has helped them along the way, in order to better guide readers, athletes, candidates, and new job seekers.
No matter what kind of opportunity one may be looking for in sports, or even in any other field, there are interesting items for each reader to discover. The following lists a few take-aways:
Get actionable steps to get to where you want to go
Discover how they did it
Understand what helped them along the way
Explore what their day-to-day life is like in their current position
See what the most important and influential topics they may have read year to date.
The CAREER FAIR
Next month, on Friday morning, September 16, 2016 at 8:00 am, Events DC, The Shadow League, and the AT&T Nation’s Football Classic® will co-host the first annual Diversity in Sports Panel & Career Fair to support HBCU students and graduates interested in careers within the sports business industry. Meet executives and hiring managers from Under Armour, ESPN, Major League Baseball (MLB), and the National Basketball Association (NBA).
The morning will kick-off with a featured interview between Howard Bryant of ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine, and Ms. Kerry Chandler, Chief Human Resources Officer of Under Armour.
BDPA Student Members attending this year’s career fair are encouraged to highlight recent courses and related experiences with Industry, outreach events, and BDPA programs. Demonstrate to potential employers how experiences are relevant and add value to sports organizations meeting or exceeding technical, marketing, and related STEM challenges across sports and entertainment industries.
Most of the top ten (10) trending jobs in sports reported by Forbes.com have significant “STEM” overtones. A list of sports related careers for college graduate consideration, follow:
Physical Therapists—median annual salary $76,000 (science and tech)
Statisticians—median annual salary $73,000 (math and tech)
Sports Psychologists—median annual salary $69,000 (science and tech)
Sports Agents—median annual salary $65,000 (tech, business, and law)
Public Relations Managers—median annual salary $58,000 (tech and communications)
Advertising Account Executives—median annual salary $45,000 (business and tech)
Event Coordinators—median annual salary $45,000 (project management and tech)
Broadcaster—median annual salary $36,000 (communications and some tech)
Photojournalists—median annual salary $29,000 (art design, journalism, and tech)
Coach—median annual salary $28,000 (part-time and seasonal, business management)
Note: Opportunities for application, systems, and gaming development also are on the table along with graphics designers and social media managers
Best advice: Code once. $ell Many. Buy a team. Build a stadium. Wrap your brand around IT.
DATA and RESEARCH
A short vignette captured by bdpatoday during CES 2015 , formerly the Consumer Electronics Show, for Popular Technology TV (PTTV), features new sports technology, gadgets, and services from HP and NASCAR, Microsoft and the NFL, Under Armour’s reveal of UA Record™, and FitBit. Our short video is available for viewing on PTTV’s playlist by selecting here.
Prior to attending this year’s career fair, review a few charts provided by Monster.com below which feature government data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) outlining trends in sports careers.
WASHINGTON—Employee resource groups (also known as ERGs, affinity groups, or business network groups) are groups of employees who join together in their workplace based on shared characteristics or life experiences.
ERG’s are generally based on providing support, enhancing career development, and contributing to personal development in the work environment. In the past, ERGs have traditionally been focused on personality traits or characteristics, for example women, religious affiliations, sexual orientation, gender, etc.
Carl Hill, President BDPA Triangle Chapter, discusses presentations and Regional High School Computer Competition (HSCC) schedules with MetLife volunteers during BDPA’s South Region Tech and Innovation Summit in Cary, NC.
— Photo courtesy: Rick Leggett, BDPA Triangle Chapter
With the resurgence of ERGs in the workplace, ERGs are expanding to “interest-based” groups, such as local BDPA Chapters, to gather around particular community activities. Some of these include job responsibility, environmental advocacy, community service and volunteerism, and workplace wellness. Further, as an emerging facet of talent acquisitions, human resources, and employee engagement in the business world, the existence of ERGs remain extremely important for reference and understanding in the world of business. Exploring the topic of employee resource groups can provide insightful information for business employees and young professionals seeking to understand new business models in technology, cyber, and STEM.
AT&T and MetLife employee resource groups participate in recent BDPA Regional Technology and Innovation summits. See cover story inJuly 2016 edition of bdpatoday.
BDPA-DC – Join BDPA Wednesday evening, December 16, 2015 at 6:00 PM at the Microsoft Store in Pentagon City. Power Networking. Door Prizes. Career Announcements for 2016. Select here to learn more…
Opening these exciting new career pathways to a better way of life for families not only provides peace of mind, but significantly impacts economic growth for communities in the National Capital Region. Moreover, according to Defense One, technology is drastically altering what makes our nation strong, prosperous, and secure. The DIB is not only becoming a strategic innovation base, but a military artificial intelligence (AI) complex.
Sean G. Conner (left) of 22nd Century Technologies, Inc. was this year’s keynote presenter and one of HOPE’s panelists from industry. He listed career opportunities in Defense and Health IT. His firm has successfully captured new defense contracts in the Pentagon, in Maryland, and in Florida.
Sergeant First Class Warren Martinez (above) highlights current training opportunities in cyber, telecommunications, and information technology with the United States Army. For those entering technical fields or seeking security clearances with additional income as a reservist, access to the Army’s specialized training, high-tech equipment, and cyber operations are unavailable in most civilian jobs and becomes extremely invaluable on technical resumes when presented across growth industries.
discussed.
During this year’s sessions, participants discovered how to prepare for an IT career within any vertical industry segment such as defense, healthcare, or transportation while acquiring practice skills that helps one succeed with certification testing toward any assignment.
Town Hall panelists (seated right to left) included: DC Workforce Investment Council Executive Director Mr. Odie Donald; Ward 8 Workforce Development Council Chair of the Board Ms. Carla Harris; U.S. Census Bureau IT Service Desk Manager Ms. Richard Honesty; and Ms. Ashley Williams, D.C. Department of Employment Services Office of Youth Programs. BDPA-DC Chapter President, Perry Carter, provided the Town Hall’s opening remarks.
