Akamai Technologies understands that diverse viewpoints can inspire innovative ideas, but the reality is that far fewer than half of technical graduates are women or people of color. Therefore, the company broadened its workforce by creating its own training program, Akamai Technical Academy, meant for diverse individuals who are interested in a technical career but who may not have a STEM background or formal technical education. This session will cover how this training program was developed and the lessons learned in the process. You will find out how to:

• Build a training program for diverse talent, who may not have the formal education or background that you would typically consider in a new hire.
• Engage and pursue candidates who represent diverse backgrounds, experiences and viewpoints.
• Develop a business case for making workforce diversity a priority.
• Dispel common myths about hiring employees who may not have the experience or education level of employees whom your company has typically hired.
• Measure the ROI of a training program developed to broaden the talent pool and diversify your workforce.