George Hanible


about engineering and have the drive to be successful, and it is our responsibility to seek them out and build that pipeline,” Onadele said. “And we are. It’s one of our strategic goals.” He and Hardy joined Blach’s college


interview teams last year, adding greater diversity to the public face of the company as they interact with potential recruits at Cal State East Bay, Colorado State University, San Jose State University, and institutions throughout California. Tey also attended several events put on by SJSU’s minority engineering program. In addition to diversity and inclusion


in recruiting, Blach has increased its overall awareness of the need to retain Black employees by ensuring equity and addressing unconscious bias. “A question I’ve raised is ‘how are we


putting [Black employees] in positions to be successful?’” Onadele said. “In my experience, after being involved on many smaller projects, I was recruited for a larger, more complex and visible project. Tis changed the trajectory of my career because I was challenged, championed and given the opportunity to showcase my capabilities at the highest level. People


Meg-Anne Pryor


Sofia Hardy


“In the last year, we have seen a near


300-fold increase in the implementation of employee resource groups and an


increased focus on inclusive recruitment, unconscious bias training, and countless strategic discussions around hiring, promoting, and retention of Black employees.” – Dr. Giovanna Brasfield


in management positions have to really evaluate what they are judging employees on in terms of potential, because it can shape a person’s career.” So where are they in the process? Progress is being made, but “this is


just the beginning,” Onadele said. “It is important to note that there is a lot more runway in front of us than behind us.”


As part of its strategic vision through


2025, Blach has included an ambitious goal that 50% of Blach’s interns and new hires be from diverse or minority backgrounds. “It’s gratifying to see the purposeful attention put towards this initiative. Te stepping stones are in place and I’m excited to see what’s to come,” Hardy said.


CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTOR JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022


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