Through this collaboration, students will receive mentorship and career development opportunities to bridge the digital divide.
Atlanta, Georgia, USA—Learners in Atlanta will be able to prepare for emerging tech careers through the Digital Trust-Workforce Inclusion Program (DT-WIP) from ISACA and itsISACA Foundation, in partnership with Blacks in Technology.
Through this collaboration, ISACA will provide in-person instruction to 25 learners using the Certified in Emerging Technology (CET) certification coursework, as well as offer mentorship and career development opportunities. City of Refuge will host the classes in its space and provide lunches to the students on Saturdays, and Inspiredu will outfit the group with laptops to use throughout the program. The president of the Blacks in Technology (BIT) Atlanta Chapter will be teaching the courses, and ISACA’s People and Culture team will be providing students with a job fair and professional development sessions on resume writing and interviewing skills.
The partnership between BIT Atlanta, ISACA and the ISACA Foundation underscores a shared commitment to promoting diversity, inclusion, and equitable access to technology education and certifications. By bridging the digital divide, this collaboration seeks to empower individuals from underserved communities in Atlanta with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in emerging technology fields.
“We believe that diversity and inclusion are the cornerstones of innovation,” said Meloni Boatswain, Atlanta Chapter President of BIT and CET Instructor. “This partnership embodies our collective commitment to creating a level playing field, enabling individuals from diverse backgrounds to thrive and excel in the technology industry.”
This collaboration aims to enable underserved communities to thrive in the rapidly evolving technology landscape by earning CET certifications. BIT has over 27,000 members, with more than 70 chapters in 27 countries and counting, and is the largest organization for Black technologists in the world. BIT Atlanta is the largest BIT chapter within North America, with over 2,000 members.
The CET certification allows for mastery of key emerging technologies with courses including ISACA’s Cloud Fundamentals, Blockchain Fundamentals, Internet of Things (IoT) Fundamentals and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Fundamentals certificates. These help demonstrate knowledge to potential future employers and open up new career pathways.
“Digital trust roles, whether in audit, cybersecurity or other areas, contribute to driving digital transformation forward and building confidence in the integrity of key elements of organizations’ digital ecosystems,” says Ajay Barot, ISACA Chief of Staff. “Enterprises across all industries need qualified professionals to fill these essential jobs, and we are committed to preparing the workforce of the future by providing them with education, credentials and a supportive community.”
Additionally, the ISACA Foundation will offer continuing education stipends for participants to continue to enhance their learning, providing participants no-cost ISACA student membership and resources that will support their trajectories through training, placement, and career development.
This project aligns to the mission of ISACA’s academic and workforce development arm to drive impact in communities and support the next generation of learners who are looking to reskill/upskill, as well as with ISACA Foundation’s diversity, equity and inclusion-focused mission to provide underrepresented learners from both youth and adult communities a pathway to enter the IT workforce. Recent ISACA workforce development programs include ones created in collaboration with the Caterpillar Foundation that reached underserved populations in select cities in the U.S. and in Brazil, preparing hundreds of students for in-demand careers in digital trust fields.
“There are systemic barriers that can keep people from accessing paths to digital trust roles, particularly those from underserved communities,” says Chloe Miller, ISACA Foundation program manager. “We believe that everyone deserves the chance to pursue these career opportunities, and that having a diverse and inclusive workforce from a range of backgrounds in these professions only makes those teams and organizations stronger.”
If interested in learning more or participating in this program, visit https://www.isaca.org/campaigns/digital-trust-workforce-inclusion-program. If you would like to support or donate, please visit https://www.isaca.org/about-us/isaca-foundation#donate.
To learn more about ISACA’s partnerships and efforts in workforce development, visit www.isaca.org/why-isaca/academic-partnership. To learn more about the ISACA Foundation, visit https://www.isaca.org/about-us/isaca-foundation.
About ISACA
ISACA® (www.isaca.org) is a global community advancing individuals and organizations in their pursuit of digital trust. For more than 50 years, ISACA has equipped individuals and enterprises with the knowledge, credentials, education, training and community to progress their careers, transform their organizations, and build a more trusted and ethical digital world. ISACA is a global professional association and learning organization that leverages the expertise of its more than 170,000 members who work in digital trust fields such as information security, governance, assurance, risk, privacy and quality. It has a presence in 188 countries, including 225 chapters worldwide. Through its foundation One In Tech, ISACA supports IT education and career pathways for underresourced and underrepresented populations.
Twitter: www.twitter.com/ISACANews
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/isaca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ISACAGlobal
Instagram: www.instagram.com/isacanews
About Blacks in Technology
Blacks in Technology Foundation (BIT) is a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing the representation and inclusion of Black professionals in the technology industry. BIT aims to provide resources, support, and opportunities for individuals of African Descent to thrive and succeed in the tech sector.
Contact:
communications@isaca.org
Emily Ayala, +1.847.385.7223
Bridget Drufke, +1.847.660.5554
