Monique Ross

Although there is a great demand for graduates in computing fields, companies frequently struggle to find enough workers. They may also grapple with obtaining racial, ethnic, and gender diversity in representation. It has been suggested that the hiring process further contributes to these inequities. This study examined undergraduate computing students’ experiences with technical interviews and their pathways to job attainment, focusing on men and women who identify as Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx, Asian, and mixed-race. We applied the community cultural wealth framework and employed the methodology of phenomenography to investigate the different assets that students leveraged to succeed in obtaining a position. Our investigation centered around the conceptions of sixteen computing students, all of whom completed at least one technical interview and received at least one job offer. We conducted semi-structured interviews to explore their interpretations of the hiring process, the resources they utilized, and their perceptions of inclusivity in the field. The findings illustrated that students’ support mechanisms included the following categories of description: intrinsic characteristics, capitalizing on experience, community, preparation, and organizational. They relied heavily on distinct forms of capital, particularly social and navigational, to attain a job in computing. Peers and clubs or groups were essential for students to learn about what to expect during the hiring process, to help them prepare, and to make connections with employers. They also helped the students cope with the discrimination they faced throughout their professional trajectories. By investigating the various experiences students have, we contribute to the understanding of how hiring practices may be viewed as well as possible ways to provide support. While students must study for technical interviews and refine their skills and pertinacity in the face of obstacles, industry and academia should consider their role in hiring and its impact. Transparency in what to expect and enhanced preparation opportunities could serve to make the process more equitable for all job candidates.

While computing programs in the U.S. are experiencing growth in enrollment trends, they are still grappling with matters related to retention and persistence of computing undergraduates. One construct identified by scholars as having an impact on persistence in computing is computing identity, which is shaped by constructs such as recognition, performance/competence beliefs, sense of belonging, and interest. Likewise, participation in what scholars call communities of practice (CoPs) can aid in the development of their computing identity. To help foster computing identity development, an initiative was designed at three large public universities named Flit-Path (Florida IT Pathways to Success). Flit-Path was established using the principles inherent to communities of practice with the goal of recruiting and retaining computing students. The Flit-Path program leveraged curricular and co-curricular support to engage academically talented students with financial need in computing disciplines (e.g., computer engineering, computer science, and information technology) and provided financial assistance via scholarships. The guiding research question for this study was, What is the impact of a computing community of practice (the Flit-Path program) on students’ computing identity, specifically the constructs of recognition, performance/competence, sense of belonging, and interest? In order to address this question, a validated survey instrument was used to compare 64 computing students who enrolled in the Flit-Path program with students from the same universities with matched years in college, computing GPA, race/ethnicity, gender, home/environment support, and work hours outside the home. For comparing the two groups, the research team used multivariate matching methods in R. The results of the study revealed that students in the Flit-Path program demonstrated substantially higher computing identities. Students who participated in the Flit-Path program experienced higher recognition, performance/competence, and sense of belonging in the computing field than their non-Flit-Path counterparts. There was also a borderline positive effect for interest. Together, the results indicate that well-designed CoP interventions in computing programs can have a significant effect on students’ identification with computing and ultimately their persistence.