Women from diverse backgrounds pivoted into tech through supportive programs—bootcamps, internships, and mentorships—gaining skills, confidence, and new careers. Their journeys, from teacher to developer or refugee to analyst, inspire others to break barriers and pursue tech.
What Are Some Inspiring Success Stories of Women Who Broke Into Tech Through Early-Career Programs?
AdminWomen from diverse backgrounds pivoted into tech through supportive programs—bootcamps, internships, and mentorships—gaining skills, confidence, and new careers. Their journeys, from teacher to developer or refugee to analyst, inspire others to break barriers and pursue tech.
Empowered by Artificial Intelligence and the women in tech community.
Like this article?
Early-Career Entry Points (Internships, Apprenticeships)
Interested in sharing your knowledge ?
Learn more about how to contribute.
Sponsor this category.
From Teacher to Tech Developer Marias Journey Through a Bootcamp
After years as an elementary school teacher, Maria wanted a new challenge, but tech felt out of reach. She joined a women-focused coding bootcamp that provided mentorship, hands-on projects, and encouragement. Maria excelled, earned an internship at a local software company, and rose quickly to become a front-end developer. Her story is often cited by the bootcamp, inspiring other women to consider mid-career pivots.
Changing Lives Jamilas Apprenticeship with Girls Who Code
Jamila grew up in a community with limited access to computers. Her participation in a Girls Who Code summer immersion program introduced her to programming and digital problem-solving. She built an app to help organize local food drives and won a tech scholarship. Today, Jamila works as a product manager at a major fintech company and volunteers with the same program that changed her life.
Breaking Barriers Priyankas Transition from Receptionist to QA Engineer
Priyanka started as a receptionist at a software company and became fascinated by the work happening around her. She found out about her company’s women-in-tech internship, which welcomed all backgrounds. Priyanka completed the six-month program, learned testing frameworks, and became a quality assurance engineer. Her success encouraged her company to expand the program.
Coding for Social Good Anas Path via Ada Developers Academy
After finishing college with a degree in sociology, Ana wanted to make a social impact but needed a sustainable career. She discovered Ada Developers Academy, a tuition-free coding school for women and gender-diverse adults. Through Ada’s rigorous curriculum and real-world internship, she became a backend engineer at a major non-profit organization, where her work directly benefits causes she cares about.
The Power of Peer Support Elena and the ReDI School
Elena, a refugee with a background in mathematics, started over in a new country. She joined ReDI School’s Digital Women Program, which connects newcomers with tech skills, mentors, and networks. Elena developed strong relationships, built her confidence, and landed her first role as a data analyst at a start-up, becoming a role model for other women from marginalized backgrounds.
Midlife Leap Anikas Retraining Through Microsofts LEAP Program
Anika spent years in administrative roles before entering Microsoft’s LEAP Program—a 16-week immersive training for nontraditional tech talent. Supported by a cohort of women and mentors, she learned full-stack development. Today, Anika is a software engineer at Microsoft and often speaks at recruiting events, proving it’s never too late to start over.
Overcoming Doubt Lilys Success After a Returnship Program
After taking a decade off to raise her children, Lily doubted she could relaunch her technical career. She found a women-focused returnship at a global IT firm, designed to retrain and place women who left the workforce. With updated skills and newfound confidence, Lily secured a cybersecurity analyst position and mentors others balancing career breaks and tech ambitions.
Community College to Silicon Valley Samiras WiT Program Story
Samira attended community college while supporting her family. She joined a Women in Tech (WiT) program that offered coding classes, hackathons, and career readiness workshops. With the help of program mentors, she transferred to a four-year university and later landed an internship at a leading Silicon Valley tech company, where she’s now a software developer.
The Power of Mentorship Ji-Yeons Google STEP Internship
Ji-Yeon, an international student, struggled with imposter syndrome. She was accepted into Google’s STEP internship, which is specially designed for first- and second-year undergraduates from underrepresented groups. Through mentorship, she developed confidence and new skills. After her internship, she secured a full-time offer at Google and actively recruits other women to the program.
From Nonprofit to Tech Startup Ranias Black Girls Code Experience
Rania started her career at a nonprofit before joining a Black Girls Code hackathon, which ignited her passion for technology. She later completed their early-career bootcamp, built a portfolio, and networked at demo days. Rania was hired as a junior developer at an edtech start-up and has since progressed to leading a team focused on inclusive product design.
What else to take into account
This section is for sharing any additional examples, stories, or insights that do not fit into previous sections. Is there anything else you'd like to add?