LeadersUp connects diverse, young talent in need of work with companies to ensure inclusion
With millions of young adults looking for work, next generation social engineers with LeadersUp are helping to bridge the gap by connecting diverse talent with companies, which reflect their values of inclusion.
There are 5.5 million young adults between the ages of 18 to 24 who are unemployed. LeadersUp helps connect this untapped multicultural talent pool with opportunity.
Jeffrey Wallace, president and CEO with LeadersUp, joined ABC7 to discuss what the organization is doing to help diversify corporate America and connect talented youth with employers.
What is a "next gen social engineer?"
"A social entrepreneur and innovator is really figuring out how can we innovate inclusive solutions on the ground to drive out how our systems in society actually operate to be more inclusive," said Wallace.
Company and community support
"Economic opportunity and being able to connect young people to employers in corporate America and in the public sector that themselves are anti-racist that, you know, leverage inclusion as a strategy in order to recruit an advanced talent - is what young people are really looking for. They're looking for employers that will stand up for what is right," said Wallace.
Diversity and inclusion in corporate America
"The big thing that we hear and have heard for decades now is, 'I can't find the talent.' So at LeadersUp we really work with corporations to assure that we can help them grow the talent. Whether that's through internship programs, and pipeline strategies, direct hiring, but also ensuring that they facilitate a culture of inclusion," said Wallace.
Wallace says there are many companies across the nation making statements on social media, which is great, but LeadersUp helps these companies build that infrastructure to help meet the diversity and inclusion goals, as well as making sure anti-racist values are at the core of corporate settings.
How does LeadersUp help companies address bias?
"We've worked with a number of companies in their recruitment strategies." said Wallace. "We're also working with managers because at the end of the day, we know that the frontline leadership of a company is really the frontline visual that an employee has around the values of that company," said Wallace.
Watch the full interview in the video above.
For more information: leadersup.org
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