You Belong In Tech 1.0

@herenhuang, I've been a huge fan of the You Belong in Tech blog and I love what you said on bamboo & glass podcast: "What you have is absolutely valuable. And now, let's polish it up so other people can see that! During Co.Lab, everyone is building upon the creativity of so many different people who don't always get a chance to showcase what it is that they can do." I learned so much as a project mentor for Co.Lab and loved witnessing your community building magic first-hand. Just emailed my alma mater's career development office about these booklets - I know so many students and alumni will feel emboldened by these stories. Can't wait to see where you and @sefunmioshy take Co.Lab and You Belong in Tech!!

Congrats on the launch and for sharing the stories of peoples' paths into tech. While "How To" books are important, learning about the journey of those with non-traditional career paths into tech provides much more value and insight. Not only that, it provides hope and inspiration for others who are looking to follow in their footsteps.

?makers Congrats on the launch! It's been great seeing the work you've put in on Co.Lab over these past months. Love the mission :)

Beyond the understanding of the skills and tools needed to transition into tech, there are the stories: first curiosities, difficult decisions, and life moments that lead to new career turns. These books have all of it, and empower anyone considering the move, regardless of background, to move forward into the tech space. Congrats Sefunmi & Helen!

I'm a big fan of increasing accessiblity to tech, so I think it's wonderful that you're making these stories more widely available. Afterall, it was a story that originally got me into tech! Your website also looks great! How did you make it?

Congrats on the launch! This looks amazing for those looking to break into tech

These are must-read for me. Great idea, very well written and well-designed booklets. Thank you!

I really enjoyed some of the stories that were shared! But what's Co.Lab? Tell me more!

Congrats on the launch!! As someone trying to break into tech from a non-traditional background I love how this shines a light on so many unique pathways into tech and letting others know its possible.

As someone who has studied within the STEM field (Software Engineering), the transition into tech isn't necessarily an easy one. I was incredibly new to programming and even felt very foreign to me. While I was lucky enough to land my first job out of college, my technical skills weren't being heavily leveraged and I found myself stuck. I needed to keep my programming knowledge and skills up to speed and I just wasn't getting that at my current place of employment at that time. I was fortunate enough to learn about Co.Lab | You Belong In Tech through LinkedIn where I got to meet Helen & Sefumi (the creators behind Co.Lab). Through this experience, I was able to really step into the shoes of a software developer and as a result of that, I ultimately became more confident in what I know and learned a lot along the way. If anyone is on the fence about whether they should join this program, I'd highly recommend it. From a developer's viewpoint, I didn't just learn about how to be a better programmer, but also how to collaborate effectively when working with a Product Manager and a UX/UI Designer. These are the type of skills that I've gained throughout my tenure here and you just can't get that same experience working on your own projects. Thanks again for the program @herenhuang @coppernauts !