Virgin Money’s Post

A thought provoking read by Rana Foroohar on how American companies are changing their approach to diversity and inclusion to improve their return on investment. And it's a good question for many Australian organisations. What outcomes are you expecting from running another cultural awareness training? What is the point of running happy hours to celebrate a particular identity day? Or maintaining diversity quotas for internships? What I agree with Rana is that organisations should think about metrics that matter, and shift the attitude towards inclusion to become more critical and establish clarity on how inclusion relates to the core business objectives of the company. Also, if your organisation is serious about keeping  the best talent in a very tight labour market, it's time to move on from merely performative activity and do some real soul-searching about how to deliver diversity.

My Midsummer Dream for Black teen girls.   It is mid-summer and Black teen girls are fully engaged in productive and worthwhile summer endeavors, but have they had a "Fill Your Cup" experience yet? For many teens, Black girls included, summer is a time to get ahead on one’s dreams through internship experiences, honing academic skills, or traveling the country playing a sport. Yet, I find myself dreaming of another kind of summer experience for Black teen girls; one that is equally as essential to their success because it relates to their sense of self, wholeness and wellbeing. A Fill Your Cup experience takes place in a space where Black girls are able to be their true selves and where their beauty, genius and capabilities are celebrated. Black teen girls, especially those who attend predominantly white schools, need a Fill Your Cup experience where they feel valued, seen and affirmed for who they are and not just for how they perform or what they produce. The Fill Your Cup experience is simple yet transformative and it has the power to sustain Black teen girls for the long haul in the school year ahead. If you have a Black teen girl in your life, do a midsummer check in with her to see if her plans include a Fill Your Cup experience, and if they don’t, help her plan one. A Fill Your Cup experience doesn’t have to be expensive, but make sure you are co-creating it with your Black teen girls so that she will leave the experience feeling affirmed, strengthened, whole and knowing that she is enough.

The future is bright at Randolph Brooks Federal Credit Union! By welcoming interns into our organizations, companies gain several benefits: 💯 Fresh Perspectives: Interns often bring new ideas and approaches, helping the company stay innovative and adaptable to changing markets. 💯 Talent Pipeline: Developing interns can lead to full-time hires who are already familiar with the company culture and workflows, reducing future hiring costs and training time. 💯 Learning and Development: A culture of continuous learning is fostered, benefiting both the interns and existing employees through mentorship and knowledge exchange. 💯 Enhanced Employer Brand: Intern programs demonstrate a commitment to education and career development, making the company more attractive to future job seekers and enhancing its reputation. Supporting interns creates a mutually beneficial environment, promoting growth and innovation within the company while providing valuable experience for the interns. It was an absolute honor to be able to spend the afternoon with an incredibly talented future workforce. Their stories were inspiring, and their questions were truly thought provoking! Looking forward to witnessing their continued success! Mark, Sonya, Mary, Zachary, Robert, Edward, Barbara, Julie, Edward, Karen, Glenn, Jim, Casy, Dr. Steven L. Hall, Bob

It's black history month! Our team at POCAM - People of Colour in Advertising & Marketing will be telling stories of black professionals in marketing. Today, I'd love to introduce you to Ozioma Nwabuikwu. Ozioma is a writer and a storyteller. That’s what drew her to advertising. The ability to tell a variety of stories from different verticals like finance, tourism, fashion and healthcare, to her current job of content strategy and freelance writing in the music and entertainment industry. She loves the intersection of culture, community and communications, and her work and writing reflects that. Ozioma has been in content creation for the past five years, as she was dealing with “homesickness and disillusionment with academia as an international student”. She was appointed head of marketing for the African association on campus and it helped her find her passion, and how much she loved to bring people together. As a newcomer to Canada, Ozioma had many odds stacked against her. She worked to understand our systems, our culture, and our student job programs that prioritize Canadian citizens or other degrees. She worked hard to create opportunities for herself and it was this tenaciousness that got her an internship in the Strategy department at Cossette. She was able to successfully break into the industry due to a combination of hard work, networking, and self taught skills, it’s been harder to maintain regular work in our industry due to our current economy. “It feels like there are fewer companies willing to invest in training, mentorship, and retain younger, diverse talent.” This lack of opportunity hasn’t stopped Ozioma from finding freelance work as her greatest accomplishment has been wharf work as a journalist, content strategist in music and entertainment; a great way to merge her love for writing, photography and culture. Ozioma would love to see our industry offer more long-term and intensive internship for diverse folks in an effort to be more inclusive, “Four months isn’t enough time to develop valuable skills and more mentorship should be embedded in internship programs.” Also an effort to transition people from internship to full time, so it doesn’t feel like company’s are checking off a “diversity box”. Her advice to young black talent is to look for those internships, continue networking, and know the experience you’d like to gain in order to work your way to that. This is how Ozioma has built her career, including knowing what her advantage is before taking on opportunities. She knows what she brings to the table, her unique perspective and skillset, and marries that with passion for her work, and the people around her. See more of Ozioma’s work here: https://lnkd.in/g9RbMk6T This POCAM BHM 2024 profile was written by Aleena Mazhar Kuzma, SVP, Managing Director, Partner of FUSE Create and a member of the POCAM - People of Colour in Advertising & Marketing board and steering committee.

Many thanks to our panelists today Shannon O'Mara, CFA, Susana Rojas Chiros, Justine Gearin, and Makenzie Gorman for bringing to life the Loomis, Sayles & Company Undergraduate Women's Investment Network (UWIN) mentoring and internship program. A few key takeaways on why the program is able to deliver on its mission to "inspire, develop and recruit" a more diverse pipeline... ✅ A business need is driving the program - diverse teams make better investment decisions ✅ The program demystifies the investment industry for undergrads - so they can see themselves there ✅ Students gain early access to mentors and key skills - which helps them chart a path and grow their networks ✅ There is broad support across the organization (over 100 mentors!) and a willingness to take the long view - building a talent pipeline takes time To learn more about UWIN: https://lnkd.in/eC-WjaFP

Celebrating National Inclusion Week at McGinley! At McGinley, inclusion is a commitment that lies at the heart of everything we do. As we celebrate National Inclusion Week, we’re proud to reflect on the steps we’ve taken to be an inclusive employer that values diversity and fosters a welcoming workplace for everyone. Our Inclusive Workforce We believe that by embracing people from diverse backgrounds, abilities, genders, ethnicities, and orientations, we can build stronger, more innovative teams. Our workforce reflects the diversity of the communities we serve within the infrastructure sector. From day one, we are committed to ensuring equal opportunities for everyone—whether you are just starting your career or have decades of experience. At McGinley, we know that different perspectives foster a more inclusive and forward-thinking industry. Supporting Diverse Talent Our recruitment processes are designed to break down barriers and open doors for all. We actively promote initiatives that create pathways for underrepresented groups to enter the infrastructure industry. Apprenticeships and pre-employability programmes, along with recruitment processes tailored to encourage women, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, prison-leavers, and veterans, are at the core of our talent development strategy. Looking Ahead As we celebrate National Inclusion Week, we recognise that there’s always more to be done. That’s why we remain committed to listening, learning, and growing. At McGinley, inclusion is a continuous journey, and we invite all our employees, partners, and clients to walk that path with us. Together, we’re building an infrastructure sector—and a workplace—that reflects the diversity and strength of the world around us. #NationalInclusionWeek #InclusiveEmployer #DiversityAndInclusion #InclusiveWorkforce

The IT industry is embracing partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to address the diversity gap in the tech workforce. Organizations like the North Carolina Department of Information Technology are spearheading this change with targeted internship programs for HBCU students. These programs are designed to offer real-world experience, aiming to integrate these students into the full-time professional sphere and enhance workforce diversity. With Black IT professionals significantly underrepresented in the sector, these intentional efforts by IT companies and HBCUs represent a strategic move towards a more inclusive and diverse tech industry. This collaborative effort not only benefits students by expanding their career horizons but also enriches companies with diverse perspectives and skills, driving innovation and inclusivity in the tech ecosystem. Read the full article for insights here: https://loom.ly/NFmaOkM. #TechDiversity #InclusiveInnovation #HBCUInitiatives

All-In Cincinnati proudly partnered with our esteemed Core Team Member, Iris Roley, a distinguished Black woman community leader advocating for #justice and #racialequity. Under Iris’ leadership, the Policing Accountability and Public Safety Regional Conference convened community leaders, policymakers, and experts to foster dialogue on policing accountability and public safety. All-In Cincinnati continues to support Iris Roley's efforts, aligning with our commitment to promoting justice and racial equity in Cincinnati. 🎯 #GOALS - #3PsImplementation: Creating spaces and opportunities through paid apprenticeships #Paying, positive reinforcement of cultural identity #Pride, and identifying talents and abilities among young Black women #Purpose. - #CommunityEngagement: Collaborating with local organizations to develop policies that support holistic growth in safe, inclusive spaces. 📈 #PROGRESS - Participated in a comprehensive discussion at Cincinnati City Hall, mobilizing community support for effective policy change around safe third spaces. - Successfully collaborated with Iris Roley, by sponsoring and participating in the Policing Accountability and Public Safety Regional Conference. We engaged with #communityleaders and #policymakers in critical discussions on justice and racial equity for young Black women. 📣 #GETINVOLVED - Support young #Blackwomen by providing internships and apprenticeships that contribute to their personal and professional growth. Fill out our questionnaire https://lnkd.in/ebFgmvuy and better equip the #nextgeneration of leaders in our community. - Denisha Porter Sheryl L. Alicia Reece Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney, Esq. #allincincinnati #policyagenda #policychange #systemchange #YouthInitiative #celebratingsuccess #community #policeaccountability #publicsafety #collaboration

Want to know more about what it's like to gain experience as part of the 10,000 Black Interns initiative? Hear from our summer interns. 💬 Summer 2024 has marked our third consecutive year supporting the 10,000 Black Interns initiative and we have been delighted to welcome 10 interns who have worked across HR, Responsible Business, Commercial, Finance, Technology, Knowledge & Learning and Disputes and Investigations. ⭐ Our interns have shared their highlights and lessons learnt from their six weeks #WorkExperience where they joined networking sessions, shadowed meetings and supported on training sessions, plus much more.   Follow the link in the comments to learn more about 10,000 Black Interns, and Diversity and Inclusion at the firm.   #DiversityandInclusion #DiverseTalent

When you get to work with your own daughter... Sure, I've seen my daughter Chase Carpenter in action. I've seen how her smile and positive energy can draw people in. I've watched her rally groups of young women, whether it's for pure fun and community development, or it's for a purpose-driven event, meant to move the needle. She's an organized, efficient, and magnetic leader. So you may imagine my pride getting to work alongside her this past summer at The Lola. The Lola is a vibrant, women's community space where I've been co-working for the past year and a half. I've also contributed some work to The LOLA team, helping Dana Xavier Dojnik with project management processes and content marketing; starting and co-leading a weekly accountability group with Melissa Uppelschoten, now led by superstar Qiana Avery, SHRM-CP; and co-facilitating the monthly, in-person Founders & Freelancers group with the incomparable energy-shifter Kafi London. In short, being part of The LOLA community has been my jam. When The LOLA accepted Chase as an intern last spring, I knew she'd fit right in. She understood the assignment: to help support the powerful network of inclusive, female entrepreneurs and women in business who want to build a life and career in which we are constantly growing, thriving and succeeding. It's exciting to see young women realize and embrace their own power. It makes me wish I knew what they already know when I was in my 20s! But it was a different time and we were ALL different people. :) I'm excited to keep my focus on what's ahead for all of us. Because women - young, mid-life and wise - will change the world. Established women in business and emerging female leaders: if you haven't felt it yet, lean in. And lean in HARD, because our time is NOW. #WomenInBusiness #FemaleLeadership #NextGenLeaders #MotherDaughterTeam #EmpowerWomen #WomenSupportingWomen #CommunityLeadership #FemaleEntrepreneurs #MentorshipMatters #TheLOLA #WomenWhoLead #CareerGrowth #InclusiveLeadership #YoungLeaders #WomenEmpowerment