Be Nimble Foundation to Source Talent within Lilly's Skills First Program

First of its kind collaboration creates a new pathway for career opportunities to communities historically underrepresented in professional jobs

INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Be Nimble Foundation, a 501(c)(3) social enterprise creating fully diverse and inclusive tech ecosystems, announces a collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY), having been selected as one of the global pharmaceutical company's principal sourcing partners for Skills First @ Lilly, a program to provide candidates without four-year college degrees – including Black Americans and other historically marginalized groups – greater access to roles at the company that they may not have had through traditional recruiting methods.

Since 2020, more than 70 individuals from underrepresented groups have trained for family-sustaining jobs at Lilly in a variety of areas, including information technology, human resources, clinical research and development, business operations, and manufacturing.

Be Nimble will serve as one of the principal sourcing partners for Skills First @ Lilly through Be Nimble's various pre-apprenticeship programs.

"Upskilling is absolutely key to building a more diverse, equitable workforce," said Jeff Williams, co-founder of Be Nimble. "Over the last five years, our partnerships with Microsoft and Google have allowed us to scale tremendously. And now, with Lilly, we'll be able to fast track skilled talent directly into fitting, fulfilling, rewarding careers right here in our homebase of Indianapolis. Taking one small step toward closing the generational wealth gap that torments our historically underrepresented communities."

Be Nimble's training programs allow cohort members from diverse backgrounds to complete Microsoft and Google certifications in a completely remote environment. Available certifications include UX/UI design and development, tech sales and customer success.

Each cohort will last 2-3 months with a maximized opportunity for further career opportunities within the Lilly corporation. Upon completion of the program, Lilly representatives will interview candidates and identify those who are fit for extended apprenticeship opportunities.

"Establishing this relationship with the Be Nimble Foundation will create a new pathway for talent from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and educational paths to connect with Lilly," said Terry Morris, Associate Vice President, Racial Justice at Lilly. "We recognize that diversity, equity and inclusion are critical components to innovation, and are critical to delivering on our purpose of making medicines that make life better for people."

In 2020, Lilly launched its Racial Justice Commitment to support effective solutions to racial inequity and social justice. Investments focus on improving education, health, and professional and social mobility outcomes for Black Americans and others from historically marginalized communities.

In the first year of this agreement, Be Nimble and Lilly share a goal of recruiting at least 50 professionals and assisting them in building their skill sets, and providing streamlined access to high-paying, two-year apprenticeships within Lilly. These apprentices are gateway opportunities to full-time career positions at Lilly.

In May 2021, Lilly was among several corporations that made a commitment through its venture capital funding arm to Sixty8 Capital to support Black, Latinx, women and LGBTQ+ diverse innovators.

Applications for the Lilly cohort via Be Nimble are open now. To learn more, visit: www.benimbleco.com/upskilling

Be Nimble Foundation is a 501(c)(3) social enterprise taking a qualitative and quantitative approach to creating fully diverse and inclusive tech ecosystems. Our career training and placement programs up-skill unemployed, under-employed, and career-transitioners who are interested in careers in the tech industry. Our entrepreneurship programs support Black and Latinx tech start-up founders to get them the resources, support and funding they need to build high-growth, high-scale tech companies. To learn more about the Be Nimble Foundation, visit benimbleco.com.

Contacts

Grace Williams 
BLASTmedia for Be Nimble Co 
[email protected] 

SOURCE Be Nimble