Why Representation Matters in Shaping The Future of Engineering

(This article originally appeared on LinkedIn)

The world of engineering is about shaping tomorrows, crafting solutions to problems we haven't even imagined yet and creating amazing things we can use and enjoy. During our recent internal Engineering Innovation Week, the LinkedIn team celebrated the spirit of innovation and ingenuity, and the direct impact our work has in delivering value to our members and customers. As I reflect on the events and discussions from that week and the subsequent conversations I’ve had during Engineers Week this week, it reaffirmed a simple truth - To build AI-assisted technologies that represent the future we want, we must bring engineers with diverse thoughts, ideas, and perspectives onto our teams and include them in the conversation. 

Diversity in engineering is not only a benefit, but also a necessity. Engineering is a field built on solving problems. When designing next-gen AI systems and products, it’s essential to include and value the perspectives of engineers from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, genders, cultures, generations, and abilities. With greater diversity we can create AI solutions that are not only effective, but also responsible, fair, and inclusive. However, diversity in itself is not enough. We must also intentionally foster a culture of belonging and inclusion to empower engineers to help unlock AI's potential and better serve the needs and values of users from all walks of life.

While many organizations want to do the right thing, finding diverse talent for engineering roles in AI is still challenging. Although intentional efforts are being made around inclusion and belonging to encourage a more diverse population to become engineers, hurdles still exist. According to our latest multicultural AI research, over 60% of Black and Hispanic professionals know that AI is coming to change the future of work in a big way in the next five years, but they may encounter barriers to access and advancement in the tech industry. 

Engineering has been a rewarding career path for me, but it has not been without its challenges. Something that’s helped me is to look at challenges as opportunities to use my distinctive skills, knowledge, and experiences to create successful outcomes. If you’re an engineer, here are three tips to help you thrive in your career and feel more confident that you belong.

Amp Up Your Skills

In today’s dynamic work landscape, advanced skills are essential for success. This is especially true for engineers, as skills can take you much further than just having a job. It’s natural for engineers to have a solid foundation of technical skills. According to LinkedIn’s latest global inventory of the most in-demand skills for engineers, Python, Java, and SQL are among the top overall technical skills in the US, UK, and India, emphasizing the importance of software development skills in programming languages and applications that are used to support AI. 

Of course, technical skills are only part of the equation. A recent LinkedIn survey found that 9 out of 10 global executives agree that soft skills (aka “human” or “durable” skills) are more important than ever. Soft skills, particularly communication, are among the top in-demand skills for engineers in the US and UK. Rounding out that list are analytical skills, problem-solving skills, leadership, and teamwork.

Insights from LinkedIn’s Economic Graph Research Institute suggest that more than half of LinkedIn members hold jobs that stand to be disrupted or augmented by AI, and the skill sets required for most jobs will change by up to 65% by 2030. So if you’re not changing jobs, your job is changing on you. The specific skills you’ll need will vary depending on your engineering expertise, so make time to invest in learning. I encourage you to check out the free courses that we unlocked for 30 days in celebration of Engineers Week including Tech Career Skills: Communication for Developers and Python Essential Training.

Remember, building your skills is an ongoing process. By investing in your technical and soft skills, you’ll be better equipped to tackle new challenges and advance your career.

Be true to you and to what matters to you

Every time we decide whether to share something about ourselves with others, we’re consciously making strategic choices regarding how and when we use our voice, particularly when we are at work. Feeling included and having a sense of belonging is empowering, as it boosts our confidence in using our voices to shape initiatives and advocate for positive changes. Inclusion allows diverse engineering voices to be heard when sharing their innovative ideas, technical expertise, and learned experiences. Engineers can thrive when they explore their passions and exchange knowledge through purposeful channels. Here are a few channels to consider:

• Subscribing to newsletters to stay abreast of important topics and trends of interest. Newsletters can create a sense of connection by putting stories that span across geographies, cultures, and industries directly at your fingertips.
• Writing a blog post on topics where you can showcase expertise, share valuable insights, and present concepts that challenge the status quo. At LinkedIn, we encourage our engineers to highlight their work by developing posts for our Engineering Blog.

If writing a blog post feels like too big of a time commitment, try contributing to a technical Collaborative Article on LinkedIn. Lending unique insights and perspectives to the conversation can help to shape the direction of the discussion.

When you align your work with what truly matters to you, it can truly spark motivation from within. 

Connect with a community

Engineering is a team sport. You'll rarely work on a project alone. This is why networking as a skill is particularly important as it helps bridge diverse backgrounds and disciplines, fosters consensus, and opens doors to fresh opportunities. 

Another benefit of building your network is cultivating relationships with people who can advocate for you. A good place to start is your company’s employee resource groups (ERGs). These employee-led groups offer opportunities to network with colleagues with similar backgrounds or interests, and allies who want to learn from and support you. You can also choose to connect with people who do not have the same cultural background as you and use your adaptability skills to learn how to work with various work styles, communication methods, and cultural nuances.

We are at a significant inflection point in technology innovation and we have an amazing opportunity to build and be a part of an engineering workforce that reflects the world around us. This isn't just about fairness, it's about maximizing human potential and unlocking the full spectrum of talent to deliver products that empower the global workforce to be more productive and enable people to do what they are most passionate about.