Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I)

We don’t simply accept differences at Corecom Technology Academy. We celebrate them. We showcase them. We thrive on them.  And we continually urge and guide our clients and our wider tech community to do the same.

We know the benefits of diversity in the workplace and inclusive practices are vast. They bring a sense of belonging and improved employee wellbeing, which translate into increased engagement, commitment, loyalty and that golden chalice - a happy workplace. Moreover, from a sustainability perspective, for business this means retention, growth and greater profits.  

As a specialist training academy, we play a crucial role in driving diversity and inclusion forward. We see it as our duty to inform and educate both our associate consultants and clients about genuine D&I practice and its benefits - to ensure a great match and to embed inclusive practices from the outset.

We offer a range of D&I services as well as working at grass roots, in our local schools and universities, to educate on rights and responsibilities and to empower our next generation of tech specialists to challenge held perceptions and practices.

Using our academy and community work as our platform, we are striving to deconstruct the existing barriers to inclusion and to create a sector that is truly diverse and rich.

Diversity & Inclusion Statistics

·  Only 2.6% of tech leadership positions in the UK are held by people from ethnic minority backgrounds, whilst less than a quarter are held by women. (Colorintech, 2019)

·  Only 40% of employees believe their management teams foster an inclusive work environment (Gartner, 2020)

·  Inclusive teams improve performance by up to 30% (Forbes, 2023)

·  Diverse management teams outperform less diverse counterparts by 35% (Mckinsey, 2015)

Our D&I mission, values and expectations

We are on a mission to build a tech sector to be proud of. One that is diverse, creative, fun to be part of and, of course, highly successful with a pipeline of truly amazing talent. We understand the ethical, economic and cultural benefits of having a diverse and inclusive workforce and champion this model at every level of our business. Our mission is reflected in our values:  

  • Diversity and Respect

    Cultivating an inclusive environment whereby people are comfortable being their true selves and encouraged to share their experiences.

  • Innovation

    Embedding Diversity & Inclusion as a foundation for internal and external recruitment, advising candidates and clients on how to improve their D&I standing.

  • Delivering Excellence

    Pro-actively championing D&I internally to ensure equal opportunities and improve employee satisfaction.

  • Integrity

    Understanding our individual responsibility within D&I across the to ensure continuous improvement, both personally and professionally and holding each other accountable in support of an inclusive environment.

  • Collaboration

    Partnering with our clients to raise awareness of the benefits of having a diverse workforce and of creating an equal and inclusive environment.

Our ED&I Ambassadors are leading the way on closing the gap and overcoming the challenges of building an inclusive workforce in the tech sector.

Continually developing, honing, and reviewing our ED&I strategy, our CTA ambassadors place diversity and inclusion firmly on the agenda of our employees, associate consultants, and clients. They collectively help challenge perceptions and practices and educate on the multiple business benefits of creating a diverse and inclusive work culture.

Dominic Drown

ED&I Ambassador

he/him

Leticia Santos

Neurodivergent Ambassador

she/her

Poppy-Leigh Heron

Neurodivergent Ambassador

she/her

Nathan O’Donnell

Proud @ CTA

they/them

Our Services

We work with our associates and clients to educate on the benefits of creating a more diverse and inclusive work culture and to identify and challenge non-inclusive practice. All of our associate consultants receive D&I training prior to placement with a client – we view this as an absolute necessity for our engineers and tech professionals. We also support our clients to become more inclusive, to increase team diversity and to improve their D&I standing within their business, through a range of training sessions and workshops.

Our diversity and inclusion commitments to date include:

  • The appointment of ambassadors to drive the diversity and inclusion agenda forward

  • Our Diversity and Inclusion Ambassadors received ‘train the trainer’ training from Jo Major, Founder of Diversity in Recruitment

  • Internal, associate and client training sessions and workshops on diversity & inclusion issues

  • Training, advice and mentoring across the tech sector

  • Hosting internal events to celebrate initiatives such as PRIDE

  • Partnerships with the University of Liverpool, Leeds Beckett University and Barnsley College to build careers skills and enhance employment opportunities for young women in IT

  • Community initiatives including delivering focused career advice and networking sessions, as well as providing access to mentors from across the industry, across schools and universities across the region.