Continuously upskill.
Hey there!
My name is Sydney and I’m currently a Data Scientist at Verizon. Despite this being my current career, I studied mechanical engineering in college where I had little to no coding experience! My journey through STEM has definitely been a bit non-traditional, but I consider myself lucky to have found a place where I can be both challenged in my work and supported by my peers.
The influence of technology in our everyday lives is growing at a rapid pace. Thus, in my opinion, it is critical to keep up with technological trends, especially if you are considering a future career in STEM.
I ended up falling into a STEM career because of my interest in math and physics. That being said, my interests were not the only things encouraging me. I had mentors such as teachers that helped guide and recommend opportunities that would help me be prepared for a career in STEM.
As a female, entering the world of STEM was definitely challenging. In a field like mechanical engineering, where 90% of the students were male, it was critical for me to find my community where I could be supported and learn from others.
As you continue your journey into the world of STEM, I would recommend finding a network that can act as this support group for you (Black Girls Code is a great place to start!). These people will be your advocates, teachers and mentors. They will help guide you through tough decisions, and provide feedback on how you can continuously upskill and become more influential wherever you are in your career.
Today, my mentors are some of the most influential voices in helping me write my career journey. In high school, my mentors (mostly teachers) helped reaffirm my interests in STEM. They challenged me to go above-and-beyond in my classes and join extracurricular activities that would help develop me into a rounded individual. During college my mentors helped me identify my strengths and interests, and they helped recommend activities that would enable me to develop skills that I lack. Today, my mentors help me shape my career. They share their experiences and journeys, teaching me how to navigate corporate America in a way that will satisfy my own ambitions and enable me to follow my passions.
Similarly, don’t underestimate the importance of your non-technical skills and their applicability in the field of STEM. When you think about STEM, you likely think numbers, equations, coding, graphs and more. All of these things are products that you can produce while working in a STEM field. At the same time, we have to be able to communicate the impact of all of these STEM ‘discoveries’. Understanding how to share technical information and create relationships with your colleagues will give you an advantage as a woman in STEM.
You are in the right place. While STEM is becoming increasingly more inclusive, it is still not at a point where it can claim equality. As a part of your journey, you will be helping to tackle this gender disparity and be an active part in creating a future inclusive workplace.
