It’s something that is difficult for many to talk about: race/ethnic/gender diversity. Google, the world’s leading Internet corporation, is tackling the issue within it’s own company.
And according to their own blog, the diversity numbers are lacking. Only 30% of Google employees are women. African-Americans make up 2% of Google’s work force; Hispanics make up 3%, while Asian-Americans make up 30%, Whites, over 60%. Google itself admit they have to do a better job with improving diversity. They have taken steps to bridge the gap, like donate tens of millions to women’s organizations and historically black universities to bring computer science to women and minorities. That’s scratching the surface.
Statistics say that in 2011, of all the B.S. computer science graduates, 17.6% were women. In previous decades, those numbers have been in the 20-37 percentile range. Among African-Americans and Hispanics, it’s around five percent. I respect Google’s financial contribution to increase diversity. But we don’t just need short term solutions that start at colleges. Google needs to start at the elementary school level, and I mean in Kindergarten and First Grade, if not sooner. Get young children interested in computer science early, especially in Black and Latino communities. So when the next generation comes around, they will be ready. Since Google can afford to, send Google employees to elementary, jr. high, high schools, and universities to lecture to kids about the importance of computer science. Tell them the rich opportunities they will have. I’d encourage schools to incorporate computer science education as early as they can. The younger they start, the less intimidating it will be. What else can bring these diversity numbers up?