{"id":87820,"date":"2021-09-01T15:32:16","date_gmt":"2021-09-01T22:32:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/careerkarma.com\/blog\/?p=87820"},"modified":"2021-10-11T23:42:57","modified_gmt":"2021-10-12T06:42:57","slug":"grand-circus-bootcamp-diversity-inclusion-initiatives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/careerkarma.com\/blog\/grand-circus-bootcamp-diversity-inclusion-initiatives\/","title":{"rendered":"Challenging the Status Quo: Grand Circus\u2019 Diversity in Action"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The technology field, by nature, is always cutting edge. Having a tech job means working at the vanguard of society where you\u2019re experimenting, striving for new solutions, and building toward the future. To many budding coders, this is a thrilling prospect. But the fast pace of this forward-thinking industry can sometimes sacrifice genuine real-life connections. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grand Circus<\/a> attempts to address this by fostering a tight-knit community among aspiring developers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grand Circus is a coding bootcamp headquartered in Detroit, a city with no shortage of historical and cultural diversity and also a recent addition to the list of emerging tech hubs<\/a> in America. Inspired by the city it calls home, Grand Circus merges the city\u2019s past and future to inform the way the bootcamp is run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These ideals lead the school to pave the way for a future where not only strong ties between industry players are formed, but also where diversity<\/a> within the scene is prevalent. And the first step toward achieving that goal is by making diversity and inclusion initiatives a top priority for its bootcamps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Grand Circus offers three to six months programs that can help you gain relevant digital skills to launch a job in tech.<\/p>\nApply to Grand Circus today.<\/a>\n<\/div>\n
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Grand Circus: Integration Is Power<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDiversity is just membership. Integration is influence, power, and partnership.\u201d This quote from The Atlantic’s article on diversity in tech<\/a> has become a grounding and centering principle for Grand Circus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though the curriculum is delivered remotely, its home city has a deep influence on how the school plays its part in the tech industry. David Wolverton, the content owner for Grand Circus\u2019 Full-Stack JavaScript curriculum, said the demographics of Detroit are more diverse than the typical demographics of the software industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The numbers agree. According to the 2019 US Census Bureau<\/a> report, a majority of the Detroit population is Black or African American, followed by White, Hispanic or Latino, Asian, and American Indian or Alaska Native. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt has always been a core value of Grand Circus that the diversity of our students reflects the diversity of the community where we live,\u201d David, who is also an instructor, said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Michigan\u2019s melting pot, he added, Detroit is a great location for aspiring coders to challenge the status quo in tech. It allows for a pool of students from different backgrounds to learn in-demand tech skills and use that knowledge to penetrate the workforce. And Grand Circus is more than happy to facilitate the journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCareers in tech are awesome,\u201d Wolverton said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey allow personal freedom, a rewarding career, and an opportunity to give back to one’s community. That’s something that people from every group can benefit from. We hate to see any group inequitably lacking these opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Grand Circus knows that having a diverse range of students in a bootcamp is not enough. To ensure that students have the necessary resources to unlock their true potentials, the school must provide adequate support.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to alum Jason Scott, Grand Circus successfully delivers on this front. \u201cThe staff were so welcoming and reassuring during the entire process. Teaching soft skills that usually are overlooked in urban communities was a huge<\/em> deal for me as it was the key I needed to get where I am today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, Jason works at a fintech company while running his own dev firm\u2014a feat that he attributed to Grand Circus\u2019 supportive environment and comprehensive curriculum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diversity in Action at Grand Circus<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Grand Circus\u2019 ultimate goal is to create a safe, fun-loving, and intellectually curious community of developers who go on to launch dynamic careers in tech. The culture of diversity isn\u2019t an add-on to Grand Circus; it\u2019s the very core of the bootcamp itself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jason said, \u201cAlmost everything I saw at Grand Circus revolved around diversity. It’s always been about changing the status quo in the IT community.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To gain a clearer understanding of the diversity at play, let\u2019s look at some of Grand Circus\u2019 running initiatives below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Student Affinity Groups <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Grand Circus has a variety of groups that historically underrepresented students can join. They act as a safe platform for people with similar experiences to connect, chat, receive support, get feedback, and have fun. Currently, there are groups dedicated to students of color, the LGBTQ+ community, women, diverse learners, and mental health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jason has been a part of the POC group since its inception and maintained his relationships with fellow groupmates after graduation. \u201cI do believe that those groups are essential and allow current students a safe place to bring up issues that only someone of their culture can understand,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Communities and Events<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Outside of class, Grand Circus runs events to support its students throughout their time at the bootcamp. Some of the recurring events include Tech is the New Black<\/a>, which takes place annually in February; Latinx in Tech<\/a>, which is held in the fall; Women in Tech<\/a>, which takes place in March; and Queer in Tech<\/a>, which happens in June. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While everyone is encouraged to attend all events Grand Circus puts on, they also hold events geared towards the bootcamp community as a whole. They offer a chance for everyone in the program to get acquainted, connect, and form bonds with one another. Jason found that these events were a great way to develop a community mindset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy favorites were the mix and mingles where people who normally wouldn’t interact got a chance to just relax and have fun. I’ve attended a few weekend courses as well for [the] enrichment and those are always great. They also have a legendary Christmas party!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that Grand Circus is fully remote, they are keeping the spirit going with virtual happy hours and parties that happen after everyone is done coding for the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Holistic Support <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned, support is not taken lightly at Grand Circus. The school offers a host of support services to help students navigate their new journey into tech.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For starters, three teams are designated to help students work through different areas of learning:<\/p>\n\n\n\n