Amidst the evolving landscape of diversity and inclusion, where
genuine change often meets resistance, a new leader has emerged as
a catalyst for innovation and growth. In the latest episode of the
Disruption Interruption podcast, host Karla
Jo Helms is joined by Michele
Heyward, Founder and CEO of PositiveHire. Heyward, with a
unique blend of engineering prowess and entrepreneurial zeal, is
challenging outdated norms and championing inclusivity as a
cornerstone of organizational excellence across the STEM and
Engineering & Construction (E&C) sectors.
TAMPA
BAY, Fla., August 19th, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ --
Women represent about 27% of the STEM workforce, a significant
increase from 8% in 1970, but still fall short compared to their
48% share of the overall U.S. workforce. (1) In engineering and
construction, they are even more underrepresented, at 14% and 9%
respectively, and face fewer leadership opportunities and
challenges related to workplace culture and advancement. (2)
Karla Jo Helms (KJ), host of the
Disruption Interruption podcast, and Michele Heyward, the disruptive mind behind
PositiveHire, a platform dedicated to empowering underrepresented
women in STEM, engage in an illuminating discussion on the critical
need for diversity in industries that require innovative
disruption. "Disruptive innovation means changing the status quo
for the better," Heyward says. "Growing up in rural South Carolina, I saw how limited resources
hindered talent, so my mission is to ensure everyone, regardless of
background, has transformative opportunities."
"Disruptive innovation means changing the
status quo for the better. Growing up in rural South Carolina, I saw how limited resources
hindered talent, so my mission is to ensure everyone, regardless of
background, has transformative opportunities." — Michele Heyward, Founder and CEO of
PositiveHire.
Heyward Champions Infrastructure for True Workplace
Inclusion
Heyward emphasizes the importance of understanding the unique
challenges faced by underrepresented groups in the workplace,
challenges that often go unnoticed in traditional HR data.
Through PositiveHire, Hayward is not merely advocating for
diversity—she is actively constructing the infrastructure necessary
for genuine inclusion within the workforce. Her mission is to
establish a new benchmark for organizational excellence, where
diversity and inclusion are not just aspirational goals but
fundamental elements of success.
Tailoring DEI Strategies to Engineering and Construction
PositiveHire is advancing DEI in the traditionally male-dominated
engineering and construction sectors by tailoring initiatives to
the unique challenges of job site culture.
Heyward, a third-generation construction professional, emphasizes
the need for DEI strategies that address both the physical
environment and cultural dynamics, with organizations evaluating
their impact through pre-and post-training assessments as well as
long-term retention metrics.
"Very few DEI practitioners understand life on a construction
site," Heyward emphasized. "Many attempt to implement initiatives
without spending significant time on the job site or building
relationships with those who work there. For DEI to be effective in
construction, it's essential to grasp the unique challenges."
Setting New Standards for Inclusive Workforce Excellence
Through PositiveHire, Heyward is actively building the
infrastructure needed for true inclusion in the workforce. Whether
in STEM or E&C, PositiveHire is helping to pave the way for a
more inclusive future, ensuring that diversity and innovation go
hand in hand.
Links
Disrupting the Future of Infrastructure: Michele Heyward's DE&I Influence on AEC:
https://omny.fm/shows/disruption-interruption/disrupting-the-future-of-infrastructure-michele-he
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelecheyward/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MicheleCHeyward
Company Website: https://positivehire.co/
Company LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/positivehireco/
Disruption Interruption is the podcast where you will hear from
today's biggest Industry Disruptors. Learn what motivated them to
bring about innovation and how they overcame opposition to
adoption.
Disruption Interruption can be listened to in Apple's App Store and Spotify.
About Disruption InterruptionTM
Disruption is happening on an unprecedented scale, impacting all
manner of industries— MedTech, Finance, IT, eCommerce, shipping,
logistics, and more—and COVID has moved their timelines up a full
decade or more. But WHO are these disruptors and when did they say,
"THAT'S IT! I'VE HAD IT!"? Time to Disrupt and Interrupt with host
Karla Jo "KJ" Helms, veteran communications disruptor. KJ
interviews badasses who are disrupting their industries and
altering economic networks that have become antiquated with an
establishment resistant to progress. She delves into uncovering
secrets from industry rebels and quiet revolutionaries that uncover
common traits—and not-so-common—that are changing our economic
markets… and lives. Visit the world's key pioneers that persist to
success, despite arrows in their backs at
http://www.disruption-interruption.com.
About Michele Heyward
Michele Heyward is the Founder and
CEO of PositiveHire, a pioneering tech company dedicated to
connecting underrepresented women in STEM with management roles in
enterprises. With a background in civil engineering and extensive
project management experience in the energy sector, Michele aims to
create inclusive workplaces for Black, Latina, and Indigenous
women, while also equipping companies to effectively recruit and
integrate these professionals. She holds a B.S. in Civil
Engineering and an M.S. in Industrial Management from Clemson University. A South Carolina native, Michele enjoys family
time, traveling, Toastmasters, and building professional
networks.
About Karla Jo Helms
Karla Jo Helms is the Chief
Evangelist and Anti-PR® Strategist for JOTO PR Disruptors™.
Karla Jo learned firsthand how
unforgiving business can be when millions of dollars are on the
line — and how the control of public opinion often determines
whether one company is happily chosen, or another is brutally
rejected. Being an alumnus of crisis management, Karla Jo has worked with litigation attorneys,
private investigators, and the media to help restore companies of
goodwill into the good graces of public opinion — Karla Jo operates on the ethic of getting it
right the first time, not relying on second chances and doing what
it takes to excel. Helms speaks globally on public relations, how
the PR industry itself has lost its way, and how, in the right
hands, corporations can harness the power of Anti-PR to drive
markets and impact market perception.
References
1. "NSF's NCSES Releases Report on Diversity
Trends in STEM Workforce and Education." NSF, 30 Jan. 2023,
new.nsf.gov/news/diversity-and-stem-2023.
2. Martinez, Anthony, and Cheridan Christnacht. "Women Making Gains in
STEM Occupations but Still Underrepresented." United States Census
Bureau, 26 Jan. 2021,
census.gov/library/stories/2021/01/women-making-gains-in-stem-occupations-but-still-underrepresented.html.
Media Contact
Karla Jo Helms, JOTO PR™,
727-777-4629, khelms@jotopr.com, jotopr.com
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SOURCE JOTO PR™