Beyond Coding: How Technologists Find Community

Finding a place where embracing your true self also enhances your career growth and leads to greater breakthroughs and new ideas is at the heart of Capital One’s business resource groups (BRGs). These communities play an important role in supporting and engaging our world-class talent—developing tomorrow’s leaders, creating opportunities to connect and expand networks, and enhancing the richness of our workplace for all associates.

Through our associate-led BRGs, members and allies connect through local, national and virtual chapters across our company and work together to advance a culture of belonging for all associates at Capital One. Together, we’re committed to enhancing the rich associate experiences of life at Capital One. In addition to our 8 core BRGs, we have 4 “lean-in groups” that are specific to Tech associates, all with shared goals of creating meaningful connections with fellow associates and allies, sharing and creating resources for professional development, and engaging in communities around us to create an impact in the world beyond.

Learn more about our four Tech community groups and the impact they have on associates and the communities we serve.

Blacks in Tech

Members of the Blacks in Tech BRG make an impact within Capital One and beyond. Made up of associates across tech, the goal is to empower one another, create a safe and supportive environment, grow professionally and make a difference in the community.

“It’s creating a community for Black technologists where they can see associates just like themselves and be able to learn and grow and help each other continue to advance in their careers,” said John Redmond, Senior Communications Manager in Technology at Capital One.

The group hosts networking events, speaker sessions and social events and looks to expand the pipeline of future technologists through programs like Capital One Coders. The BRG also hosts its annual Blacks in Tech Summit, a career development event that attracts hundreds of associates with both internal and external speakers and awards.

Women in Tech

Women continue to be underrepresented in tech and experience obstacles unique to women in the field. Women in Tech (WIT) is a place for women and allies to connect, thrive and support each other. The community works to inspire future generations of technologists and tech leaders through training sessions to expand on professional skills, provide mentorship and giving back.

“Capital One has a great support system for women in tech where women are provided with several opportunities,” said Roshni, Master Software Engineer. “This forum has helped me to develop a leadership mindset, build my network and advance my career via various mentoring programs.”

Not only does the BRG offer community, learning opportunities and mentorship for women at Capital One, the impact extends into the wider community with the goal of getting girls interested in future careers in tech. Members spend countless hours giving back as role models—professional women in STEM careers who show girls there is a future for them in tech.

Hispanics in Tech

Hispanics in Tech (HIT) unlocks the potential of Hispanic and LatinX talent, elevates tech associates through professional development and increases outreach to the broader Hispanic community of technologists. The group’s mission is to accept nothing less than an inclusive environment in technology that is both approachable and welcoming to all.

HIT connects associates with opportunities to pursue professional development and foster a culture of community engagement and social responsibility. Members support each other—giving shout-outs to fellow associates in Slack, sharing professional development and volunteer opportunities and working together to inspire the next generation of Hispanic and Latinx technologists.

The group focuses on Hispanic talent already at Capital One while also nurturing future talent through community engagement and outreach, such as supporting college-level and national Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers programming. HIT members also host high school students to share stories about their professional journeys, speak to college students in webinars about STEM careers, and lead coding sessions for the nonprofit Girls Tech Together.

Equality Allies in Tech

Allyship matters. Creating a culture of belonging involves everyone.

Equality Allies in Tech is the associate group for allies of our tech BRGs—Blacks in Tech, Women in Tech and Hispanics in Tech. Even for our associates who don’t hold those identities, they still have a crucial role to play by contributing to our inclusive and vibrant culture.

“With the growth of our tech diversity and inclusion initiatives, we recognize the greater opportunity of allyship across many dimensions of diversity and underrepresented groups,” said Mark Cauwels, Vice President, Stability Engineering and Operations. “We encourage all of our associates to join us as allies in fostering an inclusive culture where everyone feels as though they belong.”

Allies serve as powerful voices, help us mitigate unconscious bias and use their privilege to lift up others. We know that diversity and inclusion efforts don’t only fall on underrepresented groups themselves; those in positions of power and privilege have a crucial role to play.

Regardless of an associate’s identity, there are multiple ways for technologists at Capital One to find their place and contribute to enhancing our culture. Our BRGs help attract more diverse candidates, create professional development opportunities and impact the wider community. At Capital One, inclusion and innovation go hand-in-hand.