As Portland continues to make waves as a tech hub for candidates around the world, a quiet yet impactful effort is underway to improve diversity, equity and inclusion in the Rose City. TechTownPDX, a coalition of technology companies powered by Prosper Portland, launched in 2013 to advance workplace diversity and inclusion (DE&I), and to grow the industry in a meaningful way.
Since its inception, TechTownPDX and its partner companies have made strides to close the diversity gap, both collectively and as individual companies. To highlight the work that is being done in the greater Portland area to advance DE&I initiatives in the technology industry, TechTown recently released “Building an Industry for Everyone,” which tells five stories in five minutes of ways that local technology offices are engaging with nonprofit organizations and Oregon schools to improve diversity, increase inclusion and promote equity.
In “Building an Industry for Everyone,” Vacasa’s partnership with Treehouse and its TalentPath program is featured. The organization works with local non-profits like the Boys & Girls Club of America and Dress for Success Oregon to recruit high-potential talent. Students then begin training through the Treehouse Techdegree and, on completion, are placed into a three-month apprenticeship with a local company. In 2019, Vacasa welcomed seven Treehouse apprentices through the TalentPath program, and ultimately hired each of them — a first in Treehouse history.
To learn more about Vacasa’s partnership with Treehouse, and the other ways in which Portland companies are working to create a more diverse workforce, check out “Building an Industry for Everyone.” And, if you’re interested in learning more about getting involved, visit techtownportland.com.
