Written by teen volunteer & TAB member, Anushka Levaku

When it comes to the tech industry, it’s not always about coding; it’s about a diverse community of individuals creating tomorrow’s innovations! But sometimes it can be hard for women to face the challenges created by a male-dominated environment. With few female tech leaders and many women struggling to present themselves on the same level as their male counterparts, the Women in Tech Summit gives women the opportunity to develop skills and learn from the experience and expertise of other women working in tech.

The Spring Virtual Women in Tech Summit (WITS) was a three-day online conference for women working on the business and technical sides of the industry. With a focus on hands-on tech workshops, tech trends, and innovating yourself, WITS strives to support a community of women working in technology by bringing in a myriad of empowering speakers to give attendees advice on how to thrive through tech career phases and facets.

TAB Networking Sessions

After a fun-filled day of educational workshops and “mentorship” sessions, TechGirlz Teen Advisory Board (TAB) members hosted the networking events for two days. In prior meetings, TAB members created 4 entertaining breakout room activities — creating exciting new blurbs for TechGirlz social media, talking about dream jobs, Tech Trivia, and Work From Home Bingo — for the networking session.

As a TAB member, I was granted the opportunity to meet some truly amazing women through WITS. We were able to talk about all different things, from obstacles women face to our first experience in technology! These phenomenal women explained the inferiority problem that women often have in STEM: Women do a poor job of stepping in the spotlight because they let their merit speak for itself, but this is where women need to actively promote themselves because there’s no shame in telling people what you’re good at! We were able to talk about how voicing opinions or being the active voice in the room will create a more inclusive and comfortable setting for everyone. I learned that creating your presence and being the voice you want to be is one of the best tips for succeeding in a male-dominated industry.

“Never let anyone else put you down for something you’re good at” – A WITS Attendee

I was able to relate to the adversity that these women had experienced in their younger years, and I gained valuable advice as a young woman navigating through the wide world of technology. I absolutely loved meeting women from various backgrounds and different jobs in tech!

Thoughts about WITS

From this conference, I would definitely tell my middle school self to give it your all and don’t play it cool, just go after what you want. Try harder because you’ll never regret trying so hard and get all the exposure you can and be curious! TechGirlz creates a positive, encouraging environment for girls of all ages to explore technology and meet with insightful tech professionals, and I can’t wait to help out with the fall Women in Tech Summit!

Learn more about TechGirlz and the Women in Tech Summit.