Haylee Hildebrand is a recent graduate of University of Central Oklahoma. She represents one of several interns from the Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) Internship Program. The goal of the MSI program is to foster diversity within the aerospace industry by providing women, people with disabilities, and members of diverse groups with opportunities in FAA career fields, where these groups have previously been underrepresented.
Hildebrand works at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in the Acquisition Services Division (AAQ-700). She helps with reports and meetings, and is learning how government contracts work. She also helps the organization’s front office by learning how the FAA responds to Freedom of Information (FOIA) requests, supporting the organization’s newsletter and aiding in the testing of a new SharePoint portal.
The FAA’s MSI Internship program has made inclusivity one of their initiatives. The MSI cohort has used FedView and exit survey data to illustrate that one of the main reasons people leave the FAA is due to the lack of work/life balance. To counter that, they have recommended solutions like having regular meetings with teams that just focus on the employee as a person ndash; learning what they do outside of work, and discovering more about their families and friends. The cohort has also created draft Diversity Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) posters in hopes of further attracting and engaging employees.
The long-term goals of the cohort are to cultivate solutions like inclusivity tools, and DEIA-focused eLMS training. They are also supporting a federal workplace longitudinal study.
"I think every generation brings its own views and perceptions to the table," Hildebrand said. "It’s our hope that each one will look at this with an open mind. It’s not going away, and the more people are aware of how they can incorporate inclusivity in everyday business decisions and discussions, the better the agency will be in attracting and retaining talent."
Inclusivity means the recognition, appreciation, and use of the talents and skills of employees of all backgrounds. An Executive Order signed by President Biden in June 2021 establishes that diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are priorities that benefit the entire government and the country.
"As a team, we’ve been studying the science of inclusivity," said Hildebrand. "We care deeply about inclusion — which is smart, because inclusion is playing an important role in bringing out the best of members of diverse groups. And from what I’ve learned in the FAA so far, diverse groups make better decisions."
"My hope is that the FAA will continue down the road to truly living inclusivity," said Hildebrand. "And I’m proud to say that we’ve helped employees understand it ndash; and accept it ndash; more than I would’ve imagined."
