We have a firm commitment to fostering diversity, equity and inclusion in our workplace, in our local communities, and in the STEM and nuclear industries. We believe that working to better represent underrepresented demographics is a crucial part of building a culture that encourages innovation.
By fostering diversity in our company culture and an inclusive atmosphere, we encourage people with diverse backgrounds to bring their own unique perspectives toward solving the challenges we tackle as part of our four-phase mission to achieve abundant, clean nuclear energy.
“We must all reflect on how we can enact changes that will normalize equality for all people. As individuals and as growing leaders in the community, we can do more than we have. We commit to listening to those who are hurting and to doing more to make longstanding change in our community.” – Greg Piefer, our CEO and founder
We value diversity in all its forms as a critical component of innovation, which is fundamental to our success. Every member of our community benefits from the talents and experiences of our peers, from the mutual respect we exercise, and from the responsibility we take for our actions. Our corporate commitment to diversity and inclusion looks toward solving the problems of racial and gender disparity in the workplace, in our local communities, and in the wider STEM and nuclear communities, where people of color and minorities have historically been underrepresented. We believe in doing our part in correcting these disparities and providing all people of all backgrounds with equal opportunities to succeed and thrive.
SHINE Technologies is a recipient of the 2020 YWCA Rock County Dorothy Height Diversity in Workplace Award.
Diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace
To address our commitment to diversifying our workplace, we maintain a DEI Task Force dedicated to realizing our agenda of building a diverse work culture. The Task Force proposes, tracks, and supports efforts to foster an inclusive environment that allows all employees to realize their full potential.
Our DEI Task Force :
- Develops recruitment and internship strategies to build a diverse work culture
- Sets strategies for communication and community engagement.
- Works with local racial justice organizations and local chapters of PoC and women-centered national professional organizations in education, STEM, and other industries.
- Hosts our employee anti-racism book club in which books on the topic of racial justice and minority experiences, especially in STEM fields, are discussed among our employees.
Diversity equity and inclusion in our local community
A DEI workplace requires a DEI local community to draw from. To that end, we are also focused on enhancing education and learning within the communities where we live and work. We support programs with a goal of advancing learning opportunities in the fields of science and math so that we ignite passion for impactful innovation within our local communities and education institutions.
The Blackhawk Technical College’s IDEAL (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility Launch) Scholarship is one such initiative. We are a partner with BTC to support this new scholarship for low-income students of color and first-generation college students in the fields of Electromechanical Technology, Automation Systems Technology and Nuclear Technology.
Launched in the fall of 2020, the IDEAL Scholarship will cover the cost of tuition and books, provide a stipend for living expenses such as food and rent, provide support from a designated faculty member, and provide a paid internship in the students’ career field. Our commitment to the scholarship includes a paid internship and to financially support one student for the entire two-year program.
We also support the Janesville Multicultural Teacher Scholarship, established in 2008 to provide a multicultural pool of teacher candidates for the Janesville School District by the Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin, a non-profit organization. This scholarship provides tuition support for students of color pursuing a course of study and a career within Janesville’s educational system.
Diversity equity and inclusion in STEM and nuclear communities
As of today, people of color make up 33% of science and engineering careers in the U.S. and women make up 28%. Only 10% of all K-12 schools nationwide offer their students classes in computer science. To help address this problem and provide solutions, we maintain partnerships with Wisconsin organizations such as Maydm. Maydm offers middle school and high school learning and mentorship programs that help students from underrepresented backgrounds master programming languages and STEM software tools, dip their toes into STEM careers, and forge connections with industry professionals. As part of our partnership, Maydm provides us with high school age internship applicants who are eager to receive hands-on experience in STEM workplaces.