Meet Jamila Brown Hairston: Co-Founder & CIO

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jamila Brown Hairston and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jamila, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
Women of color account for 80 percent of new female-led businesses. However, black women in the technology industry account for less than 4 percent of female-led startups. There are only a few women of color in tech who have been in positions of power to implement real office-to-community change within the male-dominated industry. I know there is a strong lack of diversity and inclusion in tech because I’ve actually lived it. I have been the only ‘me’ in board rooms and on conference panels for many years. After a while, you start to realize you need to figure out new ways to fix that, and so I did. This is the reason why I created Cloud Tech Academy. We are an enterprise software training company that provides high-level technology skills and certification prep for individuals who are looking to transition into new tech careers. We also work with fortune 100/500 companies and government entities to help provide solutions for workplace productivity and user adoption. There are opportunities for minorities and women from different backgrounds and perspectives to contribute to the global conversations about technology and we provide several events throughout the year called The Power of Technology Tour to increase representation in this industry. I want women of color and minorities to know that we live in a global, digital economy that depends heavily on technology to do business. Our classes are virtual, but we have locations around the world and have created almost $30 Million in annual salaries to-date. The available tech jobs are increasing daily, and the classroom experience is key to getting the skills and landing these opportunities.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Cloud Tech Academy is a fun, enriched, and immersive software training company with a focus on enterprise cloud solutions. We have a diverse environment of students from all walks of life. We specialize in training corporations, government sectors, and people with little to no backgrounds in technology. We help students transfer their current skills into lucrative IT career opportunities. Our mission is to make technology training and adoption seamless for job seekers and business entities while supporting the growing demands of workforce development and data system integrations. Our instructors are real practitioners who are passionate, certified, and eager to pass on their knowledge and experience to their students. We have a high success in students who land career opportunities, and I am extremely excited that we have created almost $30 Million in annual salaries for our community to date. Our courses can be accessed online and are live instructor-led. We also have locations in the U.S and globally with our main headquarter in Atlanta, GA. It was not easy tapping into this white male-dominated industry as there are currently only 9.3% of African Americans in tech. That percentage is even lower for black-owned female tech startup owners. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in computer and IT jobs has been projected to grow 13 percent from 2016 to 2026 — faster than the average for all occupations. Forecasted to add about 557,000 new jobs, the IT industry is emphasizing careers in cloud computing, information security and collecting/storing sizable data. The biggest challenge for me was to believe that I could compete in the same space as the larger training companies. I am happy to announce that our job placement is one of the highest percentages in the country. The other challenge was to get people of color to believe that we are wanted in the tech industry and that we also deserve to be here. I was able to overcome both challenges by making sure that I provide resources and events for our community. Therefore, we host an annual Power of Technology Tour to bring awareness and increase representation for underrepresented talent

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Atlanta is diverse and big on black history and culture. That’s what makes this such a great city! I especially enjoy dining at local minority-owned businesses. A few of my favorite spots in the city are: Chef Rob’s Caribbean Café, Slutty Vegan, Old Lady Gang and LowCountry Steak. I also like to shop and dine at Ponce City Market and Auburn Avenue. When I want to experience a social night out with music and mixture of culture and art, you will find me at the High Museum of Art. They have a wonderful event on the first Friday of every month called High Frequency Friday: Sound Table Pop Up. Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am dedicating this special shoutout to my amazing and wonderful husband, Cameron Hairston. He is my best friend and business partner who motivates me daily to be the greatest version of myself. Our foundation has been established on the principles of God and love for computers as his background is also in technology. He has worked as a Sr. System Engineer for many years and is the visionary leader behind creating Cloud Technology Academy. We formed the academy to do our part in cultivating a high-tech workforce. He is also the Co-Host of our Podcast, “God, Tech, and Hustle” now streaming podcast media platforms. We both wanted a platform to create solutions that will bridge the gap for underrepresented communities by obtaining valuable tech skills for success and build generational wealth.

Website: www.cloudtechacademy.com

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Other: Subscribe to our Podcast! God, Tech, and Hustle www.godtechandhustle.com