TechTank is a workforce diversity program that connected young technologists from underserved backgrounds to tech industry mentors as a means to build a local tech talent pipeline for New York City. Featured at SXSW, TechTank received strong positive reviews from direct participants, partner organizations, and was replicated by program participants.

Motivation

In recent years, the tech industry has faced significant scrutiny over its lack of diversity and inclusion, particularly within its talent pipeline. Despite high demand for skilled professionals, women and minorities remain underrepresented, holding only about 25% of computing roles nationwide, and even fewer in leadership positions. This discrepancy not only highlights systemic barriers within educational and professional landscapes but also underscores a broader issue of accessibility and equity in tech. In response to these challenges, initiatives like TechTank emerged, focusing on creating pathways for diverse individuals into technology careers, particularly in underserved communities like the Bronx, where economic and educational disparities exacerbate the issue.

TechTank, a collaborative effort with The Knowledge House, specifically targeted the pressing need for greater diversity in the tech sector by connecting technology students from diverse backgrounds with industry professionals through a robust mentorship program.

Approach

Designed in partnership with students from The Knowledge House, TechTank supported young adults pursuing a technology education by connecting them to networking, mentoring, and hiring opportunities. TechTank addressed the following questions:

How can youth-led problem solving help education programs strengthen their curriculum and learning opportunities?
How can involving young people in designing their own education stimulate ambition, critical thinking, and accelerate learning outcomes?
How does an entrepreneurial mindset improve the learning process, and what are concrete strategies to engage students in building their own capacity?

Program

Training Course: Curriculum covered strategic planning, problem solving, design thinking, and working in teams.
Design Research and Prototype: Students from The Knowledge House identified their needs and goals. We prototyped the matching program and gathered feedback from industry professionals to design and build a mentor matching solution and three-month mentorship program experience.
Networking Events: Events gave students and professionals frequent opportunities for organic relationship building and opportunities to test different parts of the solution.
Mentorship Program: The three-month program was presented and piloted at Thoughtworks with mentors from a range of companies including Spotify, Vimeo, AOL, IBM, and MongoDB.

TechTank was launched as a technology-powered mentor matching platform and networking event that matched NYC’s technology students with experienced professionals in the tech industry and kicked off a three-month mentorship program. This program not only offered a variety of engagement levels—ranging from single informational interviews to intensive three-month mentorships—but also focused on soft skills, cultural fit, and diversity within tech hiring practices.

Outcomes

Early Interest: 200 sign ups in three weeks and 80 participants at first Demo Day
Sustained Participation and Measureable Impact: Three-month pilot with 50 users, 100% retention, and positive feedback and outcomes reported by both mentors and mentees throughout the program.
Industry Recognition: TechTank was selected to be a featured social impact panel at SXSW Interactive.
Community Building: The TechTank online community launched with over 300 members cultivated at in-person events.
Entrepreneurship: TKH students who participated in the Phase One program used the model to run their own mentorship program for CITYSaturdays, a Mozilla Foundation-funded mentor program.

From its inception, TechTank significantly impacted both students and tech companies. For students, the program improved job placement rates. For companies, the insights gained from direct interactions with diverse young talent fostered a supportive community of tech professionals committed to nurturing the next wave of talent in NYC.

Participant Testimonials

Connection: "It's rewarding to know someone in the industry you want to be in & has the experience you want to gain."
Insight: "The gap between what I'm learning in school and what people are using in the workforce is invaluable to know."
Purpose: "I like being a part of TechTank because I like working on something that's bigger than myself."