4. Motivation
International conference
organisation and participation.
Django Girls Foundation partners
and their diversity efforts.
Django Software Foundation
board of directors.
My employer’s diversity efforts
(BriteCore).
5. Motivation
Unemployment
statistics in Africa –
percentage of people
with no jobs.
Unemployment statistics
in developing countries –
percentage of jobs in
tech industry without
people.
6. Full Disclosure
The aim of my talk is not to explore whether everybody
else’s initiatives to increase diversity are good/ best/
enough. The aim of my talk is to share my perspective
on what the African developer can do to increase
diversity in tech for him/herself and others around
him/her.
9. Diversity
◦[uncountable, countable, usually
singular] a range of many
people or things that are very
different from each other.
◦[uncountable] the quality or fact
of including a range of many
people or things.
◦ Source – Oxford Dictionary
13. Tech Community
◦Refer good developers or friends.
◦Market job opportunities to their friends and
networks.
◦Spread good word about speakers or
developers from minority communities.
14. Tech Companies
◦Sponsor events/ non-profits.
◦Hire diversity/developer advocates and
talent acquisition managers.
◦Head hunting talent via social media
platforms e.g. Linkedin.
15. Diversity in BriteCore
◦ Britecore has employees from 29 countries in 5
continents (all but Australia).
◦ Africa – Cameroon, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, South
Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
◦ 33% of our staff are women.
◦ 43% of our leadership are women.
◦ 68% of non-tech roles are women.
◦ 23% of our tech staff are women.
16. Local Python Communities
◦Many African countries have active
Python communities and events.
◦Django Girls events, PyLadies meet-
ups, PyCons etc.
19. Ideally…
Local Meet-ups (PyLadies, Django Girls
events)
Mailing lists (local and international)
Conferences (PyCons & DjangoCons)
Personal skills development
Software Engineer
20. Ideally…
We should all be working
for our local companies
or be entrepreneurs in our
own countries…
21. Django Girls Impact Report 2016
◦In 2017 Django Girls Foundation published
an Impact Report on their work.
◦21% of participants in the survey are now
working in tech.
◦79% are still learning to code.
◦ Read more: http://blog.djangogirls.org/post/164595724833/django-girls-impact-
report-2016-2017
22. Ultimate goal
Your ultimate goal should match the goal
of the community and that is to become
a SOFTWARE DEVELOPER or take up a
RELATED ROLE in tech and thereby
increase diversity in tech.
23. SWOT
Matrix for
an African
Developer
Strengths
•Population growth
•Educated/ Skills
•Hard-working
•Good at hustling
Weaknesses
•Lack exposure
•Defined by
circumstances
Threats
•Poverty
•Internet
Connectivity
•Power Outages
Opportunities
•Global networks
•Global
opportunities
•Local
Entrepreneurship
opportunities
30. Mailing lists/ Membership
◦ Python Africa – https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-
africa
◦ Django Girls – if you are an organizer.
◦ PSF membership - https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/psf-
members
◦ Django mailing lists - https://www.djangoproject.com/community/
◦ DSF membership – nominate yourself or nominate someone here
https://www.djangoproject.com/foundation/
31. Remote or
relocation?
◦Relocation is more complex.
◦Remote is much easier –
requires contract between
you and organisation and
you setting up your remote
office.
32. Applying
◦Respond to online job
postings or sent via
mailing lists.
◦Respond to recruiters/
talent acquisition
managers.
33. Applying
◦Respond to postings by
friends/ networks.
◦Do NOT respond to a
posting sent via mailing list
if you are not ready to
interview yet.
36. Coding interview
Do your best to complete
the coding task – meet all
requirements.
Projects you have to submit at your own
time are less stressful than whiteboard
coding interviews over the phone.
37. Not
successful?
Continue working on your
coding skills.
Continue building your bridges.
Continue applying for other
positions.
Try again after six months or a
year.
38. Successful?
Negotiate and accept
the offer.
Work out on the required
paperwork.
Figure out your working
environment – critical for
your success.
39. Working
remotely
Be open to diversity –
accept your colleagues.
Be flexible – very
important in teams.
Find ways to overcome
your barriers (typical
African barriers).
40. My personal
experience
with remote
working…
Remote work offers more flexibility – working
hours.
Requires balance between work and family –
and that is your responsibility.
Removes need to commute to the office – love
that bit during winter as well as in Zimbabwe
where transport costs are high and fuel is a
problem.
Pays well – earning in a strong currency using
global rates while living in a weaker currency
country is an advantage.
42. Conclusion
Africans are equally responsible for increasing
diversity figures in tech by making sure that they
are not underrepresented in the tech space. Be
the next diversity attendee, speaker or hire.
43. We are HIRING GLOBALLY!
https://www.britecore.com/careers