The ongoing COVID pandemic has disrupted the global workforce in many ways. While many people are getting back to work, others who are ready to work are unable to do so because they need to care for family members impacted by COVID. They’ve had to make the difficult decision to step back from their jobs or careers in order to step up and be a caregiver — oftentimes because there was no other option. For many in this situation, transitioning back to a career in tech can be difficult after an extended break.
That is why Walmart Global Tech actively looks to support organizations and activities that share in our desire to help those with engineering backgrounds reenter the workforce. In fact, Walmart Global Tech is sponsoring the Parent and Caregiver Keynote Activity Scholarship at the 2021 Hyperledger Global Forum.
A recent Fortune Magazine story reported workforce participation among women has dropped 57% and may not recover to pre-pandemic levels until 2024. We believe the technology industry needs more women, especially women of diverse backgrounds, to ensure that the technologies we develop and deploy better reflect the customers they serve. Filling this gap is particularly important in the emerging tech industry, where there is well documented gender disparity. In fact, in STEM fields, only 15.7% of engineers and architects are women. Hyperledger Global Forum presents a great opportunity for women to share new ideas and bring knowledge back to their organizations.
Sponsoring the Parent and Caregiver Keynote Activity Scholarship at the event aligns with similar programs within Walmart that create or expand opportunities for women in tech, such as our “returnship” program, Live Better U college degree program, internal “Women In Tech” community groups, sponsorship of the Women in Data Science conference, and more.
The Parent and Caregiver Keynote Activity Scholarship isn’t just for Walmart associates. It’s open to all registered attendees who are also juggling the responsibility of being a caregiver. During the premier enterprise blockchain event of the year, the program will provide engaging online activities — themed immersive mystery experiences — for children ages 5-12 so that parents or caregivers can attend the keynote activities on each day of this important global technical conference. While sponsoring childcare activities may seem a little out of place at a virtual blockchain conference, we know that even the little things like this can mean a lot, especially as associates are balancing the needs of family and career.
For more information or to register your child for the Parent and Caregiver Keynote Activity Scholarship, please click here.
