Girls Power Tech Inspires the Next Generation of Tech Leaders

[ad_1] The way forward for expertise is vivid, particularly after the resounding success of the seventh annual Cisco Ladies Energy Tech, held on the Cisco campus in Richardson, Texas, on April 17, 2025!

Ladies Energy Tech Leaders This impactful occasion linked 73 vivid younger college students with the huge potential of STEM, supported by 13 devoted educators. These proficient individuals hail from Cisco Networking Academy colleges, a strategic partnership that enables us to successfully attain and encourage the subsequent technology of tech professionals.

What's Ladies Energy Tech? In celebration of Worldwide Ladies in Data and Communication Know-how (ICT) Day, Cisco Richardson hosts Networking Academies throughout the North Texas Metroplex, providing college students a full day of empowerment, studying, and pleasing actions. This occasion blends inspiring talks, hands-on labs, mentorship, and networking into an interesting and academic expertise.

Ladies Energy Tech is extra than simply an occasion. It’s a motion devoted to empowering ladies and younger girls to pursue careers in expertise and bridge the gender hole in STEM. We’re cultivating the subsequent technology of innovators, problem-solvers, and tech leaders.

A day of inspiration and exploration Inspiring messages The day kicked off with an inspiring keynote deal with from Melissa Kraft, the CIO of the Metropolis of Frisco. She shared her tech journey, highlighting its energy and boundless alternatives, and delivered a profound message to the younger girls:

“Tech is highly effective. YOU make it significant. Keep in mind, you belong on this area.”—Melissa Kraft, CIO, Metropolis of Frisco Constructing on this momentum, the women then engaged in a considerate dialogue, sharing their private inspirations and what sparks their curiosity throughout the world of expertise.

Metropolis of Frisco CIO Melissa Kraft delivers the Ladies Energy Tech Keynote. Veronica Valladarez, Account Govt – Cisco Portfolio, delivers an inspiring message of empowerment.

Following the keynote, Veronica Valladarez, Cisco Account Govt – Portfolio, delivered an inspiring deal with.

She vividly shared the outstanding story of Cisco co-founder Sandy Lerner and her resilient journey of turning adversity into a brand new, profitable enterprise. Veronica then linked this to the women’ potential by way of her empowering message:

“Rejection is simply redirection. True innovators make NEW worlds when the outdated ones don’t settle for them.”—Veronica Valladarez, Account Govt, Cisco Portfolio Her phrases deeply resonated, fostering self-belief and resilience to encourage the younger girls to worth their distinctive views.

Partaking actions To interrupt the ice and foster connections, the attendees participated in a vigorous Networking Bingo Recreation. This enjoyable and interactive exercise inspired college students to step exterior their consolation zones, meet new folks, and uncover shared pursuits, constructing a supportive and collaborative ambiance proper from the beginning.

Our attendees take a second to attach throughout Networking Bingo. Networking Bingo—Ladies Energy Tech, April 17, 2025

To present our vivid younger attendees a style of various sides of expertise and join them with inspiring function fashions, we ran our labs and pace mentoring classes in a dynamic rotation.

AI Lab: Fitted to Victory – Younger minds explored the fundamentals of synthetic intelligence by way of a hands-on experiment. On this exercise, they educated a mannequin to categorise fits of playing cards utilizing their webcam. They explored how algorithms be taught, experimented with picture recognition software program, and even brainstormed how AI might be used to unravel real-world issues.

Gathering to debate AI & Sphero Labs. Our attendees group as much as deal with the AI Lab.

Sphero Lab: Maze Mayhem – College students realized to program and management modern programmable robotic balls by way of a LEGO maze. This hands-on expertise helped foster problem-solving expertise, creativity, and a deeper understanding of programming rules.

Powering tech, collectively. (Sphero Lab) Educating ladies can change the world. (Sphero Lab)

Velocity Mentoring – This offered a useful alternative for the scholars to attach with a various group of completed professionals from varied tech fields. The rapid-fire, centered conversations allowed the younger girls to ask questions, acquire insights into totally different profession paths, and obtain personalised recommendation and encouragement.

The day culminated in an Awards ceremony, celebrating the individuals’ enthusiasm, engagement, and newfound data. The grins on the scholars’ faces as they acquired recognition have been a testomony to the occasion’s impression.

Extra than simply tech Ladies Energy Tech isn’t nearly technical expertise; it’s about constructing a powerful, supportive group the place younger girls really feel empowered, assured, and know their voices and concepts are valued.

We have been notably moved by the conversations we overheard – ladies sharing their aspirations and inspiring one another to pursue their goals fearlessly. This sense of camaraderie and mutual help is precisely what Ladies Energy Tech goals to domesticate.

What attendees mentioned “My favourite a part of the occasion was getting to attach one-on-one with the unimaginable folks from Cisco. I beloved listening to everybody’s profession trajectories because it gave me a lot perspective—it helped me keep grounded in my very own imaginative and prescient whereas enthusiastic about all the probabilities forward. My largest takeaway was the significance of staying open-minded and dedicated to steady studying. I noticed that mindset can open doorways you didn’t even know existed!”—Jassmin

“I used to be scared, at all times asking myself, ‘What if it’s onerous? However you guys confirmed me what it means to work in expertise and what it may do for the folks. You confirmed me that, regardless of my pursuits, tech at all times has a spot for somebody. I thanks for all you could have finished!”—Aaliya

“Thanks for internet hosting this nice occasion. It was inspiring and really helpful. The superb mentors I’ve met by way of networking have considerably modified my life choices. As an immigrant, I don’t have a lot steerage in these features of my profession, and this occasion was a terrific alternative for me. Thanks!”—Nameless Thank-You Word

Trying forward Ladies Energy Tech 2025 was an funding sooner or later. It was a day when younger girls found their potential, linked with function fashions, and realized {that a} profession in expertise isn't solely attainable but in addition extremely thrilling and significant. The vitality and enthusiasm witnessed all through the day left little doubt that the way forward for tech is in vivid palms. We will’t wait to see the superb issues these younger girls will obtain!

To make sure the continued success and development of this annual Ladies Energy Tech occasion, we constantly want devoted leaders to help with coordination, supportive companions to fund partaking actions, and impactful audio system to encourage our attendees.

If you're fascinated with getting concerned, electronic mail us.

Thanks to everybody who made it attainable Our honest gratitude to The Batiste Mission for our Tech labs, and to our Cisco Inclusive Neighborhood sponsors, Ladies in Science and Engineering (WISE) and Conexión LatinX Community.

A heartfelt due to the 13 devoted educators, two inspiring audio system, 40 enthusiastic volunteers, 11 dedicated Ladies Energy Tech leaders, and particularly the sensible ladies who participated. You all introduced the imaginative and prescient of Ladies Energy Tech to life.