The way forward for expertise is vivid, particularly after the resounding success of the seventh annual Cisco Women Energy Tech, held on the Cisco campus in Richardson, Texas, on April 17, 2025!
This impactful occasion linked 73 vivid younger college students with the huge potential of STEM, supported by 13 devoted educators. These proficient members hail from Cisco Networking Academy colleges, a strategic partnership that enables us to successfully attain and encourage the following technology of tech professionals.
What’s Women Energy Tech?
In celebration of Worldwide Women in Data and Communication Expertise (ICT) Day, Cisco Richardson hosts Networking Academies throughout the North Texas Metroplex, providing college students a full day of empowerment, studying, and pleasurable actions. This occasion blends inspiring talks, hands-on labs, mentorship, and networking into an interesting and academic expertise.
Women Energy Tech is extra than simply an occasion. It’s a motion devoted to empowering women and younger ladies to pursue careers in expertise and bridge the gender hole in STEM. We’re cultivating the following technology of innovators, problem-solvers, and tech leaders.
A day of inspiration and exploration
Inspiring messages
The day kicked off with an inspiring keynote deal with from Melissa Kraft, the CIO of the Metropolis of Frisco. She shared her tech journey, highlighting its energy and boundless alternatives, and delivered a profound message to the younger ladies:
“Tech is highly effective. YOU make it significant. Bear in mind, you belong on this house.”
—Melissa Kraft, CIO, Metropolis of Frisco
Constructing on this momentum, the women then engaged in a considerate dialogue, sharing their private inspirations and what sparks their curiosity inside the world of expertise.
Following the keynote, Veronica Valladarez, Cisco Account Government – Portfolio, delivered an inspiring deal with.
She vividly shared the exceptional story of Cisco co-founder Sandy Lerner and her resilient journey of turning adversity into a brand new, profitable enterprise. Veronica then linked this to the women’ potential via her empowering message:
“Rejection is simply redirection. True innovators make NEW worlds when the outdated ones don’t settle for them.”
—Veronica Valladarez, Account Government, Cisco Portfolio
Her phrases deeply resonated, fostering self-belief and resilience to encourage the younger ladies to worth their distinctive views.
Participating actions
To interrupt the ice and foster connections, the attendees participated in a energetic Networking Bingo Recreation. This enjoyable and interactive exercise inspired college students to step outdoors their consolation zones, meet new individuals, and uncover shared pursuits, constructing a supportive and collaborative environment proper from the beginning.
To provide our vivid younger attendees a style of various aspects of expertise and join them with inspiring position fashions, we ran our labs and velocity mentoring periods in a dynamic rotation.
- AI Lab: Suited to Victory – Younger minds explored the fundamentals of synthetic intelligence via a hands-on experiment. On this exercise, they educated a mannequin to categorise fits of playing cards utilizing their webcam. They explored how algorithms be taught, experimented with picture recognition software program, and even brainstormed how AI may very well be used to unravel real-world issues.
- Sphero Lab: Maze Mayhem – College students realized to program and management progressive programmable robotic balls via a LEGO maze. This hands-on expertise helped foster problem-solving abilities, creativity, and a deeper understanding of programming ideas.
- Pace Mentoring – This offered a useful alternative for the scholars to attach with a various group of completed professionals from varied tech fields. The rapid-fire, targeted conversations allowed the younger ladies to ask questions, acquire insights into totally different profession paths, and obtain personalised recommendation and encouragement.
The day culminated in an Awards ceremony, celebrating the members’ enthusiasm, engagement, and newfound data. The grins on the scholars’ faces as they acquired recognition have been a testomony to the occasion’s affect.
Extra than simply tech
Women Energy Tech isn’t nearly technical abilities; it’s about constructing a robust, supportive neighborhood the place younger ladies really feel empowered, assured, and know their voices and concepts are valued.
We have been notably moved by the conversations we overheard – women sharing their aspirations and inspiring one another to pursue their desires fearlessly. This sense of camaraderie and mutual assist is strictly what Women Energy Tech goals to domesticate.
What attendees mentioned
“My favourite a part of the occasion was getting to attach one-on-one with the unimaginable individuals from Cisco. I cherished listening to everybody’s profession trajectories because it gave me a lot perspective—it helped me keep grounded in my very own imaginative and prescient whereas fascinated about all the chances forward. My greatest takeaway was the significance of staying open-minded and dedicated to steady studying. I noticed that mindset can open doorways you didn’t even know existed!”
—Jassmin
“I used to be scared, all the time asking myself, ‘What if it’s onerous? However you guys confirmed me what it means to work in expertise and what it could possibly do for the individuals. You confirmed me that, regardless of my pursuits, tech all the time has a spot for somebody. I thanks for all you might have achieved!”
—Aaliya
“Thanks for internet hosting this nice occasion. It was inspiring and really helpful. The wonderful mentors I’ve met via networking have considerably modified my life choices. As an immigrant, I don’t have a lot steering in these facets of my profession, and this occasion was an excellent alternative for me. Thanks!”
—Nameless Thank-You Notice
Wanting forward
Women Energy Tech 2025 was an funding sooner or later. It was a day when younger ladies found their potential, linked with position fashions, and realized {that a} profession in expertise shouldn’t be solely attainable but in addition extremely thrilling and significant. The vitality and enthusiasm witnessed all through the day left little question that the way forward for tech is in vivid fingers. We are able to’t wait to see the wonderful issues these younger ladies will obtain!
To make sure the continued success and progress of this annual Women Energy Tech occasion, we persistently want devoted leaders to help with coordination, supportive companions to fund partaking actions, and impactful audio system to encourage our attendees.
If you’re curious about getting concerned, e mail us.
Thanks to everybody who made it attainable
Our honest gratitude to The Batiste Challenge for our Tech labs, and to our Cisco Inclusive Group sponsors, Ladies in Science and Engineering (WISE) and Conexión LatinX Community.
A heartfelt due to the 13 devoted educators, two inspiring audio system, 40 enthusiastic volunteers, 11 dedicated Women Energy Tech leaders, and particularly the sensible women who participated. You all introduced the imaginative and prescient of Women Energy Tech to life.
What was your favourite a part of Women Energy Tech 2025? Share your ideas and pictures utilizing #GirlsPowerTech2025!
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