February 1, 2022

Here’s A List Of Mentoring Programs For Latinos Looking To Get Into Tech And Engineering

Across industries, there’s a growing demand and prevalence of mentorship programs, but for people of color who are carving their own paths, mentors remain difficult to find.

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers are among the most valuable, fastest-growing, and highest-paying in the country, yet Latinas account for only 3% of the industry.

That’s why we want to make sure you have the right resources and knowledge to help you land your dream gig.

Latinas in Tech was founded in 2014 by Gretel Perera and Rocío Medina with the hopes of creating a community for Latinas in the tech industry. Through informal gatherings, they provided one another with career support. 

Now it’s known as an established professional organization that provides resources and fosters relationships for women working in the field of technology by working with tech companies to foster things like mentorship programs and events.

There are chapters in cities throughout the United States and in Brazil, Spain, Canada, and Mexico.

Members will have the opportunity to connect with potential mentors that can help them advance in their careers, whether they’re engineers, cybersecurity experts, or entrepreneurs.

Here is a list of other mentoring programs you should check out.

Latina Girls Code in Chicago, IL

A new program started in 2014, Latina Girls Code was created to give Latina girls ages 7-17 a future equal opportunity in the technology industry by providing education, resources (such as hardware and digital tools), and mentorship in tech. Apply to volunteer as a mentor here.

Facebook’s TMP scheme for Latinx

TMP is a 4-months Mentoring Program Designed For Penultimate Year Students That Are Interested In Upskilling Software, Front And Production Engineering Concepts And Learning How To Thrive On Technical Interviews.

In addition to the mentoring sessions, Facebook will be also providing technical workshops, roundtables with former interns, and evaluation assessments to support you track your performance along with the program.

Latina Tech Mentor Program

Using a 1-to-1 model of digital literacy training, Spanish-speaking volunteers are trained to support parents in creating learning goals, increasing comfort levels with digital literacy, introducing online educational resources, and finding new ways to integrate technology into family life.

The parent leaders then become mentors themselves, teaching new parents in their school community, thus creating a self-sustaining and expanding community of parents learning different ways to engage with educational resources online.

Latinas in STEM

Back in 2013, several Latina MIT graduates banded together to former the organization Latinas in STEM, with the goal of helping young Latina girls and teens learn more about careers in STEM and help them feel empowered to pursue them. They’ve put together a network of volunteers that mentor girls and women and they also run professional development programs.

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Abbianca Makoni

Abbianca Makoni is a content executive and writer at POCIT! She has years of experience reporting on critical issues affecting diverse communities around the globe.