Empowering Women in Tech to Thrive. Join the Women Developer Academy Europe 2022!

Have you ever been to a tech event or a conference and you could hardly find a speaker that looked like you? Well, you are not alone! Women working in tech often experience this all around the world. In fact, only 25% of keynote or standalone speakers are women at large and medium-sized conferences or local tech events. More than 70% of women surveyed reported being the only woman on a panel — a percentage that was consistent for nearly every career level surveyed. And while the study found that there were small gains year over year, tech conferences globally are not yet wholly representative, comfortable spaces for all genders(source: Ensono).

The discussions about bringing more diversity into the industry has been ongoing for over a decade, with activists, companies and development organisations advocating for the topic. There are indeed fewer women in tech compared to men, due to complex socio-economic disparities and deeply rooted stereotypes. However, one of the critical reasons why we don’t see enough women being influencers and leaders in the field is not because they are not there at all — there are thousands of excellent women professionals in tech, but they remain to be hidden figures due to lack of confidence, mentorship and spaces to thrive.

To tackle this, Google and its Women Techmakers program decided to put women on centre stage through the Women Developer Academy (WDA). The initiative offers a free 4-weeks-long intensive leadership sessions, mentorship and live-speaking opportunities. Last year just in Europe, more than 200 women and non-binary professionals — from software engineers to mobile developers and data scientists — from 28 countries already graduated from the academy and are becoming strong voices in tech. Good news is, the call for new European cohorts for Spring 2022 is open and you can also become part of it, sign-up before January 23rd, 2022!

A space for growth and inspiration — what to expect

“ A Swiss army knife of communication and community contribution, the WDA catapults you from developer to pro speaker in just a few weeks, propelled by enthusiasm and knowledge. Recommended! “ — Monika Neddi, Software Developer from Italy

Through the Women Developer Academy you will virtually meet and network with dozens of like-minded tech professionals, cohort peers, Googlers and Google Developer Experts (GDE). Above all, we hope you will meet the most important person — that is yourself! The academy starts off with you being able to discover your own story, find your interests and strengths and cultivate confidence. Afterwards, our speakers will teach you all the tips and tricks on how to spot and apply for public-speaking opportunities, choose your session topics and do technical presentations. Conferences are not the only ways of becoming contributors in tech. We understand that everyone comes from different backgrounds and interests, therefore, you will learn and get advice on other formats of contributions from writing blogs or making vlogs and podcasts, to becoming an active part of open source projects or discussion forums. At the end, you will be able to train your public-speaking muscles by delivering a tech talk and getting advice from top-notch tech professionals. As a result of all these components, 96% of our last cohorts have already expressed increased confidence for public speaking and community contributions.

“ I’ve loved this opportunity to learn and also meet and share this journey with other talented women in tech that have been an inspiration. Personally, it has helped me to gain a lot of confidence and I cannot wait to share my experience and knowledge with the community. “ — Gema Socorro Rodriguez, Senior Android Engineer from Spain

“Thank you for choosing such important topics. There was a great supportive and inspiring environment for growth. I consider this program to kick off something new and important in my life, feeling that I am worthy.” — Nonna Shakhova, Data Engineer from the UK

For the whole of your WDA journey, you will be accompanied by stellar mentors. Last year, a pool of more than 120 mentors, Googlers and GDEs, from 23 countries provided personal and professional guidance in 1:1 sessions and live-speaking practice.

“I felt it was a safe space and that the mentor really cared about my background and aspirations. We discussed my path in tech, as well as some personal ups and downs and how they influenced my career. He shared many useful tips throughout, as well as some resources to get started with the community. “ — Patricia Ferreiro, Solutions Architect from Switzerland

Is it for you?

If you are reading this, it means you are already up for a new challenge! The WDA Europe is welcoming women from all backgrounds and other marginalised genders residing in this region. To be considered as an applicant, you should:

• Already be a tech professional
• Have experience of community contributions and/or a keen interest in becoming contributor and leader in the industry
• Have experience and curiosity in working with at least one of the Google technologies, such as Android, Google Cloud, Flutter, Firebase, Tensorflow, Angular and more. Potentially, with interest to become a Google Developer Expert in the future!
• Be ready to commit to your growth and attend 4 weeks of 8 live sessions (evenings, twice a week) and 1:1 mentor meetings during February 2022.
• Have a working proficiency in English, as all workshops are hosted in this language.

So, what are you waiting for?

Register today, so that the next time someone enters a tech conference, or searches for a question online, they see you — a strong representative and a true professional inspiration!

We know you are out there, and we can’t wait to meet you!

Written in collaboration with Chiara Giuliano