Girls can do anything. Conduct groundbreaking research in math or physics, identify a new treatment for cancer, build a car, fly a plane, bake a cake and eat it, too. As a child, this is how I saw the world. Growing up, I had role models all around me that fostered my potential. It wasn’t until I grew older that I discovered that the world did not see girls’ potential the way I did. Fortunately, I was lucky and privileged to already have the confidence needed to find my path, no matter the obstacles.
When I was a teenager, I was fortunate to be surrounded by supportive role models.
Me (bottom) having fun with friends in my first role.
While this was my first year volunteering with this program, Autodesk has supported its two-week summer immersion program geared towards girls and nonbinary high school students since 2016.
This summer, more than 20 amazing Autodeskers volunteered, running interactive training sessions for a cohort of 60 participants. The program introduced the students to a variety of roles in tech, such as product manager, data scientist, quality assurance engineer, chief of staff, user experience designer, conversation designer, and more.
The Girls Who Code program is designed to help participants learn important tech skills, have fun, and gain confidence. Image credit: Girls Who Code.
Providing real examples of how Autodeskers shaped their unique career paths provided the inspiration for student participants to build the confidence to do the same. We also provided guidance on how to use LinkedIn and other online resources to network, structure their resumes, and find new opportunities. Lastly, we provided coaching for internship interviews, encouraging them to use their strengths and experiences to drive the conversation.
“Being asked to volunteer for GWC is a no-brainer,” Autodesker Rowena Ortega shared with me. “This program not only teaches the students about careers, resume building, networking, and interviews, but the volunteers like myself learned from each of the presenters as well. It was amazing to see the questions that the students asked and how interactive they were during our sessions.”
With the foundation set, the cohort launched into the core of the program, learning how to code. This was the first exploration into CSS, HTML, and JavaScript for most of them. During the course, the students identified a topic they are passionate about, and built websites to foster informed debates and drive change.
Celebrating the end of this year’s program.
Learn about other ways Autodesk is lighting career paths for the next generation