Creating an environment that empowers employees to bring their authentic self to work every day is a priority at VMware. A sense of belonging is an important part of what propels VMware’s business forward. Both of these philosophies are at the core of VMware’s Diversity and Inclusion Initiative, VMinclusion and the employee-driven Power of Difference (POD) communities. Last summer, with the support of VMware’s Talent Acquisition Team, Executive Sponsorship and the Disabilty@VMware POD, the Neurodiversity Inclusion Program was launched. The program is tailored towards individuals with autism, and it’s centred around a pilot hiring event that took place at VMware’s Headquarters in Palo Alto in November.
We asked Talent Acquisition Manager – Diversity & Inclusion, Mandy Ching to share some more insights into VMware’s Neurodiversity Inclusion Program and the successful pilot hiring event.
VMware Careers: Can you share more about VMware’s Neurodiversity Inclusion program?
Mandy Ching: The program was set up to attract Neurodiverse talent to VMware via an accessible recruiting program. Through the thoughtful design of a recruiting and hiring process that removes unconscious bias, VMware’s Talent Acquisition Team can engage with a new, talented, diverse candidate pool. Our goal was to create a program that was inclusive and engaging at every stage; from the application process, through to interviewing and onboarding. We also felt strongly that the support shouldn’t stop once the candidate is hired through the program, so each person who is successfully offered a role has access to mentorship and formal job coaching. This ensures a successful transition and satisfaction in their new role.
VMware Careers: Tell us more about VMware’s pilot Neurodiversity inclusion hiring event.
Last November, VMware held its inaugural Neurodiversity hiring event at our headquarters in Palo Alto. We invited nine individuals who made it through the initial stages of the program, to meet and interview with engineering hiring managers. As well as a face-to-face interviews, the group experienced what VMware life was like at our workplace in Palo Alto, California.
Our Talent Acquisition team and Diversity affiliate, Neurodiversity in the Workplace (NITW), provided each individual with interview preparation and guidance prior to their interview. At the end of the week, the three engineering teams had the difficult task of deciding who to offer roles to. Eventually, the decisions were made, and as of January 2020, three Neuordiverse Software Engineers joined our Wavefront Integrated Systems and VMware Cloud Business Units in Palo Alto.
VMware Careers: What’s Next for VMware’s Neurodiversity Inclusion Program?
Mandy Ching: Due to the success of our pilot hiring event, we are delighted to announce that another event has been slated for June 2020, with the finer details yet to be confirmed. If you are interested in applying for Software Engineering roles through this program, please click here to learn more about the role and process.
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