The pandemic and social justice movements have rightly spotlighted that while ability is equally distributed across people of all backgrounds, opportunity is not. While individuals, communities and organizations have made significant progress toward diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), there remains much more to be done.

We founded Lambda School four years ago to address the systemic barriers that make it difficult for some people to access the education and training that lead to rewarding jobs and higher income in the tech industry. We also work to ensure our staff reflect the diversity of our learners so we are better able to make decisions that benefit learners, employers and the technology industry. These efforts are part of our mission to unlock potential, regardless of circumstance, for the many people who want to build fulfilling and high paying careers in tech.

 Today, we release our 2021 Diversity Report. We are a young company, and we are dedicated to transparency as we grow in our DEI journey. We are proud of both our progress and our ongoing initiatives to improve diversity, equity and inclusion for both our staff and learners. Some highlights from this year’s diversity report:

• 32.5% of Lambda School learners identify as a race or ethnicity that is underrepresented in the tech industry (Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander). Representation of underrepresented minorities at Lambda School is significantly better than in the tech industry at large.
• 54.7% of our learners have not earned a four-year degree prior to attending Lambda School. We believe this demonstrates that our learners see Lambda School’s streamlined programs as a direct path to rewarding careers—and as an attractive alternative to traditional higher education.
• 24% of Lambda School staff identify as a race or ethnicity that is underrepresented in the tech industry. Both racial and gender diversity has improved across our organization, from leadership to individual contributors, and for both technical and non-technical roles. 

Affordability, accessibility, and market-responsive training have always been foundational to Lambda School. Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is deeply embedded in these values. I invite you to read our full 2021 Diversity Report to learn how we are working to increase the diversity of our learner community, our staff, and the technology industry at large. You may also be interested in our 2020 Outcomes Report.