Central Community College: Today's Students, Tomorrow's Leaders

One of DiversityWorking.com's newest diversity company members, Central Community College, operates as a multi-campus college - three campuses, in Columbus, Grand Island and Hastings. In addition the college has learning centers in Holdrege, Kearney, and Lexington (Wikipedia), with

a mission to serve central Nebraska's 25-country area and offers the people with 36 career and technical education programs, plus other learning opportunities to “maximize student and community success.”

Central Community College 's three-pronged vision -- for students to achieve their educational goals; for developing a skilled workforce; and for advancing communities – incorporates the values the company believes in, such as diversity and innovation.

From 1966 when it was established, it indeed has remained true to its mission to provide quality education. It was granted an AQIP (Academic Quality Improvement Program) accreditation in 2002, by the NCA/ Higher Learning Commission. Since then, CCC has continunously worked to improve the processes in the institution.

A strong advocate for affirmative action, as well as equal employment opportunity to all, without discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, age, marital status, national origin, veteran status, sexual orientation, disability, or other factors prohibited by law, Central Community College opens its doors to anyone who wishes to pursue their education and/or career goals.

Central Community College affirms its commitment to promote the goals of fairness and equity in all aspects of the educational enterprise. CCC adheres to all federal and state civil rights laws banning discrimination in public institutions of higher education.

The institution offers opportuntities for career advancement and benefits (health and dental insurance) for its employees.

If you wish to be grow your career in the academe and be part of the CCC's noble mission to transform the young into completors, critical thinkers and contributors, visit this link for job opportunities.

Trump Win: Victory or Defeat for Diversity

Donald Trump is now the U.S. President-elect, but his victory has sparked protest actions in many cities across the country and struck a fear in the hearts of minorities and women.

Those who protest are stunned, appalled that a man who spewed incendiary remarks so easily during the campaign period – against immigrants, Muslims, people of color – as well as uttering offensive remarks about women - is now going to be the country's president; hence, the trending “#NotMyPresident” hashtag.

A wave of hate crimes has followed Trump's upset win and is engulfing the nation targeting African Americans,  women, and other vulnerable sectors.

Many people from minority groups are now afraid, and their fear of being persecuted for their race, nationality, skin color, religion, and sexual identity, is not unfounded nor speculative, as stories after stories are being told of this sad, dangerous aftermath of one of the most divisive election campaign in the history of the American nation.

With that, it has to be stressed that this is what happens when people's mindset is not aligned with the values of diversity & inclusion. This is what happens when ignorance, bigotry, racism, misogyny, sexism, and intolerance continue to rear their ugly pangs even well into the 21^st century America. This is what happens when the very person who will soon lead the world's most powerful nation on earth is himself embodying these attitudes, inciting hatred and sowing division among the diverse groups that make up today's America.

Stories abound recounting “racist episodes” just a day after Trump won were tweeted. 

Of students shouting gay slurs, the n-word, and other hurtful phrases, such as “Build the wall”

Here are some images and more stories here and here– all depicting the same theme: Trump has polarized the nation and emboldened racists, sexists, and haters (from children to adults) to hurt others.

As one feminist writer said, racism and misogyny is embedded in Trump's victory.  

And the question that remains not only for America, but for the rest of the world, where is the country heading to? Is the Trump win a defeat or victory for diversity?

Leadership by Example

All these show how essential it is for leaders to embrace diversity and inclusion -- through their concrete actions and words of peace and unity.

Leadership by example. To walk the talk by building a strong inclusive environment – in the schools, in the church, in communities.

Leadership by example is important in business. It is how leaders in organizations influence their team members and ensure that the principles and values they believe in – necessary to grow their businesses -- are emulated.

As it is in business, as well as in other sectors of society, leadership by example is more so important in governing a nation. It sets the direction to which a country will move. History is replete with examples of how leaders can either guide their nations to greatness or destruction.

Thus it is clear why people are getting afraid of the looming Trump presidency.

One glaring character flaw of the next president is his open denigration of women.

In public and private, he’s made clear that women matter to him not as people but as sex objects. Even with women whom he supposedly likes and admires, he’s made clear that he values their looks above all else.[...] He called comedian Rosie O’Donnell "a big fat pig," "disgusting," "a slob," and "a very unattractive person." Bette Midler was "ugly." Heidi Klum is "no longer a 10."

The individual insults, though, are just one facet of Trump’s broader attitude toward women. Anecdotes spanning decades make clear that Trump considers it his right to be surrounded by "beautiful" women.

It is disheartening how it seems to some males this is open season to disrespect women. In fact, as can be gleaned from all the reports, many think to hate anyone different is okay; to conquer and divide is fine.

More surprising too and disturbing to many in the feminist movement is the percentage of white women who voted for Trump, said to be 53%, according to reports.

"It is not just the Trump win but the fact that Republicans now control Congress that bodes ill for progressive politics …reproductive rights, minimum wage … policies against sexual assault, marriage equality … healthcare - all are likely to be overturned," said Sujata Moorti, feminist studies professor at Vermont's Middlebury College.
"As for women's rights, Trump's victory has in effect legitimised misogyny - the sexism, particularly the violent imagery directed at Clinton, racism, ableism, homophobia and transphobia that characterised so many Republican campaigns have now been authorised by voters," she said. - Read more at:

But a country to be truly great, the shackles of patriarchy should be broken. One step towards this is for women to strongly stand up against any form of gender discrimination and denigration, be it at home, in the workplace, in the general society. To never ever give up the fight for their right to be respected, to be heard, and to be included.

Women are equal partners in nation-building. Yet today, many women still face the daunting task of shattering the glass ceiling and warding off sexism.

Hillary Clinton, in her concession speech, acknowledged this painful truth – at the same time, offered encouragement to young girls and women: "Now, I know we have still not shattered that highest and hardest glass ceiling, but someday someone will and hopefully sooner than we might think now. And to all the little girls who are watching this, never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams."

Hope in Trump

As for the controversial victor, still we place our hopes in the man. Donald Trump should be given his chance, as both President Obama and defeated Hillary Clinton have urged the nation to unite behind him.

It remains now to be seen whether President-elect Donald Trump will be true to his statement that he will be “a president for all Americans.” That he will eventually grow into his new role with dignity, respect and statesmanship. That he becomes a shining example of a leader who can rally his people together despite their differences and truly "make America great again."

If all these hopes can be fulfilled, then Trump's win at the polls is a continuous triumph for diversity.

DiversityWorking Announces Central Community College Its New Diversity Company Member

DiversityWorking.com, a career opportunity resource and job search engine for the cultural diversity marketplace, announces with pride the inclusion of Central Community College (CCC) to its prestigious roster of diversity company-members.

Central Community College, a multi-campus community college located in central Nebraska, offers a wide range of education and learning opportunities – 36 career and technical education programs with a focus on degree, diploma and certificate programs; an academic transfer program; classes in communities throughout its 25-county service area; online learning as well as training and development for businesses, industries and other organizations.

Central Community College was established in 1966 with a mission to “maximize student and community success, envisioning it to be The Best Choice for students to achieve their educational goals, for developing a skilled workforce, and for advancing communities.

Dr. Greg P. Smith, President of Central Community College, in his written statement, says: As president of Central Community College, I am joined by our outstanding and dedicated faculty and staff in our continuous efforts to make CCC the best community college in the country.

Among the strong values CCC espouses and lives by is Diversity: valuing diversity within our student body and among our board of governors, faculty, staff, and administration.

As such, Central Community College has partnered with DiversityWorking.com, whose mission is to help companies promote their jobs, build their brand and send targeted and qualified diversity candidates directly to the best jobs possible. Products and services include a resume database, job search engine, and targeted corporate diversity branding opportunities.

To find out more about Central Community College and its job opportunities, please click here.

Hiring the Best Talents for Diversity

Despite evidences showing the advantages of having a diverse workplace, there are still those who do not embrace diversity, in practise.

In fact, observe how people in the workplace congregate during office breaks. Most still associate with people similar to them.

And this behavior is likely practised in hiring, too. This is often due to what psychologists and researchers of a study refer to as an affinity bias – which is a form of unconscious bias – by which we are led to favor people who are like us in ways, such as how they look like, sound like and behave like, among other similar traits. 

Affinity bias, according to the study above, also leads to favoritism and being blind to the faults of people we like, while being more focused on the faults of those we unconsciously dislike.

Unconscious biases do play out too in the hiring process, as numerous studies have shown. For example, when a recruitment panel is made up of the same gender – only males or only females - there is a tendency to hire candidates of the same gender. This tendency leads to overlooking the best candidates. Whereas “mixed gender panels are proven to make different hiring decisions due to the greater diversity of opinions on the panel.”

On the other hand, there are those who caution against hiring for diversity per se, saying it's reverse discrimination.

Reverse discrimination, as defined by Wikipedia, is discrimination against members of a dominant or majority group in favor of members of a minority or historically disadvantaged group. [...] Reverse discrimination can be defined as the unequal treatment of members of the majority groups resulting from preferential policies, as in college admissions or employment, intended to remedy earlier discrimination against minorities. 

Others see affirmative action as falling under this definition; The Oxford dictionary equates affirmative action with positive discrimination.

Another idea about reverse discrimination is that it is likely a result of hiring decisions based on well-motivated efforts to assist minorities or increase diversity, though leading to the same types of lawsuits and liabilities as are brought against employers who are accused of ill-motivated discrimination.

Perhaps what is actually unaccepatable is NOT diversity itself; rather when hiring is reduced to a mere numbers game, or a quota to fill; thus better-suited candidates are inadvertently left out. Such concern is valid if hiring is only about increasing numbers to create diversity.

Here's an excerpt from the article, The New Rules for a Diverse Workplace:

When businesses use diversity to understand different types of customers, develop products or services that are competitive, and gain insight on future industry trends, they're using diversity initiatives correctly. However, when their diversity program turns into a quota system and hiring managers overlook key talent just to meet a number in a spreadsheet, that's when the bottom falls out.

However, even with these diversity goals, without good inclusive policies integrated into the workplace culture, the company will lose its best talents in the long run. As this previous DiversityWorking article says, “Inclusion [...] is the engine that drives diversity programs to fruition and success.”

Diversity in background (race//ethnicity/culture/experience/) means a diversity of ideas and greater impetus to generate creativity and challenge thinking. Diverse thinking leads to challenging the status quo – thus enabling the company to better adapt to external changes in the business.

Thus, embracing diversity and inclusion makes a great difference in the workplace. Employees perform their utmost best and become more productive. The company performs better financially.

Studies in the recent years have proven that companies with great diversity perform remarkably way much better than their peers.
* McKinsey’s research hows that gender-diverse companies are 15% more likely to outperform their peers and ethnically-diverse companies are 35% more likely to do the same.

* Catalyst research shows that companies with more women on the board statistically outperform their peers over a long period of time.

* Deloitte Australia research shows that inclusive teams outperform their peers by 80% in team-based assessments. 

Here's another rationale for diversity: No diversity; no labor force.

According to Geoff Unwin, chief executive officer of management and IT consulting firm Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, demographics in the West are working against the needs of global corporations. "The rising demand for talent, combined with falling birth rates, is resulting in fierce competitions for the best recruits," says Mr. Unwin, who now dedicates 60% of his time to talent spotting. "And, given that tomorrow's work force will come from the developing parts of the world, a diverse make-up now is crucial to attract that talent in coming years. After all, without them we don't have a business."

How to hire the best for diversity without discrimination?

Blind hiring

An emerging pattern in hiring these days is creating a buzz: blind hiring. It involves hiding any personal information about a job candidates in order to gauge their job suitability based solely on their abilities. It is meant to eliminate biases as well as improve workplace diversity. Names, previous companies worked for, alma maters, –

are not weighted at all before making a decision about a candidate. Opinions about job candidates are solely based on their demonstrated work and skills.

Softwares have also been developed for this purpose of blind hiring, such as a proprietary software that finds candidates based on code they have published online and strips out biographical information before recommending them to employers.

Another software changes the voice of the candidate. Although this process is not welcome by all, as one job candidate - a black woman taking up computer science - shared with NPR, that if companies use blind hiring as a fix to eliminate bias, they might stop actively recruiting people like her.

However, it is early to say at this experimental stage of blind hiring how much bias can be minimized and to what degree diversity will increase. Most of all, will it improve the working climate in the organization?

Blind hiring or not, employers and their recruitment staff do need to become aware of their unconscious biases coming to the fore. A conscious effort is required to change our mindset about people, develop cultural awareness and challenge us to be more appreciative of the differences of others and see these as ingredients for change, creativity and growth.

Do's and Dont's of Hiring the Best for Diversity

* Craft a clear job description listing specific skills, functions and duties required of the job. Make clear to the hiring personnel the objectives of the job, and why the required skills and abilities are necessary and/or relevant.

* Use an inclusive language in the job description and in your job advertisement. Avoid specifying age, race, gender, skin color, and other personal characteristic requirements that may be deemed discriminatory. Make sure you include your company's Diversity Statement to encourage job seekers from different backgrounds to try out for the position.

* Focus on the job candidate's capabilities, more than his/her personal background, during the interview. Ask the applicant to demonstrate work skills in relation to the job. Avoid asking questions that can be regarded as intrusion into their private lives or health background, for that is illegal.

* Since your goal is to attract the best talents from a wide reach of the diverse population, it is important to have a hiring personnel who take your company's Diversity and Inclusion policies to heart, and who can intuitively sense the fitness of a talent based on his/her skills, abilities and potentials. This also includes being able to gauge whether the person has the openness to work with others and engage with their differences.

* See also these Best Practices in preventing race and color discrimination issued by the EEOC

Hiring the best people for your company while building greater diversity is doable, but it takes great effort to overcome the challenges that go with it, plus effective inclusion policies to make diversity working in the company. An inclusive workplace makes diverse people in the organization gel and work well together. An inclusive workplace helps you retain your best people, the most effective advertising you can make to attract the best diverse talents out there.

How Diversity Employers Can Survive the New-Millennium Marketplace

One of the greatest challenges diversity employers face today is getting the right talents their companies need, while managing their workforce diversity. It's a delicate balancing of attracting & hiring the best talents --- on the basis of their skillsets, knowledge/educational attainment, & experience, and without regard to their race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, among other characteristics – and retaining them.

What also makes diversity challenging is creating the right environment where a strong sense of inclusion is experienced. As one diversity & inclusion expert stated that “every organization has diversity, but the challenge is getting inclusion right.”

Diversity, according to one dictionary definition, is “the state of having people who are different races or who have different cultures in a group...” (Merriam-Webster).

Now one apt, academic definition states that "Diversity" means more than just acknowledging and/or tolerating difference. Diversity is a set of conscious practices that involve:

• Understanding and appreciating interdependence of humanity, cultures, and the natural environment.
• Practicing mutual respect for qualities and experiences that are different from our own.
• Understanding that diversity includes not only ways of being but also ways of knowing;
• Recognizing that personal, cultural and institutionalized discrimination creates and sustains privileges for some while creating and sustaining disadvantages for others;
• Building alliances across differences so that we can work together to eradicate all forms of discrimination.

See here: 

Inclusion, on the other hand, is the engine that drives diversity programs to fruition and success.

Inclusion involves creating an environment or climate of acceptance, recognition of the differences in characteristics, opinions, perspectives, ideas, and experiences.

Diversity and inclusion still matter even in the new millenium; in fact, more so.

A population research by the Pew Research Center (PRC) earlier this year showed that the US demographic make-up is more racially and ethnically diverse than in the past, and is projected to get more diverse in the decades to come.

By 2055, the U.S. will not have a single racial or ethnic majority. Much of this change has been (and will be) driven by immigration.[...] More Americans say immigrants strengthen the country than say they burden it, and most say the U.S.’s increasing ethnic diversity makes it a better place to live.

Part of that PRC report also showed that as more women have entered the workforce, the share of women in top leadership jobs has risen, but they still make up a small share of the nation’s political and business leaders relative to men.

As is also stressed in a Forbes article, the customer base is rapidly changing, which means changing tastes and preferences. These same groups of people who are your new customers need to be represented in your firm.

Therefore, companies need to be in step with these demographic shifts, as it is good for their businesses, for the country's economy, and fortifies the US dominance in the global market.

Companies with more diverse workforces performs better financially, according to a McKinsey analysis (2015) involving 366 public companies across a range of industries in Canada, Latin America, the United Kingdom, and the United States – whose financial performance as well as the composition of top management and board were taken into account. Among the findings of the research were:

*Gender-diversed companies are 15% more likely to outperform companies in the bottom quartile for gender diversity;

*Racially and ethnically-diversed companies are 35% more likely to outperform those in the lower quartile for racial and ethnicity diversity.

But to make diversity truly thriving, not just by the numbers, an inclusive work culture is crucial. An inclusive work culture is wherein each employee feels included, that he or she belongs, it is okay to express one's viewpoint or ideas without fear of being ridiculed or dismissed, and that one's contribution is appreciated and recognized.

Building an Inclusive Work Culture

Certainly nobody wants to feel isolated or unwelcome at work. Most employees need to feel a sense of importance and of being accepted by peers and bosses, which are a great motivation for giving their utmost to their work.

The Golden Rule is a good guiding principle in creating an inclusive work environment.

One effective way to practise the Golden Rule is:

* Treating others with empathy. In today's workplace, empathy is found to be fundamental to forging closer relationships and better job performance.

A study undertaken by the Center for Creative Leaderships (CCL) showed – among other findings - that empathy is positively related to job performance. Managers who show more empathy toward direct reports are viewed as better performers in their job by their bosses.

Noted international motivational speaker, executive life coach, author, CEO DeLores Pressley once wrote that empathetic executives and managers realize that the bottom line of any business is only reached through and with people.

Indeed. And where there's empathy, there's trust. And where there's trust, there's greater cooperation and productivity.

Here are some more concrete ways to foster inclusion within the organization:

* Learning about others' cultural backgrounds, lives and interests. This paves the way for better understanding of and respect for others as individuals, of who they are and where they come from. This can be facilitated through cultural awareness training, augmented with community outreach programs. Cultural awareness helps avoid misguided notions due to ignorance, biases and prejudices.

* Keeping communication lines open. Make everyone feel safe to discuss important issues especially those that relate to discrimination, for example, without fear of recrimination. An open door policy is necessary if trust is to be built between a company's leaders and its employees.

* Hosting team-building and social activities, including cultural events builds camaraderie and good relationships, as well as showing importance to the employees' respective cultures. This boosts employee morale, improves work performance, and creates good vibes in the workplace, making it a comfortable place to come to each working day. Happy employees lead to better customer service and happy customers.

* Inclusion of employees in decision-making and planning of company events makes employees feel valued for their thoughts and contributions, thus inspiring them to give their best.

* Being clear and firm about the company's policies on diversity and inclusion – reviewed and updated to be responsive to its present needs - to ensure everyone cooperates in promoting an inclusive work culture. It is important that sanctions against any form of discrimination be followed consistently to show the company's zero tolerance for such unwanted behavior.

A company may have the numbers to show of its diverse workforce, but its strong supportive, inclusive work environment is the soil from which diversity will truly thrive well.

LMI Aerospace: Teaming Up with Diversity, the Way to Grow

LMI Aerospace, a world- class supplier of structural assemblies, kits and components and a provider of design engineering services to the commercial, business and regional and defense aerospace markets, was established in 1948, with the vision of creating the structures that help our customers soar, and a mission to provide the best solutions to our customers with a focus on operational excellence in the production of complex components and assemblies.

With its vision and mission as guiding inspiration, and by fostering a culture united by a shared purpose and vision, supported by integrated systems and resources, and committed to integrity, quality and customer support, LMI Aerospace has become what it is today -- a global leader in its field, a trusted name to reckon with.

From its inception to today, the company keeps growing. It has through the years acquired assets and companies. LMI also went public in 1998. All these have helped expanded its capabilities and sustained its growth.

The company owes its continuous success, growth and stability to its people who it values for their diversity in backgrounds, perspectives, opinions, experiences. Using a team approach, diversity and inclusion are mainstreamed all throughout the organization.

Respect for one another permeates in its corporate culture, and the company likewise expects from each employee: participation, collaboration and innovative problem solving.

Working at LMI, one enjoys work/life balance, through the company's benefit programs, employment practices and management approach. One can expect not only a job, but a career as well, for the company offers opportunities for advancement and support for further education.

Moreover, LMI offers a comprehensive wage and benefits package, to ensure job security, which is one of the company's main goals. It takes pride in being able to retain its workforce, a team of skilled, experienced engineering and manufacturing experts and other professionals, all collaborating with one another towards the same goals and shared success.

If you are interested to start and grow a career with one of the best diversity companies in the field, go visit LMI Aerospace today.

LMI Aerospace, DiversityWorking's New Diversity Company Member

DiversityWorking.com, a career opportunity resource and job search engine for the cultural diversity marketplace, announces with pride the inclusion of LMI Aerospace to its prestigious roster of diversity company-members.

LMI Aerospace is a world-class leader in designing, building and manufacturing aerospace structures, systems and components for the large commercial, business and regional, and military aerospace industries. It fabricates, machines, finishes, kits and assembles machined and formed close tolerance aluminum, specialty alloy and composite components.

LMI Aerospace was established in 1948, and has since developed a history of growth and acquisition, with 21 locations within the United States, Mexico, the United Kingdom and Sri Lanka, and about 2,000 professional experts in its employ.

Valuing its employees and believing they should share in the company's success, the company provides opportunities for its people to participate in LMI Aerospace's short term and long term success, and provide them with job security. At the same time, it cultivates a safe, healthy, and inclusive workplace where a diversity of opinions, experiences and perspectives is valued.

As such, LMI Aerospace has partnered with DiversityWorking.com, whose mission is to help companies promote their jobs, build their brand and send targeted and qualified diversity candidates directly to the best jobs possible. Products and services include a resume database, job search engine, and targeted corporate diversity branding opportunities.

To find out more about LMI Aerospace and its job opportunities, please click here.