Our Black in Tech series features the career path & advice from Black professionals in the tech industry. In this Q&A, Brittany Briggs, Product Trainer at Acquia shares his story.
Where did you grow up and what were you like as a child? What did your parents do for work?
I grew up in Pontiac, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. My mom and dad both worked full-time jobs. My dad is an irrigation technician at the local university, and my mom was a central transporter at the nearby hospital.
Where did you go to college? What did you study and what did you do after graduating?
I went to Oakland University for my undergraduate studies and Tiffin University for my graduate school. I studied English literature and communication at Oakland University and humanities with an English concentration at Tiffin University.
What inspired you to get into the tech industry?
As a virtual assistant in undergraduate school, I naturally gravitated toward the tech industry when I started writing articles to support SEO and building WordPress websites for fun. After graduating from undergrad, I created a virtual English as a second language (ESL) business, where I met tech professionals from all over the world who inspired me to create EdTech materials.
What has your career path looked like in tech and the various positions you’ve held before joining Acquia?
After becoming an instructional designer, I went on to be a product manager, and now have my dream job as a product trainer, which combines knowledge from both roles.
Can you share the high-level responsibilities of your current position as product trainer at Acquia?
My responsibilities are to ensure new hires have the proper knowledge to sell Acquia products and enable sellers on all product knowledge as it evolves and becomes implemented.
What has attributed to your success thus far and what types of obstacles have you had to overcome along the way as a Black professional?
Continuous learning, discipline, and relationships have contributed to my current success. Some of the obstacles I've faced are “imposter syndrome,” budget cuts, and a lack of diverse leadership. These obstacles remain challenging, but with time and knowledge, it gets better.
What types of programs and initiatives does Acquia have that support diversity, equity, and inclusion?
A training program and an annual training are mandatory for all employees. Acquia also has a policy in place for discrimination and intimidation, which provides employees with a safety net as they know human resources is prepared to deal with any issues to arise.
What advice would you give to other Black professionals who are interested in joining the tech industry?
I would advise finding someone to confide in about day-to-day work and someone who holds you accountable for the goals that you initially started with.
While general awareness of the problem of diversity in the tech industry is a step forward, to make a lasting change, real actions need to be taken. Do you have any ideas or suggestions on what companies or employees can do to step up and make a difference?
Leadership is a big area that lacks diversity within the tech industry. If companies and employees prioritize holding leadership accountable for implicit bias and conflict resolution practices, diverse leadership will be an organic occurrence.
