Dream Corps to help men and women from “underrepresented backgrounds [to] find success in the tech sector.” The Oakland-based nonprofit is behind the initiative #YesWeCode. This project aims to increase opportunities in tech companies. With Apple’s support, it’s now got a big tech giant in its corner. in a statement. “Our hope is that by bringing expertise, stakeholders and resources together, we’ll be able to magnify the already impressive impact that Dream Corps is having in the Bay Area and across the nation and help a new generation of young people realize their potential.” since expanded overseas. Under Tim Cook, Apple has worked hard to promote racial and gender diversity in its workforce. Speaking at the end of last year, Cook said that the tech industry has “missed” doing enough in this area. … [Read more...] about Apple teams with nonprofit to help underrepresented groups enter tech industry
Tech industry
Infographic: Amazon Is The Largest Employer In The Tech Industry
Feb 18, 12:19 AM EST Newsletter Signup BusinessTechnologyWorldNationalMedia & CultureOpinionSportsLuxury Business By Felix Richter 02/17/19 AT 10:55 PM This chart compares the size of the global workforce of selected U.S. tech companies. Photo: IBT/Statista Amazon announced on Thursday that it had cancelled its plans to build a new headquarters in New York City, giving in to vocal opposition from local politicians and activists who were particularly enraged about the roughly $3 billion in tax breaks that Amazon had been offered to come to the Big Apple. "After much thought and deliberation, we've decided not to move forward with our plans to build a headquarters for Amazon in Long Island City, Queens," the company wrote, adding that “the commitment to build a new headquarters requires positive, collaborative relationships with state and local elected officials who will be supportive over the long-term”. Apparently the company’s leadership did no … [Read more...] about Infographic: Amazon Is The Largest Employer In The Tech Industry
Even Silicon Valley workers want more regulation of the tech industry
With lawmakers, presidents, advocates and venture capitalists lining up to criticize the tech industry's missteps in the last couple years, you'd think that'd be enough. But no: Even the tech industry's own employees are fed up.A new survey of 1,500 respondents from the Edelman Trust Barometer conducted around California in January found the endless string of scandals that have hit tech giants like Facebook, Google and Uber have taken their toll. More than half of tech industry employees now say that their data is shared too much and that companies have failed to protect our data. Edelman's surveys also found falling trust in the tech industry to do the right thing. Now, surveys show, people have more faith in marijuana growers and dispensaries than they do social media companies. It's no surprise then that 59 percent of respondents say the tech industry should be more regulated than it is now, up from 46 percent last year.The results are the latest sign of how far … [Read more...] about Even Silicon Valley workers want more regulation of the tech industry
The tech industry’s 2020 Trump trap
The 2020 presidential campaign is shaping up as a major political headache for tech companies still reeling from blowback over the support they offered Donald Trump's campaign and the Republican Party in the last election. Two and a half years ago, companies including Google and Facebook gave the then-Republican nominee the same technical assistance they lend to other candidates, despite widespread distaste among their largely liberal employees for his comments about women, minorities and immigrants.Story Continued Below But now the companies are facing rising pressure from liberal activists to withhold any technical or financial aid for the president and the GOP. The activists, including groups that hold sway in Silicon Valley, say Trump's track record in the White House makes business as usual out of the question. "It's no longer acceptable for these companies to play both sides like they're equal," said Rashad Robinson, president of civil rights advocacy group Color of Change. "If … [Read more...] about The tech industry’s 2020 Trump trap
How the tech industry can help fix our AI skills shortage
In 2015, Uber opened a research facility around the corner from Carnegie Mellon University’s National Robotics Engineering Center in a move positioned as a partnership between the two organizations. Within months, dozens of faculty members had left their positions for full-time roles at Uber, draining the center of much of its talent. Other major tech companies have followed a similar path – in 2018, Facebook launched AI labs in Seattle and Pittsburgh headed by former professors. These stories provide a window into a tug-of-war that’s been playing out between the tech industry and academia. Keen to build products and services that use AI and machine learning, tech firms and other businesses have been hiring away researchers and professors from universities, creating a shortage of academics who can teach the next generation of data scientists. The proportion of computer science PhDs who stay in academia has reached a “historic low,” the Computing Research … [Read more...] about How the tech industry can help fix our AI skills shortage