What do you get when you mix a mission rooted in the needs of veterans, neurodivergent people, and a tech sector desperate for workers? It turns out you get WithYouWithMe (WYWM), a company founded in Australia working on training and finding jobs for those from underrepresented groups in market segments like software development, cyber security, and automation.
Who does WYWM serve?
WYWM began as a military support organization but now serves a wide range of target populations, including those from the LGBTQ+, Indigenous, and refugee groups.
Historically, there has been a strong connection between the military and the disability community worldwide. Para-sports, including wheelchair basketball, were developed to meet the recreation needs of veterans returning from war.
Look at the recent attention given to the Invictus Games. With Invictus meaning “unconquered,” wounded veterans are empowered to include sport in their recovery. The key here is acknowledging that returning soldiers are not to be forgotten but rather provided avenues to re-enter their communities.
Caleb Walker, who spoke to Accessibility about the company’s mission and his role as VP of Defense and Federal, says that the company’s purpose is to get people employed in an industry that doesn’t necessarily understand the lived experiences of those they are interviewing. It’s an alienating experience that he felt after leaving the Canadian military.
“After being active in the army for 20 years, it was kind of weird that, because veterans wouldn't have some of the experience in the technology of the civilian world or wouldn't have a certain university degree, they wouldn't be considered for technology roles. Even though they'd be responsible for pretty high-end technology in the military.”
Develop and upskill
There are current arguments over eliminating 14c certificates and the sub-minimum wage – a program originally developed as a stopgap for veterans returning to the workforce that allowed employers to pay people with disabilities less. These policies and various tax credits may have potentially encouraged employers to hire a person with disabilities without ensuring they have the proper skillsets to succeed.
Seeing an opportunity to assist, the folks at WYWM are providing a way for these underrepresented populations to develop and upskill their talents as a significant focus to help them gain or return to employment.
WithYouWithMe uses skills testing and pathway matching to get people going on what they have termed a four-area focus: discover, train, deploy, grow. The typical training program lasts four to twelve weeks and has shown tremendous success. While the company initially existed on grant funding – they have been able to widen its financial net to offer support to those who aren’t necessarily from a military background.
Governments and businesses now use their training platform to upskill their workers, which Walker says allows them to offer free seats (10,000 in Canada over the last year) to those looking to learn. People have sometimes been sold on an unattainable future when leaving the military.
“Everyone that leaves the military, they all get told, they should go cyber, cyber, cyber, cyber, but they might not actually have the skills, or conscientiousness, or the interest, or the aptitude for that.”
Walker sees that many ex-service people leave cyber training from other providers, not using the methodology of the WYWM four-are focus talent program three-quarters of the way, leaving a bad taste in their mouths.
“They’re like, ‘I don’t think I’m really cut out for this and then think that it’s their fault, that they’re a failure. It’s like, no; you just weren’t matched well for the right opportunity.”
Overcoming barriers
Walker knows there are still barriers. For the participants, it might be something as simple as not being able to afford a laptop. From a potential employer's standpoint, it might be the tendency to focus on experience, he says, over potential.
“So inevitably, because you're questioning people's 5, 10, 20 years experience in this realm… they all want you to look like them. And so you have to constantly show them that, no, there's another way, this person has the ability to do it.”
Despite barriers, WYWM continues to focus on improving a flawed system and ensuring people with disabilities, especially veterans, have access to the tools they need to succeed.
You can find more information about the company and its various programs at www.withyouwithme.com.
Comments