Participant story: Harneet (she/her)
“I would like to work on initiatives that will allow students to get access to computer education at an early stage.”
1) Tell us a little about your life.
I was born and raised in India. Growing up in a joint family taught me the importance of having a supportive community. I graduated with an accounting degree and was always intrigued and interested in coding but did not know about it or have the means to make the shift to the tech industry. Moving to the Bay Area in 2021 and meeting with people working in tech reignited my interest in programming. I have started taking small steps to begin this journey.
2) What made you decide to pursue a software engineering career and apply for Techtonica?
Techtonica provides a safe environment where I can learn and grow and as well as feel like I belong in the group. Techtonica has a very detailed and carefully crafted program and amazing individuals associated with the effort who truly believe in its mission and are there to see us succeed. In my last job, I worked in an IT firm and was amazed to see how IT can have wide ranging effects across various domains. Creating something that people can use and which can make their life better can be challenging yet extremely gratifying. It is something that will give me a purpose and keep me motivated.
3) What are you most excited to learn while at Techtonica?
I am excited to develop and grow my programming skills and learn about new technologies and tools that would help me become a successful software engineer. I am looking forward to getting hands-on experience building real projects and applications. Collaborating with diverse individuals and getting to know their perspectives will further add onto my learnings.
4) What do you want to contribute to or change about the tech industry?
I would like the tech industry to be more diverse and inclusive. When I was young, I knew about computers, but had little confidence in my abilities and knowledge about computer science. So, I never gave it a try. I would like to work on initiatives that will allow students to get access to computer education at an early stage. Talking about technology breakthroughs can inspire young people to try out computer programming and continue to learn it.
5) What’s your dream project?
I would like to create a platform for college students where students coming in from different parts of the world can integrate and connect before the session starts and adapt to the new environment. It would help to reduce some of their challenges and make them feel like they belong.
