Navigating through a new career can be both an intimidating and exciting journey. But, this experience can be made easier when you are part of an inclusive workplace that offers the support you need to grow in your career and achieve your professional goals. Janelle Curtis, Managing Director, Global Banking and Markets (GBAM) Operations at Bank of America, knows this experience all too well from her own career background. Curtis took the time to share her advice on how to build a successful career in tech and other fields based on her own perspective working in corporate America as an African-American woman. Two and a half years in with Bank of America, Curtis currently leads the Process Automation and Operational Excellence organization for GBAM Operations. In this role, she focuses on leveraging intelligence automation tools to streamline processes and deliver more value to Bank of America’s employees and clients. Working in a high-level position at one of the top financial...

Whether you’re newly graduated or looking for your next career refresh in the tech industry, seeking advice from those senior to you is always a plus. The AfroTech community is a space where this type of networking often takes place. Qualcomm engineers Ruth Tadesse and Dr. Michael Alston joined us to give profile their experience in the tech space at such an industry leading company. The two also dropped some gems on how to conduct your next tech job search, discovering your true passion(s) and adjusting to a new job once you receive it. Here’s what they had to say: Ruth Tadesse Senior Engineer, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. Qualcomm What’s the most unique or interesting aspect of your job? I am a software engineer as part of Qualcomm Technologies AI Software team. In collaboration with our AI research group, we develop efficient hardware, algorithmic advancements and software tools to enable AI our Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ chips. The most unique aspect of my job is an obvious one, which...

Ever wondered what it’s like to work in the travel and the airline industry? Well, maybe it’s time to stop wondering. American Airlines has teamed up with AfroTech to provide a select group of students and guests with an inside look at how American works and the career opportunities they offer. Since its founding over 90 years ago, American Airlines has always lead the airline industry in innovation and customer experience. On Nov. 8, come to the American Airlines College Students and Innovators Mixer at Iron & Oak to learn how American stays on the cutting edge of technology. Among many discussion topics, IT leaders will talk about how it’s harnessing emerging technologies like Machine Learning and Computer Vision to reimagine the future of travel and how the company prioritizes diversity and inclusion in every business unit. You will also find out about American’s incredible employee travel benefits (think, unlimited free travel) and mingle with members of their IT organization....

The nonprofit organization supports an inclusive tech environment through competitions, tech-based programs, and the annual Grace Hopper Celebration. Women have been pioneering new frontiers in technology for decades. Examples of trailblazing women technologists include Katherine Johnson, a former NASA research mathematician, who helped the United States put a man on the moon. Dr. Patricia Bath was the first Black woman to complete a medical residency and have a medical device patented. Rear Admiral Grace Hopper was the first woman to receive a Ph.D. in mathematics. Her expertise allowed her to join the U.S. Naval Reserve during World War II to work on the Mark I computer and, after the war, the more advanced Mark II and Mark III computers. Grace also helped create the first compiler for computer languages and was the first female recipient of the National Medal of Technology in 1991. In 2016, she was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her many contributions...

The organization plans to support its goal with inclusive initiatives, programs and competitions. Fighting for a seat at the table in the world of tech is hard enough for women, but keeping that spot often proves to be just as difficult. Women make up just 25 percent of the tech workforce and the statistics are even more disproportionate for women of color (1 percent for Latina/Hispanic women, 3 percent for Black/African American women and 5 percent for Asian women), according to a study by NCWIT . Another sobering statistic cited is that 56 percent of women will leave the tech sector by the time they are mid-career professionals. Big tech companies such as Facebook, Lyft, and Google release annual diversity reports to show how they are combatting diversity disparities that are rife in the industry. Organizations such as AnitaB.org are taking active steps to ensure that women technologists have space in an industry that has traditionally shut them out. AnitaB.org is diligently...

The ERG is dedicated to investing in the community to promote professional development and recruiting at Uber. Navigating through the corporate world can be challenging when there aren’t enough diverse opportunities in which employees can engage. A company’s work environment can make a huge impact on employees’ work ethic, ultimately impacting overall culture of the company. Employees at Uber took responsibility for shaping the culture of the company and committed to more inclusion by creating the Black at Uber Leadership Council. The goal is to create a community where Black employees and those who hold leadership positions can thrive in the workplace, thus promoting more inclusion and diversity. Uber’s senior manager of people development and co-chair for Black at Uber, Dr. Nandi Shareef, spoke with AfroTech about the experience of being a Black woman in leadership at the corporation and with Black at Uber. Recruiting coordinator and lead of Black at Uber, Leah Lester, also joined...

Atlanta has become one of the fastest-growing startup scenes in the country. According to a report by the CBRE Group , the city has one of the most competitive tech markets in the country and is ranked in the Top 10 Tech cities list. Founders from around the country are bringing their ideas to the burgeoning technology scene for a chance to be the next Jeff Bezos or Steve Jobs. The city is also home to the $100 billion home improvement retailer, The Home Depot. The brand and its internal technology team are blazing a trail into the technology field one hire at a time. In 2018, the company kicked off a three-year strategic plan with an $11.1 billion investment in the company. The plan includes seamlessly connecting the customer experience in-store and online, creating an industry-best supply chain, and speeding up the checkout process for customers. An internal and external upgrade in technology was needed for the company to meet these goals. As part of the initiative, the company...