The Identification of Effective Recruitment Strategies from Non-Traditional Engineers: A Recruitees' Perspective
Open Access
- Author:
- Hickman, Faye Jean
- Graduate Program:
- Workforce Education and Development
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- June 19, 2006
- Committee Members:
- William J Rothwell, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
Edgar I Farmer Sr., Committee Member
Wesley Edward Donahue, Committee Member
Edgar Paul Yoder, Committee Member - Keywords:
- diversity
workforce shortage - Abstract:
- ABSTRACT Historically, there has been a myth in Corporate America which says there is a labor shortage of qualified talent, particularly among women and minorities in the high tech industry. Likewise, in 1998, the Joint Venture’s Workforce Initiative Study, which analyzed the supply of skilled high tech workers within Silicon Valley and the demand created by the area’s high tech employers, determined there was indeed a shortage (i.e., gap) between demand and supply of local labor for some skilled positions in Silicon Valley. Therefore, this study will suppose that the findings of the Joint Venture’s study were accurate; that is, it will assume there is a shortage of qualified candidates in the high tech industry. Thus, this research will identify the perceived effective recruitment strategies and techniques by senior-level non-traditional (i.e., first-generation African-American and Spanish-speaking; male and female) engineers. The information obtained from this study could enhance the efforts of the technology industry in attracting non-traditional engineers in their effort to address the technology workforce shortage. The study included ten interviewees’ in various industries. Data was gather via in-depth telephone interviews, a survey (based on the input from the interviews), and document analysis. The results revealed all the interviewees’ (i.e., non-traditional engineers) were recruited as interns while in college. After the internships were completed each interviewee was hired by their organization. Additionally, the interviewees’ demonstrated an interest to the organization’s commitment to enhance diversity. Of primary important to the interviewees’ were mentoring, networking, creating a conducive work environment, retention mechanisms, the like-me syndrome, and developing non-traditional youth via partnership with community organizations.