Essay: Deloitte's Diversity Push

In the article, "Deloitte's Diversity Push", CEO Barry Salzburg explains how community colleges are key to employing a diverse workforce. By reaching out to minority students in community colleges, Deloitte is not letting untapped talent slip through the cracks. Throughout the process of becoming more diverse, Deloitte has also had to do a good amount of myth busting. To help minority students, the company has also set up a mentor program.

Barry Salzburg believes diversity is an extremely important value for any company to have. However, 92 percent of the 4,500 partners at Deloitte are white. Deloitte, just as many other companies do, have been recruiting from the same pool that everyone else tries to tap for minority talent. Recently, Salzburg instructed his senior employees to focus more recruiting efforts on community colleges, where the majority of African-American and Latino students enroll. Many two-year programs are overlooked by companies, but the students possess the same drive and ability that many other students possess. By focusing on community colleges, it allows Deloitte to tap a diverse pool of top talent, while allowing students to get on the "accounting prep-track".

Many students view accounting as a very boring trade, where workers sit at a desk all day day punching numbers into a calculator. In order to dispell this myth, Deloitte is sending out a group of eight staffers to guide more students towards an accounting career. By having accountants give presentations on how the industry has broadened into financial, management, technology, and human capital consulting students will be ale to gain insight into the vast world of accounting.

Deloitte has also set up a mentor program for minority accountants to help guide them and become better leaders. Many minority students are able to get through the door, but fall short after they hit the glass ceiling. What they really need is the advice that comes from experienced colleagues who have been in the same position before.

It is still a question of whether or not this entire program will effective in landing more minority students in the accounting profession, but it is a step in the right direction. Through programs like this companies will become more diverse,which is very important in today's ever changing world.