Training women refugees in the tech industry

Dear difteurs,

Among the key moments in the Sistech calendar are our "networking" events, where HR professionals meet (in person) the beneficiaries (Fellows) of our Boost program. These refugee women are ready to start careers in web development, cybersecurity, data analysis.... whatever they need.

This is an opportunity for them to meet a recruiter who recognizes their technical skills, experience and passion. Thanks to your difts, Sistech can organize these meetings.

At the end of 2024, we organized two such events, in Milan and Athens.

Both evenings were incredible, rich in Fellows' presentations, and many bonds were forged. One of the highlights of our event in Greece wasCynthia's speech. A former recipient of the program in 2023, she had given her own presentation 12 months earlier. She was no longer a Fellow, but a "former student of the program. Today she works for one of Europe's leading new technology companies. Her words bring us strength and inspiration as we enter 2025, and we wanted to share them with you:

Thanks to your drifts, this back-to-school season has been a success for Sistech and the many refugee women we support (the Fellows).

Our team in France began our vocational training program, the Springboard, with a cohort of 31 women. They met for the first time on October 4 in Paris, at Raise, one of our key partners. Over the next few weeks, these women will have the opportunity to identify a career path. Guided by volunteers, they will then devote many hours to individual study, acquiring the knowledge and skills needed to land a job in the tech or digital sectors. The Sistech team will ensure that they enroll in courses relevant to their goals, provide them with computers, and organize baby sitting if necessary, so that they have time to  complete their studies.

  

In parallel, we launched our Boost program in Italy with 15 Fellows. A logical sequel to Springboard, Boost prepares women for their job search in the career for which they have trained. Before the end of the year, they will have rewritten their CVs, created a LinkedIn page, developed their professional network and learned how to ace a job interview.
In Greece, we also launched a Boost program at the same time, along with 15 other Fellows.

Your calculations are correct:our re-entry supports 61 women.We're proud of our three programs, but they're just getting started. There's a lot of work (and learning) to come, so keep supporting us with your difts!

The month of July was marked by many memorable moments.
In Italy, Fellows from our Springboard program visited OverIT, a company specializing in the design of so-called "Field Service Management" software. It was an opportunity for them to discover technological careers and make connections as a group. The speech given by a former Fellow left a lasting impression on us all. Originally from Ukraine, this refugee woman discovered OverIT as a beneficiary of our Boost program last year. When she completed our program, OverIT offered her a professional internship. She encouraged the Fellows, who are in the same situation as she was a year ago, to never stop learning and never give up on their dreams.
In Greece and France, more than eighty women have completed our Pathway program. The cohorts celebrated the end of this adventure with the presentation of group projects. Some of the volunteers, who accompany the Fellows in their professional orientation or with language exchanges, were present and even contributed to some of the presentations.
August promises to be a quieter month, with many members of our association taking well-deserved vacations. Our agendas are already full for September, and we're looking forward to moving forward with our mission. Thanks to your drifts, the autumn will be a success for Sistech and the many refugee women we support.

We haven't been bored these past three months at Sistech!!

In April, 24 beneficiaries of our programs, the Fellows, completed our employability program, Boost, in France. We celebrated their success at a networking event in Paris. On this occasion, the Fellows met tech recruiters. Internship and job interviews soon followed! You can read more about these Fellows and the companies whose attention they caught in this press release. Our team in France is already busy planning the next technical training program, Springboard, which starts in October.

But Sistech doesn't just organize programs in France. Our team in Athens recently celebrated the graduation of 20 Fellows who participated in Springboard. They now have a real knowledge of the tech industry. "Team Greece" is also preparing to welcome 45 new Fellows to the Pathway orientation program! Finally, our Milan-based team is in the middle of its own Springboard, with 20 Fellows. These women are full of courage and talent. Their ambition inspires our work.

And this work is possible, in part, thanks to captain donations! So thank you for your support. Don't forget that Sistech is authorized to receive the balance of the apprenticeship tax, and that your companies can pay it now on soltea.education.gouv.fr.  Feel free to send an e-mail to [email protected] for more information.