Diversity Barriers To Entry Level Tech Policy Jobs Remain, According Public Knowledge Report
The study conducted in 2025 concluded that sustained attention will be required to improve diversity metrics.
WASHINGTON, Feb 24, 2026 – A new study released Monday found significant and persistent barriers still remain to diversity hiring for entry level tech policy jobs.
The report, produced by Public Knowledge, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group, noted that narrow recruitment pools, bias from hiring managers, poor execution on diversity policies, among others, have led to this sustained issue.
“This study reaffirms that diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts targeted specifically at early-career roles such as internships, fellowships, entry-level hiring, and first-stage promotion pathways are foundational to shaping long-term leadership pipelines in the technology policy field,” the report said.
While the report highlighted that some progress has been made in these categories, significant work still remains to broaden diversity and execute on the hiring policy reforms made within tech these policy organizations between 2024 and 2025.
The report noted that increasing pay for entry level intern positions, building sustainable partnerships with HBCUs, utilizing transferable skills over pedigree, tying DEI metrics to leadership responsibilities, publishing promotion pathways could all serve to improve metrics at these organizations.
The report surveyed “13 technology policy organizations and convened 17 early-career technology policy professionals” which were studied in 2025. A previous study which looked at 30 firms between 2021 and 2024 made similar conclusions.
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