IBM AOM Bootcamp + Latinitas = Preparing Girls for Career Success
At IBM, every employee is encouraged to volunteer and make an impact on his or her community. As new Offering Managers participating in a six-week bootcamp in Austin, we are no exception. During the first week of our onboarding experience, we attended a workshop to learn about IBM’s commitment to give back and its rich history of volunteering. On July 31, 2018, we gave back as IBMers for the first time by hosting a career chat at Austin-based nonprofit organization Latinitas.
Latinitas is dedicated to empowering Latina youth using media and technology. Girls in Latinitas’ summer camp learn a variety of skills including graphic design, audio recording, and coding. This helps to ensure new and diverse voices in media and technology in the future. IBM and all Offering Managers in the bootcamp quickly rallied around Latinitas’ mission statement, and we were eager to help.
Before we showed up, the thought of facing a classroom full of teenage girls was a tad intimidating. What if they don’t like us or don’t care enough to talk to us? Will they relate to us? Luckily, my fears were dissipated by the welcoming atmosphere at Latinitas. Of course, bringing pizzas helped us, too.
The girls at Latinitas prepared for their podcast recording session ahead of time, asking us questions like: “What do you like about your jobs at IBM?” and “How did IBM and NASA work together to give rockets a brain?” We shared personal stories about how each one of us landed in technology, hoping to empower young girls to make good decisions and acquire useful skills in school. IBMers sat in a circle, taking turns sharing our professional and personal experiences.
The Latinitas girls handed a mic from one person to another effortlessly. Clearly they knew what they were doing, and the girls were adorable. I was impressed by their ability to communicate and interact with a roomful of strangers.
Toward the end of the session, we turned the mic to the Latinitas girls by asking them questions like “Which social media platform is trending for teenagers these days?” “How do you spend your free time?” and “What do you wish to do in the future?” One third grade girl aspires to join the FBI just like her sister. Her friend, a fifth grader, wants to become a private detective. I have no doubt that there will be successful FBI agents and private detectives among the girls at Latinitas. Perhaps one day, they will use technology to catch bad guys and do good for the world.
We need more women in technology, and I’m proud to work for a company led by a female CEO — Ginni Rometty. This experience reminded me why I got into the technology field in the first place. More importantly, I am proud to work for a company that lives and breathes innovation and celebrates diversity.
