A thriving and inclusive future is built by diverse, inclusive teams.
With the support of J.P. Morgan, NESsT launched Empowers, a program that prepares firms to effectively integrate youth and women into the workplace and to reap the full benefits of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in the workplace.
The program convenes social enterprises, corporates, and jobseekers to implement best practices that can lead to more efficient training and employment placement of diverse leaders into the workforce. One example of a recipient enterprise is Mozesz ITy, a social enterprise founded by Coders Lab IT School that runs boot camps for youth upon exiting foster care thus preparing them for careers in tech in Poland.
Ola, Inaugural Graduate of Coders Lab's Mozesz ITy Programme (NESsT, 2019)
“I am an example of the fact that nothing is impossible. That with a little help, we can achieve a lot. Thanks to the course, I gained a belief in myself that I will succeed.”
Karolina Gadalska, Lead Coordinator at Coder’s Lab
Over the past several years, NESsT has identified three key trends of the Polish labour market.
1) Even though the unemployment in the country has decreased from 2018 to 2019, two groups have been disproportionately unaffected: youth and adult women, the latter dealing with rising pension deficits.
2) The number of jobs that must be filled in the IT sector is close to 250,000 annually and nearly one of every two hiring managers report that finding qualified talent is challenging.
3) There is growing consensus among employers and behavioral psychologists globally that diverse teams lead to improved business productivity and innovation.
These three trends drive the design of this program. However, the most exciting element of NESsT Empowers is the enthusiasm by social enterprises, corporates, investors, and youth in Poland to collaborate to unlock a major competitive advantage for businesses: talent.
“Awareness of the business case for inclusion and diversity is on the rise. While social justice typically is the initial impetus behind these efforts, companies have increasingly begun to regard inclusion and diversity as a source of competitive advantage, and specifically as a key enabler of growth.”
NESsT Empowers incubates social enterprises that cultivate the talent of youth whom have not received formal education as a result of their institutionalization. The program also supports youth with physical and/or mental disabilities, as well as those cycling through low paying or unstable jobs in both rural and urban areas.
The reality is that youth and women are often forced to take on jobs that do not fairly compensate them nor provide strong career mobility opportunities. Not only does this completely shut out a significant portion of the future workforce from realizing their full potential and becoming financially independent, but it also leaves key talent untapped across the nation.
As the need for trained IT specialist constantly grows in Poland, NESsT and its social enterprises are keen to ensure that women, whether they are young mothers in rural and urban areas or 45+ and looking to level up their career, have the opportunity to participate in jobs that make up the future of work. As a result, NESsT and its partners will support Future Collars and Mamo Pracuj as they focus on bringing this level of support to women in Poland.
“To support inclusive growth in our communities, people must acquire the right skills to access quality jobs. Lifting up more people to succeed in the employment market is central to J.P. Morgan’s commitment to invest in people and communities in Poland and worldwide. We are excited to support NESsT in this initiative that aims at providing skills and fostering more employment opportunities for young people. ”
In addition to J.P. Morgan, NESsT is excited to count on the support of Alstom, BNY Mellon, Fossil, and Google.org to bring this program to life and to prove over the next few years the business growth and advantage that comes from tapping into diverse pools of talent.
“NESsT Empowers will be pivotal in both improving the lives of Polish youth and women, as well as in shaping the future of the Polish IT industry.”