At Juno, our purpose is to be the school of choice for people underrepresented in the tech industry to launch and grow their careers, and we’ve undertaken many initiatives over the years to make Juno more inclusive and equitable. But given just how important equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) are to us, it’s critical for us to dive deeper and ensure that we know what leads to experiences of inclusion and equity at Juno, in order to pinpoint what can be improved across the organization and the student experience.
So, in early 2021, we made a commitment to invest in a major project around EDI, and decided to focus our efforts on understanding the current state at Juno and get help developing an informed action plan based on that research and data.
We kicked off the project by seeking a partner who could conduct this research and analysis, from both a qualitative and quantitative perspective. Empowered EDI was selected to lead a comprehensive EDI current state assessment and develop an action plan for Juno based on the findings.
In May 2021, with support from Empowered, we issued two surveys measuring 1) our student and alumni diversity and perceptions of inclusivity and equity, and 2) our staff and faculty representation and inclusivity and equity perceptions. We received responses from 234 students/alumni (10% response rate of the group that was emailed) and 40 staff/faculty (60% response rate). The Empowered team also conducted two focus groups with Juno team members and a number of anonymous interviews with both students and alumni to validate findings and to collect additional qualitative feedback.
The survey results revealed some highlights that everyone in the Juno community can be proud of. Here are a few of them:
- Women: 61% of students/alumni identify as women (5% above Canadian benchmark); 58% of staff/faculty identify as women (17% above Canadian benchmark).
- Non-Binary/Genderqueer/Trans/Genderfluid/2-spirit: 6% of students/alumni identify their gender this way; as do 8% of staff/faculty.
- LGBQQP+: 26% of students/alumni and staff/faculty identify their sexual orientation this way (13% above Canadian benchmark). (This stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Queer, Questioning, Pansexual and others)
- 90% of students/alumni and 97% of staff/faculty think Juno values diversity.
- 89% of students/alumni and 95% of staff/faculty would recommend Juno to those from marginalized groups.
While students/alumni and staff/faculty generally perceive a high degree of belonging at Juno (81% and 93%, respectively), several areas of improvement were identified. Students/alumni feel that we could:
- Do more to remove barriers that prevent the success of underrepresented students (60% agreed).
- Appropriately accommodate students with differing needs (47% agreed).
- Cultivate an environment where students can succeed being their authentic selves (60% agreed).
Juno staff/faculty echo the desire to remove barriers and increase the level of diversity within Juno’s student population (only 32% were satisfied) and identified opportunities to strengthen inclusive leadership competencies.
From all of Empowered’s research, we learned there are significant opportunities to improve EDI at Juno, including opportunities to strengthen attraction among underrepresented groups, opportunities to improve admissions, and opportunities to deepen inclusion. We invite you to read the entire report from Empowered here.
Empowered used the data and analysis from their research to create a recommended action plan. There are 11 suggestions for our team, which I’ll outline below in the priority order suggested by Empowered. I’ve also included our progress to date and will share what we have planned for 2022.
Juno College EDI Action Plan Recommendations:
1. Develop a mental health strategy, including toolkits, training, and support channels.
Mental health was one of the top themes that emerged from Empowered’s discussions with Juno team members and students/alumni. A focus on sharing how Juno cultivates mental wellbeing and supports those experiencing mental health challenges will create more visibility and encourage more people to make use of the support available. It was also suggested that providing mental health first aid training for staff/faculty has been shown to reduce turnover, absenteeism, to strengthen engagement and performance.
At Juno, we serve a high proportion of people with mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety. 43% of students/alumni identify as having a mental health condition, as do 32% of staff/faculty. Only 47% of students/alumni agree that "Juno appropriately accommodates differing student needs (e.g. mental health, disabilities, etc)."
Progress thus far: Championed by our VP Programs, Charlotte Nurse, Juno just launched a brand new webpage on Student Mental Health & Wellbeing, created so that our community can easily access a collection of resources to help support themselves and others. We are also launching a partnership with Maple in early 2022 to provide mental health services for Juno Bootcamp students and recent graduates. The program includes four therapy sessions, a membership to the Headspace meditation app, and many other resources, all included in tuition. Finally, in early 2022, we’ll be arranging for Mental Health First Aid training for all staff in student-facing roles.
2. Create a flexible program pathway with full Bootcamp support to enable greater attraction, retention, and success of underrepresented students as well as improved experiences of inclusion across the introvert/extrovert continuums.
Empowered noted that our current Bootcamp program format is time intensive, restrictive with scheduling, and poses barriers to members of different groups, including caregivers, people with disabilities, those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged, and more. By providing more flexible program pathways (which may include asynchronous options or longer timeframes), we will expand our pool of underrepresented students, create greater experiences of inclusivity, and remove barriers that impede equitable access and outcomes, thus better living our purpose.
We see the barriers come to life through the data. 89% of Juno students/alumni are under 40 years old, as are 90% of staff/faculty. 48% of students/alumni are single (never married), and most do not have children (81%). Additionally, 17% of students/alumni and 20% of staff/faculty would like Juno to address inclusivity related to introversion/extroversion, noting that our programs tend to cater more towards extroverts.
Progress thus far: This idea has been added to our roadmap. There’s excitement and interest here and we will explore it as early as 2022.
3. Solidify requirements that are essential to success at Juno, ensuring they do not pose barriers to underrepresented groups
Empowered noted that Juno’s Bootcamp application includes a number of criteria that may be restrictive to members of marginalized groups. For example, we ask applicants a number of questions, including “Is there anything that might stop you from being able to commit time to your job search?” and “How will you support yourself financially?”. Empowered suggests that the current criteria will reduce the diversity of our applicant pool, especially when it comes to attracting candidates from family structures where caregiving is an integral component. It is critical that we take steps to improve admissions at Juno to bring greater representation to our classrooms and community. An online survey of 1,001 working Canadians conducted in February 2021 found that 50% of working mothers reported experiencing high stress levels due to balancing child-care obligations and work, compared to 40% of working fathers.
Empowered also found that we are below the Canadian benchmark in representation of Indigenous people, with just 1.9% of students/alumni and 0% of staff/faculty identifying as Indigenous. And while we are above benchmark when it comes to serving people with mental health conditions, it was found that we are overall below benchmark when it comes to representation of people with disabilities, with just 3% of students/alumni and 5% of staff/faculty identifying as having one.
When it comes to perceptions, 46% of Juno staff/faculty are not satisfied with the level of diversity within Juno’s student population, while 61% of students/alumni agree that "Juno's focus on inclusion & belonging influenced my decision to apply or enroll". Empowered has encouraged us to aim higher.
Progress thus far: This past quarter, our Manager of Admissions worked on improvements to the admissions process, and this work will continue as a priority in early 2022, guided by our VP Programs, Charlotte Nurse.
4. Establish clear and inclusive evaluation criteria and scoring matrices.
It was noted by Empowered that our current admissions evaluation system includes criteria that may bias decisions in favour of majority groups (e.g. looking at promotion history), pose barriers to marginalized people (e.g. looking for experience volunteering or with hobbies), or may not be predictive of a person's success in the program (e.g. socialization activities outside of work). The current values used in our admissions process (engaged, proactive, open-minded, supportive) as well as our evaluation matrix lack a precise set of indicators to ensure we objectively assess essential requirements without bias.
As noted in the data, there is an opportunity for us to improve representation of Indigenous people and people with disabilities at Juno, and 46% of staff/faculty are not satisfied with the level of diversity within Juno’s student population - we know we have things to work on here.
Progress thus far: This past quarter, our Manager of Admissions worked on improvements to the admissions process, and this work will continue as a priority in early 2022, guided by our VP Programs, Charlotte Nurse.
5. Establish an accommodation process and policy for persons with disabilities.
All employers in Ontario are required to comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, including defining processes through which individuals can request accommodations, including details on how these requests are explored and put in place. It is also critical that policies are created that outline the roles, rights, and responsibilities of people related to accessibility. By having accommodation policies and processes, Juno will better identify and support applicants, students, and staff/faculty, increasing the likelihood of their success and performance.
As noted previously, at Juno, we have a high proportion of people with mental health conditions (43% of students/alumni and 32% of staff/faculty). 11% of students/alumni and 23% of staff/faculty would like Juno to focus on inclusivity of mental health.
Progress thus far: Juno’s Accommodations Process and Policy has now been created, along with a series of Loom videos to assist with team training on the new processes, policies and procedures. They will be rolled out in January 2022.
6. Determine scholarship identity criteria and ensure consistent communication throughout application process.
Juno's Transforming Tech Scholarship application currently includes a focus on race, gender identity, disabilities, and financial need. Text on the webpage signals a focus on Black and Indigenous people, while photos convey members of other racialized groups (e.g. East Asian), leading to some confusion about who the scholarship program is for. In addition, sexual orientation is not currently included on the list, indicating that not all groups underrepresented in tech are prioritized equally.
Empowered suggests that a strategic decision about Juno’s focus on underrepresented talent, without preference for certain underrepresented candidates, should be reflected in all activities, communicated consistently and clearly, and that decision-making reflects our priority focus.
Progress thus far: This important project has been added to our roadmap to be considered and prioritized in 2022. Generally speaking, we designed the Transforming Tech Scholarship to serve groups underrepresented at Juno, compared to the population of the GTA, but this needs to be explored in 2022 to see if it continues to be the best strategy. It also means that we need to conduct a regular analysis of our student population and adjust the scholarship criteria accordingly, which will be considered as part of this project next year.
7. Remove barriers within Test Dome test by ensuring alternative formats/methods, removing timed components, and including imagery & statements that help to combat 'stereotype threat' that can impede performance.
We use an online testing tool called Test Dome to assess Bootcamp candidates’ technical readiness. Research indicates that negative stereotypes about test-taking performance across one's identity group/community can lead members of marginalized groups to do poorly on tests. At the time of Empowered’s analysis, we had a 37% candidate rejection rate from the Test Dome Tech Test.
To overcome this, Empowered suggests that Juno frame the purpose of assessments effectively by emphasizing that skills can be improved with practice (instead of a measure of permanent ability), include positive/empowering imagery representing underrepresented people in the online test-taking environment, provide an indication of how underrepresented groups perform well at the test, and remove the timed component, which has been shown to lead to inequitable outcomes for women in particular.
Progress thus far: We have already adjusted the timed component of the test, from a two-hour timed test to a “take-home” style test with a 10 hour limit. We are seeing significant improvements to the rejection rate, and we are hearing lots of positive feedback from applicants. We will explore the additional suggestions in 2022.
8. Launch inclusive leadership training for people leaders.
Teams with inclusive leaders are 17% more likely to report that they are high performing, 20% more likely to say they make high-quality decisions, and 29% more likely to report behaving collaboratively.
We know there is room for improvement at Juno because only 54% of staff/faculty agree that "leaders give equal time and attention to those who are different to themselves" and just 57% of the same group agree "leaders adapt their styles to be most effective for the individual and circumstance." Only 60% of staff/faculty agree that "people decisions are based on facts and evidence." Clearly, we have some work to do around inclusive leadership.
Progress thus far: We recently completed a leadership team restructuring, reducing the size of our leadership team from 10 people to four, and we have a new VP Growth joining the leadership team as our fourth member in January. By mid-2022, once everyone has time to settle in, we will conduct a new survey, specifically on inclusive leadership, to assess the team’s perceptions of our leadership team at that time, and then prioritize additional training as necessary.
9. Embed EDI everywhere, including all parts of our website, student and employer brand, including our EDI vision statement, mission, commitment statement, action plan, and EDI survey findings dashboard.
Empowered noted that, “your purpose at Juno is to be the school of choice for people underrepresented in the tech industry looking to launch and grow careers in tech, but this purpose is not currently clearly and consistently articulated across your website.”
We aspire to have the most inclusive and equitable community. It’s important that we clearly indicate this as a differentiator on our website and throughout the student and employee journey, as well as transparently share how equitable and inclusive we are today and what we’re committing to for the future.
Progress thus far: Juno’s marketing team took this recommendation under consideration and implemented some changes to our website text in late 2021. There is still more to be done, and this work will be considered and prioritized in 2022.
10. Create an EDI dashboard on our website, conveying student/alumni and staff representation and inclusion and equity scores.
Companies began measuring and publishing their internal EDI at unprecedented levels in 2021, committing action to address representation gaps and improve experiences of inclusion and equitable outcomes across identity groups.
Research indicates that companies that communicate their current state of EDI transparently and honestly garner greater trust and are more attractive to underrepresented talent. Salesforce, Deloitte, and SAP are good examples of companies with impactful annual reports shared publicly that showcase their clear commitment to continuously improving and resolving challenges.
We have a lot to be proud of at Juno around diversity and inclusion, and showcasing where we are doing well and where we need to improve will go a long way.
Progress thus far: Everyone I’ve spoken to at Juno loves this idea, and this work will be considered and appropriately prioritized in 2022.
11. Partner with community organizations that can expand our access to underrepresented communities.
In order to strengthen attraction, Empowered suggests that “partnerships with community organizations (e.g. the Black Professionals in Tech Network, the Indigenous Professional Association of Canada) will enable Juno to reach a broader pool of underrepresented people, uncover the barriers that they may face in the application and Bootcamp process, and will help you to develop trust and brand presence within these trusted organizations.”
Progress thus far: This year, our Manager of Admissions began developing partnerships with community organizations, and it’s something she wants to prioritize in 2022. We also recently (prior to Omicron’s arrival) hosted events for organizations like Cove Collective, DesignX, and NOOR, and we look forward to using our beautiful campus to support more amazing community groups in 2022, if and when it is safe to do so.
Next Steps
You can read Empowered’s full report here. We are committed to being transparent when it comes to the state of EDI at Juno, now and in the future, and we’re excited to have a research- and data-backed action plan for improving EDI at Juno going forward.
If you have comments or feedback about this post or anything you read in Empowered’s report, we want to hear from you. You can tweet at us @junocollege or you can email info@junocollege.com. Your email will be routed to the person on our team who can best help you.