Diversity in the workforce must be celebrated in all its forms for the shared benefit of creating successful pipelines for people from all walks of life. From understanding where students come from to making deliberate curriculum choices alongside course availability and student support, institutions can better shape the experiences and perspectives of Latinx students aiming to join the tech industry over time.

For today’s panel, Dr. Emilio C Ulloa, Associate Chief Diversity Officer for HSI and Regional Affairs at SDSU, and Morgan Taylor, Associate Director of Research at American Council on Education, joined our very own Desiree Young, Executive Vice President of Global Partnerships and Strategic Innovation at ThriveDX, to discuss the challenges that Hispanic Serving Institution (HSIs) face parallel to inequity in education and ethnic diversity in tech careers.

“HSIs are extremely diverse. The institutions themselves are diverse and the students that they enroll are diverse. This makes a melting pot of opportunity, as data shows that HSIs propel students up the socioeconomic ladder at higher rates than PWIs [predominantly white institutions],” said Taylor.

Much like the unique challenges surrounding HBCUs, which we discussed in our previous LinkedIn Live panel, Equity in Employment, HSIs and HSI recruitment initiatives would benefit from corporate partnerships and a deeper examination of procedures and processes to better contribute to and shape the existing tech talent pipeline.

“How are our students being supported and prepared for future careers?” asked Ulloa, “It’s not enough to be a Hispanic enrolling institution. Our obligation is to create structures and support systems that intentionally serve Latinx students, at a minimum as the center of their experiences, but also to benefit the student body as a whole.”

The numbers are there, and they do not lie.

Statistically, we know that access to mentoring, advising, emergency financial aid, and flexible scheduling have a big impact on the retention of students as well as the success of students that transition into the tech workforce for entry-level and junior roles. But the gap in accessibility to basic student support has been evident for the past decade, becoming more exacerbated by the effects of the pandemic. Which in some ways disproportionately impacted the Hispanic community. There is also a real gap in HSI recruitment and other institutions in BIPOC and non-BIPOC entering into tech fields of study in order to start their tech careers.

ThriveDX

Diversity at all levels and all degrees of intensity helps students to grow, allowing diversified thought and perspectives that impact the trajectory to college success at immeasurable heights.

“It’s important to understand what needs to be taught to these students and the experience that they need to have so that they can be workforce ready,” says Young, “We are looking at the front end of the issue with training and preparing students. The right way to do this is to take the data to properly build these institutions and these programs. We must focus on finding the right way to attract these students to enter and believe that they can get through these programs, which prepare them for the corporate world through support and alignment with these institutions and corporations.”

Watch our latest panel discussion, Building Infrastructure to Ensure HSIs Have the Right Resources, on LinkedIn to increase your knowledge of the trending and ongoing challenges facing HSI institutions hoping to increase Latinx retention and performance to funnel students at higher rates into the tech field. Mediated by Desiree Young, this panel goes into detail about the difference between gaining experience relevant to career readiness and establishing not only a stimulating education but an extraordinary experience characterized by supportive practices and a sense of community.

For more conversations related to tech/cybersecurity, higher education and the intersection of the two, follow us on LinkedIn for regular news, updates, and upcoming events, or visit our blog to read more on topics in education, careers, and lifestyle.