Oak Ridge Businesses Lead the Way in Workforce Diversity and Inclusion

iStock/Yevhenii Dubinko

Community-led workforce initiatives that promote diversity and inclusion are helping the Oak Ridge region navigate the shifting currents of the economy and creating new opportunities for residents who make up the talent pool. 

Beyond Borders 

Drocella Mugorewera helps businesses, governments, nonprofits and faith-based organizations learn how to build a culture that attracts and keeps talented individuals. Finding talent among refugees and other groups that businesses might have overlooked can increase profits, reduce turnover and give them a competitive advantage. 

“Businesses are complaining about high levels of employee turnover and the cost of hiring, training and rehiring. Bringing in diverse talents saves them money,” Mugorewera says. 

She speaks from personal experience as a refugee. Mugorewera made her way to East Tennessee after fleeing persecution in Rwanda in 2008. Fourteen years earlier, an estimated 1 million people died in the Rwandan genocide. 

Mugorewera, who speaks five languages, was initially offered a job as a cleaner. Seizing opportunities, she worked her way into leadership positions and launched her consulting business. Now, she helps employers understand the value of hiring others with similar stories. 

“There are people who come with doctorate degrees but have to start from scratch,” she says. 

To further support the region’s community of refugees and immigrants, Mugorewera developed an interactive training and workshop that outlines a step-by-step guide to building a new life. 

“Some say promoting diversity and inclusion is promoting mediocrity. It’s not. It’s about helping people live their values,” she says. 

Talent Pool Partners 

Emory Valley Center and Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) match talent with opportunity. 

Several employers across the region have found talented workers through Emory Valley Center, which serves individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

“By hiring individuals we support, employers can create a more inclusive work environment and tap into a pool of dedicated employees that often goes untapped,” says Miranda Kelley, Emory Valley Center’s workforce innovation director. 

“Contrary to common belief, adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities are not limited to entry-level positions,” she says. “We support individuals working in various fields. For instance, we currently support an individual who holds a BSBA in accounting and business law, has completed all prerequisites for a Ph.D. program in computer science, and is a certified Microsoft systems engineer and a GIA gemologist.” 

Doors to Opportunity 

Nonprofit ORAU’s broad mission includes recruiting the best and the brightest scientific talent from around the world for roles in research participation programs at more than 250 national laboratories or federally-funded research centers. ORAU has inspired new generations of minority scientists and engineers, says Becki Hopson, senior communications and marketing specialist. 

“ORAU supports historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and minority-serving institutions (MSIs) to recruit and train future scientists and engineers from underserved and underrepresented communities,” she says. 

Courtesy of ORAU

A Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Examples of initiatives focused on recruiting minorities in 2023 include hosting HBCU listening sessions for NASA and leading a technical workshop on behalf of the National Institutes of Health Path to Excellence and Innovation Initiative. 

“ORAU is committed to fostering, cultivating and preserving a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility as it fulfills its mission to advance national priorities and serve the public interest by integrating academic, government and scientific resources globally. This commitment applies to work with federal and state government agency partners, relationships with member universities, and the ways the organization interacts with and provides opportunities for its employees, managers and leadership,” Hopson says. 

When she consults with employers, Mugorewera points out that diversity and inclusion is more than a recruitment strategy. 

“Declare commitment to diversity,” she says. “Do people feel welcome? When businesses are more productive, they profit. Be creative and innovative. Consider people.”