Stories

Female-focused Avanade Job Shadow Day in Spain

Mirna Rodriguez, User Experience Architect, Avanade Spain volunteered with Fundacionjaes (JA Spain) in November 2016 during a special job shadow day geared towards promoting women in STEM careers.

I believe that everyone is able to do whatever they want. I think that the new female generation should perceive themselves as capable to grow in the technology area, and not only that, to be part of the positive change that is happening globally, a world with equity.

Avanade believes in diversity. For us it is so important to keep recruiting talent that promotes this value.

Having entrepreneurial skills will confront young people with failure, eventually to success if they are persistent enough. These skills create innovative minds that could have a positive impact in the society.

[During this volunteering experience], girls seemed really receptive and showed their interest to know more about the material.

Maybe [the students] realized that for now they do not want to perform a position similar to mine [chuckles] but even if they decide to choose another option in the Experience Design area, always, in some way, they will have contact with User Experience, they will have to learn about it, and maybe they will remember the crazy foreigner that explained to them how to do it.

Personally I have learned not to underestimate the level of interest of teenagers. The experience inspired me.
 
[I’d convince my colleagues to take part in such programmes] by talking to them about the impact and influence that their experiences could have on future generations and also talking about the benefits that there could be in their own jobs.