Apple knows the value of diversity and wants to take part in promoting diversity in the tech industry. The Cupertino-based tech giant plans to donate over $50 million to organizations that promote diversity.
The iPhone maker also plans to team up with non-profit organizations to bring more women and minorities to jobs in the tech field, including Apple. Denise Young Smith, human resources lead for Apple, explained they want to create more opportunities for minority candidates to get a job at Apple. She added that diversity extends beyond race and gender’ it also includes diverse lifestyles and sexual orientations.
Apple looks for promising young employees
Apple is partnering with a non-profit Thurgood Marshall College Fund, a supportive group designed for students enrolled at historically black universities. Notable HBCUs include North Carolina A&T State University and Grambling University (Young Smith’s alma matter where she graduated back in the late 70s). There is a total of 100 HBCUs across the country, and nearly half (47%) are public institutions. These colleges collectively graduate almost 20% of African-Americans who earn undergraduate degrees.
Apple to work with historically black colleges and universities
Thurgood Marshall College Fund’s president and CEO Johnny Taylor explained that other organizations gave scholarship dollars to the things that matter most to them. Their partnership with Apple is different because it covers everything they do. Apple also plans to send $40 million to the fund. The money will go towards creating a database of computer science majors at the HBCUs to train students and faculty members. Funds will also create scholarships. Apple will also offer a special paid internship for promising students.
While many tech companies scout MIT and Harvard for future employees, Apple is set to scout HBCU schools. The iPhone maker is set to team up with National Center for Women and Information Technology to create a stronger pipeline for female tech experts to get more jobs in the tech industry.
