Micro-internships and Career Focused Programs as Mechanisms for Diversifying Computing
The demand for computing talent is at an all-time high, but not everyone feels equally welcome or has equal access to pursue opportunities in technology fields. Women, non-binary, Black, Hispanic/Latino/a/x and first-generation students are the least likely to have access to paid undergraduate internships that lead to job opportunities in technology companies. This experience report discusses two programs designed to address the lack of internships among historically excluded populations: a micro-internship program and a career program. We present data showing the role that each program played in creating professional pathways for racially diverse undergraduate women and non-binary students. Both programs prepare these undergraduates for professional environments by exposing them to tech careers and developing their social capital through professional networking. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected as well as summer employment plans to evaluate the effectiveness of the program. We present the short- and long-term impact of each program on students’ career interests and sense of belonging in computing. A summary of lessons learned from implementing each program are also shared for stakeholders interested in designing similar programs.
Thu 21 MarDisplayed time zone: Pacific Time (US & Canada) change
15:45 - 17:00 | Internships & DiversityPapers at Meeting Rooms B117-119 Chair(s): Miracle Etim-Andy University of Maryland | ||
15:45 25mTalk | Micro-internships and Career Focused Programs as Mechanisms for Diversifying Computing Papers Kristina Kramarczuk University of Maryland, College Park, Kate Atchison University of Maryland, College Park, Monica Hilliard University of Maryland, Jandelyn Plane University of Maryland, College Park / Ripon College, Sally Bond The Program Evaluation Group-LLC, Caitlin Rudy University of Maryland, David Weintrop University of Maryland DOI | ||
16:10 25mTalk | Sealing the Deal: Factors That Promote Computing Interns’ Interest in Computing Careers Papers Kathleen Lehman University of California, Los Angeles, Kaitlyn N. Stormes Momentum, UCLA School of Education and Information Studies, Katie Smith Temple University, Julia Lapan University of Virginia DOI | ||
16:35 25mTalk | The Diversity-Hire Narrative in CS: Sources, Impacts, and Responses Papers Christopher Perdriau University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Vidushi Ojha University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Kaitlynn Gray Harvey Mudd College, Brent Lagesse University of Washington Bothell, Colleen M. Lewis University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign DOI |