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Disrupting Engineering and Construction: How PositiveHire is Transforming DEI

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Amidst the evolving landscape of diversity and inclusion, where genuine change often meets resistance, a new leader has emerged as a catalyst for innovation and growth. In the latest episode of the Disruption Interruption podcast, host Karla Jo Helms is joined by Michele Heyward, Founder and CEO of PositiveHire. Heyward, with a unique blend of engineering prowess and entrepreneurial zeal, is challenging outdated norms and championing inclusivity as a cornerstone of organizational excellence across the STEM and Engineering & Construction (E&C) sectors.

TAMPA BAY, Fla., August 19th, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Women represent about 27% of the STEM workforce, a significant increase from 8% in 1970, but still fall short compared to their 48% share of the overall U.S. workforce. (1) In engineering and construction, they are even more underrepresented, at 14% and 9% respectively, and face fewer leadership opportunities and challenges related to workplace culture and advancement. (2) Karla Jo Helms (KJ), host of the Disruption Interruption podcast, and Michele Heyward, the disruptive mind behind PositiveHire, a platform dedicated to empowering underrepresented women in STEM, engage in an illuminating discussion on the critical need for diversity in industries that require innovative disruption. “Disruptive innovation means changing the status quo for the better,” Heyward says. “Growing up in rural South Carolina, I saw how limited resources hindered talent, so my mission is to ensure everyone, regardless of background, has transformative opportunities.”

“Disruptive innovation means changing the status quo for the better. Growing up in rural South Carolina, I saw how limited resources hindered talent, so my mission is to ensure everyone, regardless of background, has transformative opportunities.” — Michele Heyward, Founder and CEO of PositiveHire.

Heyward Champions Infrastructure for True Workplace Inclusion
Heyward emphasizes the importance of understanding the unique challenges faced by underrepresented groups in the workplace, challenges that often go unnoticed in traditional HR data.
Through PositiveHire, Hayward is not merely advocating for diversity—she is actively constructing the infrastructure necessary for genuine inclusion within the workforce. Her mission is to establish a new benchmark for organizational excellence, where diversity and inclusion are not just aspirational goals but fundamental elements of success.

Tailoring DEI Strategies to Engineering and Construction
PositiveHire is advancing DEI in the traditionally male-dominated engineering and construction sectors by tailoring initiatives to the unique challenges of job site culture.
Heyward, a third-generation construction professional, emphasizes the need for DEI strategies that address both the physical environment and cultural dynamics, with organizations evaluating their impact through pre-and post-training assessments as well as long-term retention metrics.
“Very few DEI practitioners understand life on a construction site,” Heyward emphasized. “Many attempt to implement initiatives without spending significant time on the job site or building relationships with those who work there. For DEI to be effective in construction, it’s essential to grasp the unique challenges.”

Setting New Standards for Inclusive Workforce Excellence
Through PositiveHire, Heyward is actively building the infrastructure needed for true inclusion in the workforce. Whether in STEM or E&C, PositiveHire is helping to pave the way for a more inclusive future, ensuring that diversity and innovation go hand in hand.

Links
Disrupting the Future of Infrastructure: Michele Heyward’s DE&I Influence on AEC: https://omny.fm/shows/disruption-interruption/disrupting-the-future-of-infrastructure-michele-he
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelecheyward/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MicheleCHeyward
Company Website: https://positivehire.co/
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/positivehireco/
Disruption Interruption is the podcast where you will hear from today’s biggest Industry Disruptors. Learn what motivated them to bring about innovation and how they overcame opposition to adoption.
Disruption Interruption can be listened to in Apple’s App Store and Spotify.

About Disruption InterruptionTM
Disruption is happening on an unprecedented scale, impacting all manner of industries— MedTech, Finance, IT, eCommerce, shipping, logistics, and more—and COVID has moved their timelines up a full decade or more. But WHO are these disruptors and when did they say, “THAT’S IT! I’VE HAD IT!”? Time to Disrupt and Interrupt with host Karla Jo “KJ” Helms, veteran communications disruptor. KJ interviews badasses who are disrupting their industries and altering economic networks that have become antiquated with an establishment resistant to progress. She delves into uncovering secrets from industry rebels and quiet revolutionaries that uncover common traits—and not-so-common—that are changing our economic markets… and lives. Visit the world’s key pioneers that persist to success, despite arrows in their backs at http://www.disruption-interruption.com.

About Michele Heyward
Michele Heyward is the Founder and CEO of PositiveHire, a pioneering tech company dedicated to connecting underrepresented women in STEM with management roles in enterprises. With a background in civil engineering and extensive project management experience in the energy sector, Michele aims to create inclusive workplaces for Black, Latina, and Indigenous women, while also equipping companies to effectively recruit and integrate these professionals. She holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering and an M.S. in Industrial Management from Clemson University. A South Carolina native, Michele enjoys family time, traveling, Toastmasters, and building professional networks.

About Karla Jo Helms
Karla Jo Helms is the Chief Evangelist and Anti-PR® Strategist for JOTO PR Disruptors™. Karla Jo learned firsthand how unforgiving business can be when millions of dollars are on the line — and how the control of public opinion often determines whether one company is happily chosen, or another is brutally rejected. Being an alumnus of crisis management, Karla Jo has worked with litigation attorneys, private investigators, and the media to help restore companies of goodwill into the good graces of public opinion — Karla Jo operates on the ethic of getting it right the first time, not relying on second chances and doing what it takes to excel. Helms speaks globally on public relations, how the PR industry itself has lost its way, and how, in the right hands, corporations can harness the power of Anti-PR to drive markets and impact market perception.

References
1.    “NSF’s NCSES Releases Report on Diversity Trends in STEM Workforce and Education.” NSF, 30 Jan. 2023, new.nsf.gov/news/diversity-and-stem-2023.
2.    Martinez, Anthony, and Cheridan Christnacht. “Women Making Gains in STEM Occupations but Still Underrepresented.” United States Census Bureau, 26 Jan. 2021, census.gov/library/stories/2021/01/women-making-gains-in-stem-occupations-but-still-underrepresented.html.

Media Contact

Karla Jo Helms, JOTO PR™, 727-777-4629, khelms@jotopr.com, jotopr.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/disrupting-engineering-and-construction-how-positivehire-is-transforming-dei-302225454.html

SOURCE JOTO PR™

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Seminar for Members of the Global Development Promotion Center Network Visits Qingdao, Exchanges on Media Convergence and Cooperation Opportunities

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November 10, 2026

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QINGDAO, China, Nov. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A report from iqingdao.

The Seminar for Members of the Global Development Promotion Center Network visited Qingdao Daily Press Group to learn about media convergence and international communication practices. They then attended the Qingdao Development Opportunities Promotion and Exchange Conference, exploring the city’s strengths and potential for future cooperation.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/seminar-for-members-of-the-global-development-promotion-center-network-visits-qingdao-exchanges-on-media-convergence-and-cooperation-opportunities-302934581.html

SOURCE iqingdao

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Saledock Gives Celerant ONE Retailers One Place to Market, Message and Manage Every Customer Conversation

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November 10, 2026

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CES gives UK retailers a central marketing hub connected to live sales data.

KINGSTON UPON HULL, England, Nov. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Saledock, a Celerant company, today launched Customer Engagement Suite (CES) for Celerant ONE, giving UK retailers a central hub for email marketing, SMS, social media, reputation management and every customer conversation, from website live chat to WhatsApp messages.

Because CES connects in real time to Celerant ONE’s ePOS and eCommerce, retailers can automate targeted, personalised messages based on what customers do in-store and online, using the customer, sales, and product information already in their system.

Marketing That Knows What Your Customers Bought

Most independent retailers manage customer communication across a patchwork of tools: one for email, another for text messages, a social media scheduler, review sites, a WhatsApp inbox and a separate live chat on their website. None of those tools know what a customer bought last week, so campaigns stay generic and staff waste time exporting lists and copying product details between systems.

CES closes that gap. It sits inside Celerant ONE and draws directly on the data retailers already have, including customer records, in-store and online sales history, and product images and information. The result is marketing that reflects real buying behaviour, built and sent from the same platform the retailer uses to run the shop.

How It Works

Retailers can set up automated workflows triggered by what happens at the till or on their website, and get as creative as they like. A workflow might thank a customer after their first purchase, follow up with shoppers who bought a particular brand or category, or win back customers who haven’t visited in a while, by email or SMS. Once it’s set, it runs in the background.

For retailers who don’t want to build workflows from scratch, a built-in AI agent can create them, so even a small team can put automated marketing to work.

Building a campaign is faster too. Product images and descriptions come straight from Celerant ONE, so there’s no need to recreate content that already exists in the catalogue.

With CES, Celerant ONE retailers can:

Automate email and SMS campaigns based on in-store and online purchase activityLet the built-in AI agent build workflows for themAnswer website live chat and WhatsApp messages from a single inboxSchedule posts and engage with followers across Facebook, Instagram, and their other social channelsMonitor and respond to customer reviews to protect their reputationReduce the number of separate marketing and messaging tools they pay for and manage

“Retailers already own their most valuable marketing asset, which is their customer and sales data,” said Michele Salerno, Chief Growth Officer at Celerant Technology. “The problem is that data usually sits in one system while their email, texts, reviews, and social media live somewhere else. CES puts all of it in one place and connects it to every sale, so a retailer can send a message that’s actually relevant to that customer without exporting a list or logging into a handful of different tools.”

“Running a shop leaves very little time for marketing, and jumping between different apps to do it doesn’t help,” said Layla Gladwin, Managing Director of Saledock. “With CES, everything a retailer needs to talk to their customers is inside Celerant ONE and connected to what’s happening at the till and online. Set up a workflow once, or let the AI agent build it for you, and it keeps working while you get on with serving customers.”

Availability

Customer Engagement Suite is available now as an optional add-on for Celerant ONE retailers. Existing Celerant ONE retailers can contact their Saledock account representative to get started. Retailers considering new ePOS and eCommerce software can request a Celerant ONE demonstration to see CES and the complete platform at [https://www.saledock.com/customer-enagagement-suite/]

About Saledock, a Celerant Company

Saledock is the UK division of Celerant Technology, providing Celerant ONE, a cloud-based retail platform that connects ePOS, eCommerce, stock control, customer engagement and other critical retail operations within one system.

To learn more, Visit Saledock.com/ 

About Celerant Technology

Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Iselin, New Jersey, Celerant Technology provides retail software to more than 1,800 retailers, supporting over 5,000 store locations. With approximately 250 employees across seven offices, Celerant connects point of sale, eCommerce, inventory, customer engagement, payments, marketplaces, and more for specialty retailers ranging from independent shops to multi-location and enterprise businesses.

To learn more, visit Celerant.com/

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/saledock-gives-celerant-one-retailers-one-place-to-market-message-and-manage-every-customer-conversation-302933700.html

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Jackery Black Friday 2026: Up to 58% Off Explorer v2 Portable Power Stations and Solar Generators, Starting at Just £378

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November 10, 2026

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LONDON, Nov. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Jackery is kicking off its Black Friday campaign with up to 58% off its popular Explorer v2 Series, with portable power stations starting at just £378. Running from 10 to 30 November 2026, the campaign offers some of the biggest savings of the year across the new-edition Explorer 1000 v2 2027 and Explorer 2000 v2 2027, as well as the Explorer 3000 v2, alongside selected solar generator bundles.

Combining compact design, lightweight portability and powerful, reliable performance, the Explorer v2 Series caters to different energy needs – from weekend camping and extended off-grid adventures to emergency backup power at home during unexpected winter power cuts.
 

Explorer 1000 v2 2027: Lightweight Power for Everyday Adventures – Now Just £378

With a 1,024 Wh capacity and 1,500 W output, the new Explorer 1000 v2 is ideal for weekend camping, road trips and outdoor activities. Compact and easy to carry, it powers everyday essentials such as laptops, cameras, portable fridges and lighting. Its long-lasting LiFePO4 battery and advanced ChargeShield safety technology ensure dependable performance. Emergency Charging enables a full recharge from 0 to 100% in just 50 minutes, making it ready for the next adventure or unexpected power needs.

Explorer 1000 v2: £378 (RRP £899) – 57% offSolar Generator 1000 v2 with SolarSaga 200W Panel: £629 (RRP £1,499) – 58% off
 

Explorer 2000 v2 2027: More Power for Extended Adventures – Save Up to 54%

With a 2,048 Wh capacity and 2,200 W output, the new Explorer 2000 v2 can simultaneously power energy-intensive devices such as coffee machines and electric coolers on the go. The compact power station features long-lasting LiFePO4 batteries, comprehensive safety features and a wide range of connectivity options, now with three AC outlets for added flexibility.  It can be recharged via a mains socket, Jackery’s portable solar panels or a 12V charging cable in a vehicle.

Explorer 2000 v2: £726 (RRP £1,399) – 48% offSolar Generator 2000 v2 with SolarSaga 100W Panel: £919 (RRP £1,999) – 54% off
 

Explorer 3000 v2: High-Capacity Power for Adventures and Winter Backup – Save Up to £1,004

For those who need greater energy reserves, the Explorer 3000 v2 offers a 3,072 Wh capacity and 3,600 W output with LiFePO4 battery technology. As one of the most compact and quietest models in its class, it is ideally suited for off-grid power while camping, on construction sites and as an emergency backup solution at home, particularly during unexpected winter power cuts. Thanks to app connectivity and bidirectional charging capabilities, users can also take advantage of variable electricity tariffs to schedule charging during off-peak periods.

Explorer 3000 v2: £1,352 (RRP £2,299) – 41% offSolar Generator 3000 v2 with SolarSaga 200W Panel: £1,595 (RRP £2,599) – 38% off

All Black Friday offers are available from 10 to 30 November 2026 at the official Jackery UK online store.

Media enquiries: Jiatong Li, jiatong@jackery.com, +4915223970329

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