LEADForward Community Partnership Chat: Baltimore Digital Equity Coalition

Byte Back’s Chief Growth and Impact Officer, Chrissie Powell – Co-Founder of the Baltimore Digital Equity Coalition (BDEC) joined Verizon’s Director of State Government Affairs in Baltimore – Paul Plymouth for a fireside chat recently to discuss Digital Equity and the Role the BDEC plays in closing the Digital Divide in Baltimore.

Watch the full interview here. 

BDEC works tirelessly to close the digital divide. They serve historically underserved and underrepresented groups and implement initiatives that will enhance digital equity not only in Baltimore but throughout the country. 

Watch the full interview here

#Digital #DigitalEquity #Baltimore #WeByteBack #Features #News #LeadingtheWay #IMPACT #ByteBackIMPACT #DigitalLiteracy 

About Byte Back  

Since 1997, Byte Back has served thousands of adults by helping graduates gain valuable tech skills, launch successful careers, and become part of the growing digital economy. Closing the digital divide through tech training gives people hope and opens doors to living-wage jobs. To learn more, please visit https://byteback.org  

Media Contact: Mikael LaRoche/ gro.kcabetyb@ehcoralm

Each year, SXSW calls upon its creative global community to help identify innovative new ideas and the visionaries behind them. The majority of Conference sessions are sourced and voted on by the SX community from PanelPicker®, along with input from SXSW Staff and the PanelPicker Evaluator Committee.

Before we reveal the lion’s share of all community-sourced programming on October 25, we want to give you a sneak peek of 2023 SXSW PanelPicker sessions with participants from AEG, Bad Robot Games, Duolingo, NASA, The New York Times, Pax, Sundance Institute, Waze, and many more.

“Today’s announcement showcases the scope of cutting-edge information we will provide for 2023 SXSW Conference registrants,” said Hugh Forrest, Chief Programming Officer. “We can’t wait to reveal the exponentially larger set of career-enhancing and mind-expanding content with our community later this month.”

Get an early look at what’s in store for the 2023 Conference below including programming track designations and PanelPicker proposal pages (a behind-the-scenes look at the selection process). Then mark your calendars for our full PanelPicker announcement on October 25.

2023 Sessions Preview

Can the Union of Equity and Tech Save Cannabis? (Cannabis)
Speakers: Vince Ning (Nabis), Michelle Mendoza (Sweet Flower), Steven Jung (Pax), Tanisha Robinson (The Parent Company)

The (Data) Science of Moneyballing Motorsports (Sports)
Speakers: Beth Paretta (Paretta Autosport), Bruno Senna (Senna Foundation), Felipe Parages (Valkyrie), Toni Calderon (Speed Group)

The Decentralization of Art as We Know It (Culture)
Speakers: Tom McLeod (Arkive), Kelly Huang (KCH Advisory), Gaby Goldberg (TCG Crypto), Kyle Chayka (The New Yorker)

Digital Equity for the Next Gen (Tech Industry)
Speakers: Elizabeth Lindsey (Urban Alliance), Angela Siefer (National Digital Inclusion Alliance), Joe Paul (Byte Back)

Fall in Love with the Problem, Not the Solution: A Handbook for Entrepreneurs (Startups)
Speakers: Uri Levine (Waze, Moovit)

Funding Your Indie Film: From Short to Feature (Film & TV Industry)
Speakers: Sophia Yen (Manatt Phelps & Phillips LLP), Caroline von Kuhn (Sundance Institute), Jenifer Westphal (Wavelength Productions, LLC), Jonathan Gardner (Cohen Gardner LLP)

The Future of Play: New Platforms, Games and Tech (Game Industry)
Speakers: Eden Chen (Pragma Platform), Jonathan Lai (a16z), Anna Sweet (Bad Robot Games), Nate Mitchell (Mountaintop Games)

Futuring Food Systems: A Seat at the Chef’s Table (Food)
Speakers: Kwame Onwuachi (5th Floor Hospitality), Adrian Lipscombe (40 Acres Project), Tavel Bristol-Joseph (Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group), Tiffany Derry (Tiffany Derry Concepts)

#GalacticAccess: The Future of Accessible Design (Design)
Speakers: Anna Voelker (SciAccess), Apurva Varia (NASA Goddard Space Center), Azubuike Onwuta (Think and Zoom), Viktoria Modesta (Moksha)

Looking to Our Ocean for Climate Solutions (Climate Change)
Speakers: Margaret Leinen (Marine Sciences, Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego), Somini Sengupta (The New York Times), Ken Buesseler (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

Making Electric Mobility Practical for All (Transportation)
Speakers: Toby Russell (Shift), Candice Xie (Veo), (Will Graylin (Indigo Technologies), Annie Hudson (MIT Mobility Initiative)

Making Music Docs That Aren’t One Note (Creating Film & Episodics)
Speakers: Stanley Nelson (Firelight Media), Sabaah Folayan (Firelight Media)

Meet Me in the Music Metaverse: New Fan Experiences (Music & Tech)
Speakers: Andrew Klein (AEG), Sam Schoonover (Goldenvoice)

Navigating Calculated Risk on Social Media (Advertising & Brand Experience)
Speakers: Rachel Karten (Milk Karten), Zaria Parvez (Duolingo), Julian Gamboa-Ramos (Maximum Effort)

Remote Work: A Gamechanger for Rural America (Workplace Revolution)
Speakers: Sara Sutton (FlexJobs), Kade Wilcox (Rural & Remote), Mika Cross (U.S. Federal Government/Strategy@Work, LLC), Lori Adams (National Association of State Workforce Agencies)

A Songwriter’s Guide to Branding: The Power of No (Music Careers)
Speakers: Evan Bogart (Seeker Music), Larry Wade (Decibel Entertainment / Nice Life Recording Company), Bonnie McKee (N/A), MNDR (Amanda Lucille) Warner (MNDR)

VR in Psychedelic Therapy – A Friend or a Foe? (Psychedelics)
Speakers: Walter Greenleaf (Stanford University), Skip Rizzo (University of Southern California), Murat Yucel (Monash University), Agnieszka Sekula (Enosis Therapeutics)

What’s the Right Way to Travel? (Travel & Leisure)
Speakers: Abby Rapoport (Stranger’s Guide), Cassim Shepard (Columbia University), Katalina Mayorga (El Camino Travel)

Will AI Revolutionize or Wreck Criminal Justice? (Civic Engagement)
Speakers: Nita Farahany (Duke University), Preet Bharara (WilmerHale)

EXPLORE CONFERENCE TRACKS

Consider this a PanelPicker appetizer with the main course of all community-sourced sessions to follow on October 25.

While you wait, be sure to explore the 25 Tracks of Conference programming across tech, film, and music industries.

If you missed our first announcement of the season, catch up now and get to know the first round of Featured Speakers including Amy Webb, Allyson Felix, Cecile Richards, Guy Moot, and more.

Join Us

Register to attend SXSW 2023 to celebrate the convergence of the tech, film, television, and music industries across a variety of programming formats and special events from March 10-19 in Austin, TX.

SXSW registrants get primary entry to the respective Conference tracks and events of their badge type as well as Convergence tracks, Exhibitions, and Comedy Festival showcases. Plus, enjoy secondary access to other Conference tracks and festival programming.

Take the Badge Quiz to select the Conference tracks and Festivals that most interest you to discover which badge and arrival date best fits your needs.

Keep up with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.

Photo by Raegan Labat

About Byte Back  

Since 1997, Byte Back has served thousands of adults by helping graduates gain valuable tech skills, launch successful careers, and become part of the growing digital economy. Closing the digital divide through tech training gives people hope and opens doors to living-wage jobs. To learn more, please visit https://byteback.org  

Media Contact: Mikael LaRoche/ gro.kcabetyb@ehcoralm

Current and past leaders Joe Paul, Elizabeth Lindsey and founder Glenn Stein reflect on what the digital literacy nonprofit has meant to DC — and its plans for the future.

Byte Back scholars in Baltimore.

(Courtesy photo)

When Glenn Stein founded Byte Back in 1997, he wasn’t a technologist with tons of credentials or a formal degree in his repertoire.

He was just the guy that knew more about computers than anyone else at all of his previous jobs. He even managed to turn that knowledge into another position as a computer programmer on Wall Street.

“It’s something unique about the computer industry that all you need are the skills, not the professional background,” Stein told Technical.ly. “And that’s really different than any other white-collar career.”

Fast forward 25 years and the digital literacy nonprofit is still going strong in DC. It’s on track to upskill over 1,000 people before the end of the year. It expanded to nearby Baltimore. In May, the DC Chamber of Commerce named Byte Back its nonprofit of the year. And it’s about to host its very first gala tomorrow evening to honor its 25th anniversary.

But before all that, it was simply an idea that turned into a reality. Here’s a look at how it all began — and how it evolved throughout its quarter-century of life.

The beginnings

Byte Back’s HQ in Brookland. (Photo by Tajha Chappellet-Lanier)

Stein’s journey with Byte Back started when, after doing some work with the Reform Movement and the American Jewish World Service in Ethiopia, he returned stateside to find himself out of a job. After leveraging his tech skills, he landed the aforementioned Wall Street job with no formal training besides a single computer course he had taken at university.

It was then he realized that there was a tremendous opportunity for people without formal training or degrees to enter the high-paying tech workforce. Inspired, he looked for DC-based programs available for low-income residents interested in computer training, finding nothing significant. So, with the help of his friend Barbara Altman, Byte Back was created to fill the gap.

While it now provides educational programming in IT professions, Byte Back started just assisting DC residents with Microsoft and Excel basics (it still offers a Foundations course for beginners). It spent the first few years operating out of Stein’s house. It also offered an internship program where scholars would receive training in exchange for some compensation and staff posts.

The organization grew over the years, eventually moving into an official headquarters in Brookland. At one point, Stein even bought a building for eight interns to live in while they studied. And Byte Back, he said, continued to offer the training he felt was so necessary.

“It’s meant real, life-changing, quality training that was desperately needed,” Stein said. “I’m glad to see that Byte Back is filling that need.”

Into the 21st century

Elizabeth Lindsey (left), former executive director of Byte Back, accepting a Verizon grant in January 2020. (Courtesy photo)

Joe Paul, the current CEO of Byte Back, told Technical.ly that the organization has served almost 7,000 people over the past 10 years. But that’s not all it’s managed to accomplish in recent years.

From 2015 to 2021, Byte Back was helmed by Elizabeth Lindsey, who left for a role at Urban Alliance. She said that she saw massive growth during her tenure with the organization — not only with its 2019 expansion into Baltimore, but also its move from regional recognition to national acknowledgment.

In her time at the org, she said, Byte Back became a nonprofit that was much more aligned with broader economic developments, elevating the conversation about how tech and tech-adjacent careers could help combat inequity. Even before COVID brought increased attention to the digital divide, Byte Back was uplifting the dialogue around digital literacy’s centrality to the economy. It still retains this priority.

“We were having these conversations and really shouting from the rooftops [about] how important it was for people to be able to use technology even before COVID happened,” Lindsey said. “And then, when COVID happened, it was like, this is what we’ve been talking about for years. People are really left out of the economy without having technical skills and technological abilities.”

Though she’s left Byte Back, Lindsey’s current organization has partnered with the nonprofit on several projects. She finds this work crucial, as she thinks it’s the only way to combat deep economic divides.

Current leader Paul agreed, noting that Byte Back not only began these discussions but allowed them to lead the organization forward.

“What’s incredible about what Byte Back has done in DC is we’ve introduced technology as a path,” Paul added.

The present…and beyond

Byte Back scholars at work. (Courtesy photo)

Byte Back’s growth led to it now offering its curriculum both virtually and in Spanish. It serves the unique needs of older adults, retirees, veterans, returning citizens and young students. Paul said that it is hyper-focused on workforce development.

While Stein is no longer officially involved in Byte Back (he’s since moved to Thailand and is working on a similar organization there), he does still check in with leadership. While the tech industry has changed tremendously, as has the curriculum to keep up, Byte Back’s general focus remains embedded in the roots he planted over two decades ago.

“They’re still doing the same thing and their goal is still the same and the people that they’re serving, for the most part, are still the same,” Stein said. “So in that respect, in terms of what they’re trying to do and what they’re doing, it’s really no different. That gives me a lot of satisfaction.”

Still, Byte Back has newer projects it plans to push forward. Despite his distance from the org, Stein also hopes to restart the housing initiative in another year or two, once he can put together the funds.

For the next 25 years, Paul said that he would like to push for the program’s national expansion. It likely will work with one community at a time, similar to the Baltimore expansion. Eventually, Paul would love to see a Byte Back in every city, working to end digital inequities.

The organization is also watching for the millions of jobs that are supposed to be eliminated by automation in the coming years.

“Over the next 25 years, the goal is to really make sure that we close the digital divide,” Paul said. “There shouldn’t be one person or a community that’s suffering as a result of the digital divide. There shouldn’t be one citizen in the United States who didn’t have access to the internet. There shouldn’t be one family or home that doesn’t have a computer laptop in it.”

Companies: Byte Back

About Byte Back  

Since 1997, Byte Back has served thousands of adults by helping graduates gain valuable tech skills, launch successful careers, and become part of the growing digital economy. Closing the digital divide through tech training gives people hope and opens doors to living-wage jobs. To learn more, please visit https://byteback.org  

Media Contact: Mikael LaRoche/ gro.kcabetyb@ehcoralm

Residents on premium unlimited plans can get Verizon Home Internet starting at $25 per month with AutoPay

NEW YORK – More people in more places are about to get a big 5G Internet upgrade. Starting today, Verizon is offering new wireless home and business Internet options powered by 5G Ultra Wideband to parts of Philadelphia, PA Washington, D.C., plus the Delaware Shore and Hampton Roads, VA.

“We know that so many people are stuck with having only one or two choices for Internet, leaving people feeling frustrated if they are dissatisfied with their current provider,” said Chris Flood, North East Consumer Vice President at Verizon. “Now you don’t have to settle. We’re offering new 5G Home and 5G Business Internet in locations where our existing Fios services are not available to give people more options at an incredible value.”

5G Home, part of Verizon Home Internet’s portfolio of home internet services, starts at just $25 per month with AutoPay and a select 5G mobile plan¹. Not a current Verizon customer? You can still get 5G Home Internet for just $50 per month with Auto Pay. Our 30-Day Satisfaction Guarantee makes switching easy. Plus, we’ll help cover the cost to switch with up to $500 towards early termination fees. Now is the time to switch, save and be on the network America relies on.

“Having access to affordable Internet can make all the difference in the success of a small business and for those who are interested in starting one,” said Ayanna Smith, managing director of GET Cities DC. “Having fast and reliable Internet is critical. For women and other underrepresented founders who are faced with making a lot happen with little resources, this is a complete game changer.”

“Imagine what an innovative person can achieve when access meets opportunity,” said Joe Paul, Chief Executive Officer at Byte Back. “Access to affordable wireless connectivity for both homes and business gives communities greater access to education, training and job opportunities. The under-resourced communities Byte Back serves can definitely benefit from 5G Home, especially since it’s affordable.”

Here’s how it works. 5G Home takes the 5G Ultra Wideband signal outside your home and turns it into Wi-Fi that is reliable and fast enough to power the devices you use most in your home: smart TVs, tablets, phones, gaming consoles. There are no annual contracts or hidden fees. Plus, the price is guaranteed for up to three years, depending on your plan.

Interested in learning more? Go to verizon.com/home, provide your address and see what service is available.

Verizon continues to make its services available to more people in more places, expanding 5G Home Internet and Verizon 5G Business Internet most recently to Boston and Springfield, MA, Pittsburgh, PA, Madison, WI, Shreveport, LA, Manchester, NH, Atlanta, GA, Richmond, VA, Scranton and Harrisburg, PA.

Verizon 5G Business Internet

Looking to power your business? Businesses in these areas will also have access to 5G Business Internet from Verizon. 5G Business Internet is ultra-fast wireless business internet powered by 5G Ultra Wideband. This wireless alternative to cable internet is for businesses of all sizes and includes professional installation, multiple pricing and service options, unlimited data and a 10-year price guarantee for 5G Business Internet service. Get started stress-free with our 30 day guarantee. New, qualified 5G Business Internet customers can get up to a $1,500 bill credit to help cover early termination fees from their current carrier.

To learn more about Verizon 5G Business Internet, visit verizon.com/5gbusinessinternet and plug in an address to see what service is available.

Today’s announcement builds on Verizon’s 5G growth and innovation across industries with its mobility, nationwide broadband and consumer offerings.

5G Ultra Wideband available in select areas

¹ 5G Home internet starts at $25/mo when combined with 5G Do More, 5G Play More, 5G Get More or One Unlimited for iPhone plan. Auto Pay and paper-free billing req’d. $10/mo more w/o Auto Pay. Subject to credit approval

About Byte Back  

Since 1997, Byte Back has served thousands of adults by helping graduates gain valuable tech skills, launch successful careers, and become part of the growing digital economy. Closing the digital divide through tech training gives people hope and opens doors to living-wage jobs. To learn more, please visit https://byteback.org  

Media Contact: Mikael LaRoche/ gro.kcabetyb@ehcoralm

NEWS PROVIDED BY

The Ad Council 

Sep 21, 2022, 3:27 PM ET

Nonprofits the Ad Council and Opportunity@Work lead landmark partnership of employers, talent developers and nonprofits on behalf of the majority of U.S. workers without a bachelor’s degree

NEW YORK, Sept. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Today, nonprofit organizations the Ad Council and Opportunity@Work, alongside nearly 50 national organizations and companies, launched Tear the Paper Ceiling. Announced at an event co-hosted with LinkedIn, the national public service advertising (PSA) campaign calls on businesses and decision makers to remove the barriers blocking 50% of workers in the U.S. from accessing upward mobility. The PSAs encourage employers and workers alike to join the movement to tear the “paper ceiling” – the invisible barrier that comes at every turn for workers without a bachelor’s degree.

Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9087451-ad-council-tear-the-paper-ceiling/

The multiyear campaign aims to change the narrative around the value and potential of workers who are Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs), rather than through a bachelor’s degree. There are more than 70 million STARs in the U.S. who have developed valuable skills through community college, workforce training, bootcamps, certificate programs, military service or on-the-job learning. Currently, the lack of alumni networks, biased algorithms, degree screens, false stereotypes and misperceptions contribute to the paper ceiling, which creates barriers to upward economic mobility for STARs.

The Tear the Paper Ceiling PSAs – developed by world-renowned creative agency Ogilvy – feature the voices and stories of real STARs in various industries and career stages to raise awareness of the skills and capabilities of workers without bachelor’s degrees. One featured STAR is Justin Hutchinson, who planned to enroll in college but went straight to work when his father became ill. He developed his people skills working at a smoothie shop, which he ultimately leveraged to secure a role leading business development for a marketing firm. Another STAR is LaShana Lewis, who had an aptitude for computers but no college degree. She forged her own career path — from driving buses, to becoming a systems engineer, to founding her own consulting business, where she now serves as CEO.

According to insights from Opportunity@Work, Justin and LaShana are among the 4 million STARs already in high-wage roles, while 32 million more STARs have the skills for significantly higher-wage work (72% higher wages on average) based on their current roles. Since the turn of the century, STARs have lost access to 7.4 million higher-wage jobs. Despite that loss of access, research has found that there are still STARs still performing in those upwardly mobile roles, which makes it clear that loss isn’t due to STARs’ capabilities – it’s changes in hiring practices that are now screening them out. The paper ceiling has also suppressed STARs’ earnings for decades: over the last 40 years, the wage gap between STARs and workers with bachelor’s degrees has doubled. Adjusted for inflation, STARs now actually earn less on average than they did in 1976.

“College is a wonderful bridge to opportunity for millions, but it should never be a drawbridge excluding anyone who doesn’t cross it from thriving careers. Millions of STARs have demonstrated the skills to succeed in millions of today’s in-demand jobs and the adaptability to fill the jobs of tomorrow. Our partners in launching this campaign recognize the essential contributions STARs already make to our economy and believe tapping into STARs’ talent will be vital for our companies and communities to prosper in the years ahead,” said Opportunity@Work CEO Byron Auguste. “Tearing the paper ceiling is about bringing in talent based on skills, not degrees; performance, not pedigree; and inclusion, not exclusion. This collaborative campaign is a critical next step in our mission to create a U.S. labor market where if you can do the job, you can get the job.”

The integrated campaign will appear nationwide across all advertising formats: TV, radio, digital, social media, out-of-home and print. Per the Ad Council’s model, the PSAs will run in placements donated by the media – including Comcast NBCUniversal, Google/YouTube, LinkedIn, Meta, Reddit, and TikTok, among others. Volunteer media agency dentsu will also secure additional donated media support to extend the reach of the campaign.

At TearThePaperCeiling.org, the campaign provides resources for employers to expand their own STARs hiring, and invites STARs to share their own stories. Visitors to the site can also access a suite of tools that includes the “Tear the Paper Ceiling Hiring Playbook for Employers” to help businesses get started with skills-based hiring practices in their organization.

Tear the Paper Ceiling is supported by nearly 50 national organizations ranging from employers to philanthropies and workforce development organizations. Together, this coalition will broaden the impact and reach of the multiyear campaign, and includes:

• Accenture
• Byte Back
• Cara Plus
• Chevron
• Cognizant Foundation
• College Board
• Climb Hire
• Comcast NBCUniversal
• Education Design Lab
• Gap Foundation
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• General Assembly
• Generation USA
• Goodwill
• Google
• Grads of Life
• Guild
• Hire Heroes USA
• IBM
• IDEO
• James Irvine Foundation
• JFF
• Jobcase
• Lightcast
• LinkedIn
• McKinsey & Company
• Merit America
• Multiverse
• National Fund for Workforce Solutions
• National Skills Coalition
• New Profit
• Northern Virginia Community College
• NPower
• Per Scholas
• SkillUp Coalition
• Social Finance
• SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management)
• SkyHive
• Strada Education Network
• STRIVE
• Tech Impact
• Walmart
• Western Governors University
• Workday
• WorkingNation
• Year Up

“Across America today, millions of workers are unfairly shut out from job opportunities because of misperceptions about their skills and preparedness,” said Ad Council President and CEO Lisa Sherman. “Through the Tear the Paper Ceiling campaign, we will change the narrative to celebrate and affirm the skills that STARs can bring to the workforce. Together with our powerful coalition of partners, our efforts will help more STARs access equitable job opportunities and inspire employers to discover untapped talent.”

Tearing the paper ceiling and developing new strategies to recruit, hire, and support STARs will also play a crucial role in supporting employers’ Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) efforts. Biases against STARs – which include erroneously identifying them as low-skill – have for years had a negative impact on diversity in the workforce, as 61% of Black workers, 55% of Hispanic workers and 66% of rural workers of all races are STARs. By removing degree screens and intentionally including STARs during the hiring process, employers can take steps toward building a more inclusive workforce while also addressing talent gaps.

“The fact that 70 million workers in the country are not valued adequately by employers today is a massive challenge, but also one that creates profound opportunity to build a better system,” said Devika Bulchandani, Global CEO of Ogilvy. “Ogilvy is thrilled to play a role in helping STARs rip through the paper ceiling, so they can reach their full potential and have a fair chance at economic mobility. This campaign is an example of creativity at its best — helping impact peoples’ lives for the better and strengthen the fabric of our society.”

“I am proud to have my story told in Tear the Paper Ceiling. I’ve always prided myself on being a lifelong learner and early in my career had hoped that my performance would speak for itself. But unfortunately, without a college degree, I was overlooked too many times to count,” said STARs Advisory Council Chair LaShana Lewis. “Since becoming successful in tech and as a CEO, I’ve been told I’m one-in-a-million – but I’m actually one of millions. By identifying people like me as STARs, and recognizing the skills we have as opposed to the degrees we don’t, we’re changing the way we view talent in this country. I truly hope that with this campaign, millions more STARs will feel seen like I have and join the movement.”

Today’s news follows June’s announcement from Opportunity@Work and the Ad Council about the campaign and initial coalition partners. Since June, the Tear the Paper Ceiling coalition has grown significantly – with plans for further expansion during the next few years. Organizations, employers, STARs and other individuals can join the movement by visiting TearThePaperCeiling.org to share their stories, sign a pledge to support STARs and learn more about skills-based hiring practices.

Additional Quotes from Tear the Paper Ceiling Members:
Accenture: “At Accenture, our skill-based approach to hiring helps us reach previously untapped talent pools that reflect the rich diversity of our clients and communities. Through the Apprenticeship Program, our learn-and-earn model connects people without four-year degrees to new career pathways in tech, and we share our success with other companies in the Apprenticeship Network. We’re excited to further our impact on creating a more inclusive workforce and fuel our national competitiveness with the Tear the Paper Ceiling campaign.”
– Kate Clifford, Chief Human Resources Officer of North America, Accenture

Chevron: “Our partnerships and investments in workforce development and career training will advance and strengthen communities. Chevron is committed to ‘tearing the paper ceiling’ through multiple diversity initiatives, including a commitment to inclusive hiring. Chevron brings industry-wide focus to D&I by leveraging scale and strategic partnerships to drive greater impact. Through our collaboration with Opportunity@Work, we seek to inspire companies to embrace alternative hiring routes for workers who are Skilled Through Alternative Routes (*STARs*). The Paper Ceiling Campaign seeks to eliminate hiring barriers by shifting the focus to on-the-job learning, or work experience, as an alternative route to build valuable skills. A workforce armed with the skills necessary to succeed in the jobs of tomorrow is important not only to the success of our business, but also to America’s ability to compete in the global marketplace.”
– Rhonda Morris, Vice President, and Chief Human Resource Officer, Chevron

College Board: “There is so much untapped talent in this country – including many remarkable young people who don’t have four-year degrees. Through BigFuture, we are privileged to dialogue with millions of high school students every year about pathways to success in the workforce. We are proud to collaborate with Opportunity@Work and others so that all students can build a big future, even if they don’t earn a four-year degree.”
– David Coleman, CEO, College Board

Comcast NBCUniversal: “All Americans should have the opportunity to fully participate and excel in our dynamic economy. We’re proud to partner with Opportunity@Work so that more skilled workers can access competitive wage-earning jobs through alternative pathways.”
– Dalila Wilson-Scott, EVP and Chief Diversity Officer, Comcast Corporation

Google: “Google believes everyone deserves the opportunity to reach their full economic potential, without limitation based on education level. Through our Google Career Certificates program, we’re providing accessible workforce training for well-paying jobs. And we’ve created an Employer Consortium of over 150 companies—including Google—that helps program graduates connect with these jobs. We’re proud to support Opportunity@Work and to further our shared goal of creating a more inclusive economy.”
– Lisa Gevelber, Founder, Grow with Google

Guild: “Workers today are seeking greater opportunity and career mobility from their employers. Right now, far too many are held back from reaching their full potential because of systems and barriers that prevent them from advancing. At Guild, we are focused on meeting workers where they are in their educational and career journeys, and helping talent rise wherever it’s found. The Paper Ceiling campaign is critical in doing just that for STARs, and we are proud to be a part of this movement.”
– Rachel Romer, CEO & Co-Founder, Guild

IBM: “Outdated and narrow views of credentials are causing otherwise innovative companies to miss out on hiring top talent like STARs. In partnership with Opportunity@Work and the Ad Council, there is an opportunity to create an inclusive future of work. At IBM, we have adopted a skills-first approach through free education programs like IBM SkillsBuild and by removing the four-year degree requirement for 50% of our U.S. job listings. We’re excited to build on this success through our partnership, and we encourage other companies to join us.”
– Jonathan Adashek, Chief Communications Officer and Senior Vice President, Marketing and Communications, IBM

Jobcase: We built Jobcase to empower workers. We won’t truly achieve this mission, unless the Paper Ceiling that our friends at Opportunity@Work have spotlighted is ripped open. Supporting STARs success isn’t just aligned with Jobcase’s philosophy, it is literally a definition of our business, services, and mission. We are proud to join forces to accelerate change because when STAR workers are truly empowered, everyone benefits. This is not just the right thing to do, it is an imperatively critical thing to do if our country is to remain the economic leader and the beacon for economic opportunity that we all aspire to be.
– Fred Goff, CEO and Founder, Jobcase

LinkedIn: “For far too long, the way people got hired was based solely on the job they had, the degree they earned, or the people they knew. That’s starting to change – and we see it happening on LinkedIn. Employers are realizing that by shifting focus to the actual skills a worker brings to the table, they can solve some of their biggest business challenges and unlock opportunities for millions of overlooked, qualified candidates. In today’s turbulent economic times, the need for new ways of thinking has never been more urgent. LinkedIn is proud to stand with Opportunity @ Work to play a role in tearing down the ‘paper ceiling,’ so that we can create a more equitable and inclusive workforce for all.”
– Aneesh Raman, Vice President, Head of Opportunity Project, LinkedIn

McKinsey & Company: “Filling most in-demand jobs today – and tomorrow – will require a fundamentally different approach to finding the potential in talent, rather than screening resumes for a particular pedigree. What employers really need is knowledge, skills, and capacity to learn. We are making significant investments at McKinsey to ensure that our own talent culture is both distinctive and inclusive. To create opportunities for a broader range of talent, we are reaching out to new sources, like coding bootcamps and apprenticeship programs, and adapting our process to include game-based assessments and interview guides that rely less on business jargon and case prep. We are also proud to help tear the ‘Paper Ceiling’ by building data-driven tools that will help employers of all kinds make potential the priority and rethink what it means to be a skilled worker.”
– Katy George, Senior Partner Chief People Officer, McKinsey & Company

Strada Education Network: “Even at this moment in which there is an extraordinary gap in the labor market between demand and supply, employers too often miss out on talented job candidates due to rigid degree requirements, while also unwittingly constraining opportunity for millions of individuals. Education after high school represents a vital pathway to a prosperous future. Yet we also believe that employers should value the skills people bring to the table regardless of where they acquired them. We’re proud to support the Opportunity@Work STAR campaign, which has the potential to create opportunities for millions of talented STARs across America.”
– Stephen Moret, President and CEO, Strada Education Network

Walmart: “Creating paths of opportunity for everyone depends on a skills-based approach to hiring and advancing workers. Opportunity@ Work and the Ad Council’s Tear the Paper Ceiling campaign highlights the enormous unrealized potential for workers, employers and our economy that will come from reorienting our workforce systems toward skills rather than the way skills have been acquired. We are excited to build on our work with Opportunity@Work and others since we began our Retail Opportunity initiative in 2015 to drive change in the workforce system through our business and philanthropy.”
– Kathleen McLaughlin, Executive Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer, Walmart, and President of the Walmart Foundation

Workday: “At Workday, we believe that skills are a central currency in the changing world of work and a pathway to a more equitable economic future for all. Be it through the way we think about talent, the way we innovate, or via our policy advocacy efforts, we are committed to creating opportunities for all and helping workers get skilled through alternative routes. We are honored to support Opportunity @ Work and their Tear the Paper Ceiling campaign.”
– Carrie Varoquiers, Chief Philanthropy Officer, Workday

About Opportunity@Work
Opportunity@Work is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to enable at least 1 million working adults in America to translate their learning into earning – generating a $20 billion boost in annual earnings. Opportunity@Work engages with corporate, philanthropic, and workforce partners to directly address the barriers that STARs face, recognize STARs talent and remove bachelor’s degree screens. Learn more at gro.krow@ytinutroppo.www.

About the Ad Council
The Ad Council is where creativity and causes converge. The nonprofit organization brings together the most creative minds in advertising, media, technology and marketing to address many of the nation’s most important causes. The Ad Council has created many of the most iconic campaigns in advertising history. Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk. Smokey Bear. Love Has No Labels. The Ad Council’s innovative social good campaigns raise awareness, inspire action and save lives. To learn more, visit AdCouncil.org, follow the Ad Council’s communities on Facebook and Twitter, and view the creative on YouTube.

About Ogilvy
Ogilvy inspires brands and people to impact the world. We have been creating iconic, culture-changing, value-driving ideas for clients since David Ogilvy founded the company in 1948. We continue building on that rich legacy through our borderless creativity—operating, innovating, and creating at the intersection of talent and capabilities. Our experts in Public Relations, Consulting, Advertising, Health, and Experience work fluidly across 131 offices in 93 countries to bring forth world-class creative solutions for our clients. Ogilvy is a WPP company. For more information, visit Ogilvy.com, and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

About Byte Back  

Since 1997, Byte Back has served thousands of adults by helping graduates gain valuable tech skills, launch successful careers, and become part of the growing digital economy. Closing the digital divide through tech training gives people hope and opens doors to living-wage jobs. To learn more, please visit https://byteback.org  

Media Contact: Mikael LaRoche/ gro.kcabetyb@ehcoralm