In this session, Bitwise Industries will discuss the imperative to address our historically biased and problematic hiring processes and share their insights on how the best workplaces foster inclusive environments for people of all backgrounds to be successful.

1. The Future of Work For All: Keys
to building equitable tech
workforces
Irma Olguin Jr.
CEO and co-founder

2. My Serendipitous Journey Into The Tech Industry
– Growing up as a Central California
– The PSAT Moment that Changed my LIfe
– The Scholarship to University of Toledo
– The Transformative Power of Tech
– Returning Home
– Meeting my Co-founder and Building Bitwise
Industries
From the Fields of California to Running a Nationwide Company

3. Outside major tech hubs, there is talent

4. Building Tech Economies
WORKFORCE TRAINING
Real Estate
Tech Services

5. Bitwise Workforce
– Opens Doors for overlooked and estimated talent
– Provides accessible path toward quality job
– Trains individuals with in-demand tech skills
– Supports individuals in there period of learning
– Creates community around individuals
Training Individuals for in-demand Tech Jobs

6. Paying People to Learn
Apprenticeships the vehicle that can accomplish this
– Our Apprenticeship Program is built to bridge the gap between learning and working in the
tech industry.
– Participants in this paid program work on real projects under the supervision of a seasoned
technical lead.
– Apprentices will have several opportunities to sharpen their skills and give back to the larger
tech community by leading workshops, meetings, and co-teaching classes.

7. Apprenticeships
Removing the hard choices of how do I afford
to stop working to upskill for the technology
industry opens doors, diversifies the workforce
and fills the talent gap.
Supporting Individuals in their time of learning

8. Growing A Diverse Tech Ecosystem
Bitwise Industries match the demographics of the places we serve. By extension, we are producing the most diverse
technology workforce in the nation.

9. Bitwise Tech Services
– From private firm, large corporation, startup, or government entity, we create solutions that support digital
transformation.
– Leverage our firm to provide apprenticeship opportunities for non-traditional talent.
– Elevate businesses in the locations we are located
– Brings everyone into the digital economy in a more equitable manner
Building world-class technology solutions

10. Bitwise Tech Services
– Bitwise Technology Services is strengthening digital infrastructure
across the cities we serve.
– Bitwise Industries’ technologies are primarily serving anchor
institutions, like schools and nonprofit organizations, in Fresno and
other communities we serve.
Building world-class technology solutions

11. Bitwise Real Estate
Buying blighted buildings brings life back to neglected downtown areas and revitalizes cities

12. Equity At the Root of Our Mission
– Advancing equity is the mission Bitwise Industries has
set out for itself, and realized by proactively
recruiting people who are underrepresented in the
information technology field and by building
welcoming and supportive communities around
them.
– Bitwise Industries’ success is reaching national scale
and moving statistical needles toward equity.
– Since 2013, we have used a three-pronged
approach to connect people from stories of poverty
and exclusion in underestimated places to great
jobs in the tech economy.
From Workforce, Tech Services, to Real Estate

13. Equity At the Root of Our Mission
– Technology Solutions: Representative teams of senior
developers and apprentices solve problems by
creating digital infrastructure for anchor community
institutions;
– Workforce Development: People from nontraditional
backgrounds are actively recruited into accessible
tech pre-apprenticeship classes and apprenticeship
programs accompanied by comprehensive support
services;
– Real Estate: We revitalize historic buildings and invite
students, apprentices, technologists, and cowork
clients and tenants ranging from budding
entrepreneurs to major corporations to share space
in them and learn from one another.
From Workforce, Tech Services, to Real Estate

14. Building Community
Bitwise locations inspire and connect the people they serve

15. Bitwise Cities
California
– Fresno
– Bakersfield
– Merced
– Oakland
Buffalo, NY
El Paso, TX
Greeley, CO
Las Cruces, NM
Toledo, OH

16. Bitwise Outcomes
Since its founding in 2013, Bitwise has trained over 10,000
students, 80% of whom have entered the tech industry and
on average have tripled their income from $21k/yr to
$63k/yr and after three years over $80K/year.
A workforce survey conducted by Bitwise illuminated the
diversity of its trained workforce:
– 60% of trainees are female or non-binary
– 60% are Black and/or Brown
– Nearly half are first-generation Americans or
undocumented immigrants
– One in 20 are veterans
– One in 50 were formerly incarcerated

17. Bitwise Outcomes

18. The Bitwise Difference
– Addressing the barriers to entry - paid apprenticeships
– Bitwise has served
– Over 10,000 students
– 60% of trainees are female or non-binary
– 60% are Black and/or Brown
– Nearly half are first-generation Americans or
undocumented immigrants
– One in 20 are veterans
– One in 50 were formerly incarcerated
– 80% of whom have acquired technical
employment
– Apprentices tripled their salaries within one to two
years after completing their training
– Great Place to Work “Best Workplaces” lists in 2021
Billions of dollars have been spent on DEI and there has only been a 1% change in worker demographics. Why?

19. The Tech Industry
The tech industry has a talent shortage and a diversity problem

20. The Tech Industry Pipeline Fallacy
They claim there aren’t enough people in the pipeline to create a representative workforce

21. Gatekeeping
Groups that are traditionally excluded from the
technology industry:
– Previously incarcerated
– Women
– People of color
– Unhoused
– Veterans
As a result, the workforce is less diverse and less
innovative.
Hiring practices that maintain a homogeneous workforce

22. Barriers
For someone to access tech training, they have to first
have to make some difficult choices regarding:
– Child Care
– Transportation
– Family pressure
– Paying rent while learning
– Affording classes
Even when allowed entry to the tech industry, many people face barriers that make participation impossible

23. Wraparound Services
The investment is what makes access
to training and employment
opportunities possible.
Bitwise provides the wraparound services that make it possible for people to access tech training

24. Tweetable Takeaways
@GPTW_US #GPTW4All
Talent is
everywhere,
opportunity is not.
Removing barriers
to entry and
providing an
accessible path
toward a tech
career is the most
successful
approach in
diversifying tech.
Apprenticeships is
one of the best
methods for
preparing
individuals for
quality jobs in
tech.