Empowering Women in Tech: My Journey as a Mentor for Digital Academy

Czechitas is a transformative organization dedicated to empowering women through technology education and providing them with the skills and support needed to thrive in the IT field. Palo Otcenas shared his experience as a mentor in Czechitas that supports diversity in the tech industry.

Who is Palo?

Palo Otcenas is a Frontend Developer at Outreach, specializing in crafting usable web experiences using Typescript, React and GraphQL. Alongside his role, he serves as a mentor and coach at Czechitas. Balancing his personal life as a loving husband and father, he finds solace in practicing yoga, while his enthusiasm for innovation and emphasis on intuitive user experiences guide his work, embodied by the motto “Keep it simple”.

Could you please start by telling us what motivated you to get involved in this program?

The story began when my wife decided to try to pursue her career in the IT field. She enrolled in a digital academy for business intelligence and data, offered by Czechitas. During her evening lectures, I would help her out, and you know what? I found it really fascinating and inspiring! All participants had varying levels of knowledge, some knew a little bit about IT, while others were completely new to it. But what caught my attention the most was how the lectures were conducted and what they aimed to achieve.

The program spanned three months, with classes held in the evenings, four days a week. Women that participated in the program invested a significant amount of time and effort into learning new technologies, and on top of that, they had to submit a final project as well. It was not that easy, since they had to start from scratch and build something entirely new. It was amazing to see how they applied their newfound skills and especially how persistent they were. They would work tirelessly, even staying up late into the night, all while juggling family responsibilities.

That sounds like an incredible journey for both you and your wife. Can you give us some details about how the learning and project completion process works?

So, the participants start by attending lectures, and at some point during the course the teams are formed of up to three participants. The team chooses from the proposed projects or they make up their own. At the event called “Meet your mentor” participants present their projects to the mentors and mentors briefly present themselves in a speed-dating fashion. Participants vote on their preferred mentors and vice-versa. Once the mentor and team are set, they can start working on their project.

What specific duties are implied when it comes to mentoring a team?

As a mentor, my main responsibility is to guide and support the participants throughout their project journey. However, mentors are not responsible for the final project outcome. Our job is to show the participants how to approach the project in a smart and efficient way. Sometimes, they struggle with focusing on the right aspects of the project, and it’s our job to help them stay on track.

Could you share some of the main challenges that the women faced during their journey? Was it the time management?

I think that, mostly, participants in the program are incredibly dedicated and have set aside time for their learning and project work. What I sometimes found more challenging for them was the lack of experience to work collaboratively. Sometimes the lack of collaboration can cause clashes between teammates. I had to be there during important project milestones, and I kept reminding them that they were a team and together they could overcome any obstacles.

Was it the most challenging part of being the mentor?

Yes, it was quite challenging when the teammates didn’t get along and were not emotionally on the same page. I would remind them and say “Come on, you’re a team, and you need to deliver together. Let’s do it together!” Sometimes due to stress it was challenging, but as the mentor I was supposed to motivate them to collaborate and help them to understand that together they can bring outstanding results.

Managing team dynamics and collaboration seems crucial. What other strategies did you employ to keep each participant motivated?

Previously in my career I had an opportunity of working with junior developers. This experience was particularly useful in managing a fresh team from the Czechitas program.

At times, the team faced difficulties in effectively managing their time among various tasks. If they devoted excessive attention to one aspect, they would end up with insufficient time for the remaining tasks. When it came to the team project, I provided guidance in distributing responsibilities and promoting seamless collaboration. I emphasized the importance of collective effort and addressing challenges as a unified team. Leveraging my experience in agile development, I encouraged them to divide their work into smaller, achievable pieces and deliver them incrementally. This method enabled them to observe progress and maintained their motivation levels high throughout the project.

Do you also need to keep yourself updated with technology as a mentor?

Yes, definitely. Sometimes the participants want to incorporate advanced features like displaying maps on their websites or integrating backend APIs. There are so many JavaScript libraries available nowadays. The team had to explore the libraries. I provided guidance in choosing appropriate tools. Together, we conducted extensive research on various libraries and selected a few for experimentation. Throughout this process, I also gained knowledge about the tools they could utilize, and explore them alongside the team.
I encouraged the team to explore different options and make informed decisions based on their own experiences.

It’s amazing how you navigated all these challenges and provided guidance to the participants! As a mentor, did you receive feedback on your performance?

Absolutely! Czechitas has a well-structured feedback system in place. After each lecture, feedback forms are circulated, allowing participants to provide input not only on the program but also on the mentors. This immediate feedback was incredibly valuable to me. It allowed me to refine my mentoring approach, enhance my skills, and avoid repeating any previous mistakes. Moreover, seeing the impact I had on the team I was managing and the learning I gained from the mentoring experience was truly rewarding. It was an opportunity for mutual growth.

What percentage of women continue their journey in technology after the Digital Academy? Is the program effective enough?

Based on my internal insights, more than half of the women that participated in digital academy continue to pursue careers in the IT field after the Digital Academy. In the first team I mentored, all of the teammates secured IT jobs.

Can you recommend something to those who want to become mentors for the Digital Academy?

Yes, definitely! Anyone who is a senior-level engineer and wants to enhance their skills in leading and mentoring people can be a great fit. It might seem intimidating for introverted individuals, but it’s definitely worth a try because it helps you develop your teamwork and communication abilities. You’ll learn more about motivation and how to explain complex concepts in a way that even your grandparents could understand. So, go for it and give it a shot!