Philadelphia is a city with a rich history, culture and innovation. It is also a city that faces many challenges, such as poverty, inequality and social injustice. In the midst of these challenges, Philadelphia is working to become the most diverse tech hub in the US, with the help of a collaborative initiative, a comprehensive report and a series of workshops.
The Most Diverse Tech Hub initiative
The Most Diverse Tech Hub (MDTH) is an initiative of the City of Philadelphia Department of Commerce’s Tech Industry Partnership, which aims to increase the representation and inclusion of underrepresented groups in the local tech workforce. The initiative was launched in 2022, with the support of Technical.ly, a media company that covers local tech ecosystems.
The MDTH initiative has three main goals:
- To raise awareness and educate the tech community on the benefits and best practices of diversity and inclusion
- To provide resources and tools to help tech employers and job seekers improve their hiring and retention strategies
- To foster a culture of belonging and collaboration among the tech stakeholders in the region
The MDTH initiative is based on the premise that diversity and inclusion are not only moral imperatives, but also business imperatives, as they can enhance innovation, productivity and competitiveness in the tech sector.
The MDTH report
As part of the MDTH initiative, Technical.ly published the inaugural State of the Philadelphia Tech Economy Report in April 2023, which provides a deep-dive look at the current state, challenges and opportunities of diversifying the technical workforce in Philadelphia. The report is informed by interviews with 10 founders and hiring managers, a general survey of tech employers and a year’s worth of programming and discussions.
The report is divided into three parts:
- Background on the current state of tech diversity, which includes data on the demographics, wages and economic impact of the tech workforce in Philadelphia, as well as the barriers and biases that hinder diversity and inclusion
- A review of what has been done to address the issue, which showcases the efforts and achievements of various organizations, programs and initiatives that are working to increase the pipeline, access and retention of underrepresented groups in tech
- A way forward, which offers recommendations and action steps for tech employers, job seekers and policymakers to create a more diverse and inclusive tech ecosystem in Philadelphia
The report also features a toolkit, which contains practical tips, templates and resources for tech hiring and retention, such as job descriptions, compensation guides, diversity audits and employee surveys.
The report is available for download on the MDTH website, where you can also find additional resources, such as a video series, a data dashboard and a newsletter.
The MDTH workshops
In 2022, as part of Technical.ly’s efforts with the MDTH initiative, Technical.ly created a 7-part workshop series, which featured company culture experts speaking to a variety of topics geared towards creating an inclusive work culture. The workshops were held online and attracted hundreds of participants from the tech community.
The topics of the workshops were:
- Culture of Belonging, which explored how to create a work environment where everyone feels valued, respected and supported
- Job Descriptions, which discussed how to write clear, inclusive and attractive job postings that appeal to a diverse pool of candidates
- Establishing Equitable and Transparent Compensation, which examined how to set fair and competitive salaries and benefits that reflect the market value and skills of the employees
- Tokenism, which addressed how to avoid the pitfalls of tokenism, which is the practice of hiring or promoting a few members of underrepresented groups to create a false appearance of diversity
- Recruiting, which shared best practices and strategies for sourcing, screening and interviewing diverse candidates, as well as building a strong employer brand and reputation
- Microaggressions, which explained how to identify, prevent and respond to microaggressions, which are subtle, often unintentional, acts of discrimination or harassment that can undermine the confidence and performance of the employees
- Apprenticeships, which highlighted the benefits and challenges of apprenticeships, which are paid, on-the-job training programs that can help bridge the skills gap and create a more diverse talent pipeline
The future of the MDTH initiative
The MDTH initiative is an ongoing project that aims to make a lasting impact on the tech diversity and inclusion in Philadelphia. The initiative plans to continue its work by:
- Conducting more research and analysis on the state of the tech workforce and the best practices of diversity and inclusion
- Producing more content and events that educate and engage the tech community on the topic
- Providing more support and guidance to tech employers and job seekers on how to improve their hiring and retention outcomes
- Building more partnerships and collaborations with other organizations and stakeholders that share the same vision and mission
The MDTH initiative invites anyone who is interested or involved in the tech sector in Philadelphia to join the movement and contribute to the goal of making Philadelphia the most diverse tech hub in the US.
