Ismael Sosa

Success Story: Kimon Monokandilos

September 6, 2022 By Ismael Sosa

My name is Kimon and I graduated from Cohort #13 in summer of 2021. I am currently pursuing my Bachelor’s of Science degree in Computer Science at San Francisco State University.

How has/what areas do you think Dev/Mission Prepared you for your career in tech?
Dev/Mission has prepared me for my career in tech by supporting me in developing my soft skills in the workplace. Their Pre-Apprenticeship program has 4 sections: hardware essentials, web development, IoT, and critical career skills. The critical career skills section of the program taught me all about things like elevator pitches, emotional intelligence, resolving conflicts in the workplace, and building beneficial relationships in the workplace. With these soft skills along with all of the internships that I was able to complete with the help of Dev/Mission, I now feel ready to enter the tech industry with the knowledge that I have the skills to succeed.

What career opportunities were you able to apply for after graduating from the program?
After graduating from the program, I was able to intern as a Community Technology Associate intern, IT Technician intern, and Social Media intern, and be a part of a fellowship in partnership with Uber.

What goals did you have before joining the program at Dev/mission?
Before joining the program at Dev/Mission, my goal was to get hands-on experience in the tech industry.

How did Dev/Mission help you to achieve your goals? If so, how?
Dev/Mission helped me achieve my goals by exposing me to industry professionals, along with a mentoring program where I got to ask any question I had about the tech industry to a professional with work experience at Waymo and Google. This allowed me to get the hands-on experience that I was looking for, and continue on to my next goal.

How has Dev/Mission impacted your life?
Dev/Mission has impacted my life in a very positive way. Working with Dev/Mission has shown me that soft skills are just as important, if not more important than technical skills in the workplace. I learned how to work in a team, and met some of the most impactful friends that I have ever had with them. I also learned that I really do belong in the tech industry, even if my technical skills aren’t as well developed as my soft skills.

What have been some barriers you’ve faced in trying to break into the tech industry?
Some barriers that I’ve faced in trying to break into the tech industry, is that in university, the only perspective that students are shown is “study, get a good grade, then cold apply to a big company and hope you get in”. Obviously, this is not the most efficient approach to breaking into the tech industry, especially if one struggles with technical skills, like me, and many other people I’ve met in this field.

What is the most memorable thing to you from your time at Dev/Mission?
The most memorable thing to me from my time at Dev/Mission is all of the amazing people I’ve met as a part of the program, including Leo Sosa, the staff, and all of the fellow interns I worked with.

If there were one thing you would want people to know about Dev/Mission what would it be?
One thing I would want people to know about Dev/Mission is that if you are someone who wants to break into tech, but isn’t sure whether you have what it takes, but wants to succeed, it’s the perfect place for you.

After completing the program, what will be next for you?
After completing the program, I am actively searching and applying to internships at tech companies I find interesting. My goal is to secure a full-time internship for the Summer of 2023.

When the program was over, how did you feel—excited or scared, etc.? and why?
When the program was over, I felt driven. I felt like I had gotten a taste of what it was like to work in the tech industry, and I wanted more. The reason behind this is I wanted to surpass my limits and my goals and do the best that I can.

Did any of the advice you received during Dev/Mission stick with you? If so, what was the advice?
There has been lots of amazing advice, which makes it hard to choose one piece of advice that stuck with me the most. But, if I had to choose one, I would say: “Put an emphasis on your soft skills (ex. Communication, teamwork, social skills), instead of only focusing on your technical skills, if you want to succeed in the tech industry.”

Hispanic Heritage Month Alumni Highlight – Eduardo Ramirez

October 4, 2021 By Ismael Sosa

#hispanicheritagemonth

New Blog! Read our latest blog for Hispanic Heritage Month about alumni Eduardo Ramirez. Read about his story and his journey through Tech Career. From working security at PG&E to IT Logistics Specialist @udacity

How has Dev/Mission prepared for your career in tech?
Dev/Mission gave me the background I needed to get my foot in the door.

What career opportunities were you able to apply for after graduating from the program?
I got an internship at Dev/Mission as an IT Specialist which then gave me the background needed to obtain an apprenticeship at Postmates for 6 months.

What goals did you have before joining the program at Dev/Mission?
My goal was to work in the IT department at PG&E since that was the only place I knew a few people that worked in IT back then.

Did Dev/Mission help you to achieve your goals? If so how?
Absolutely. I didn’t necessarily get a job at PG&E as I planned, but I was able to obtain an apprenticeship which then became a full time employment position.

What 3 words would you use to describe your overall experience at Dev/Mission?
Welcoming, Opportunity, and Genuine

What is the most memorable thing to you from your time at Dev/Mission?
The time that we all spent together during class and off site visits, all reminded me of the good old days when I was in High School.

Any advice for someone who wants to get into tech but doesn’t know where to start?
I’d say don’t overthink things. Programs like Dev/Mission are definitely a good start because most of them are quick, free, and they introduce you to the many things you can potentially focus on when you’re in the tech field.

If there was one thing you would want people to know about Dev/Mission what would it be?
I don’t think every alumni knows that if you’re serious about your future, Dev/Mission will go out of their way to help you get your foot on the door, if not getting you a full time position in a tech company.

Hispanic Heritage Month Alumni Highlight – Stephany Pescador

September 17, 2021 By Ismael Sosa

#hispanicheritagemonth

For #Hispanicheritagemonth we’ll be highlighting alumni throughout the month. To kick off meet Stephany, she graduated from our 2018 Spring Cohort in the Bayview District. She has been a CTA Intern, STEM Hub intern, and now our STEM Hub Coordinator. Read more about her Story.

How has Dev/Mission Prepared you for your career in tech?
Dev/Mission has given me opportunities to explore different careers in the Tech industry. I have been given the opportunity to Intern and be an apprentice through the efforts that Dev/Mission has taken so that I was able to work with some big name tech companies.

What career opportunities were you able to apply for after graduating from the program?
In the beginning, I was an intern for a long time, completing the apprenticeship opened up many doors for me to explore. I worked as an Intern in our very own STEAM Hub, became a Community Technology Associate, interned at Postmates and AppDynamics, and finally have made my back in becoming the STEAM Hub Coordinator for my site.

What goals did you have before joining the program at Dev/Mission?
Realistically, I didn’t really have any goals before joining Dev/Mission, I was very lost when it came to things like that. After joining the programs and seeing all of the opportunities that were offered to me, I created goals for myself and for my future career. My first real goal since then has been to graduate college with an associate’s degree in Cybersecurity. And the second would be to build my very own computer!

Did Dev/Mission help you to achieve your goals? If so, how?
A lot of what I learned while doing the pre apprenticeship has actually come back and helped me during the classes that I am taking! Before joining Dev/Mission, I had never taken apart a computer let alone put one together, I recently put my skills to the test and upgraded my gaming computer, all by myself! Granted It was frustrating at times but I was extremely proud of what I was able to learn and put into practice.

What 3 words would you use to describe your overall experience at Dev/Mission?
1) Rewarding 2) Encouraging 3) Life Changing

What is the most memorable thing to you from your time at Dev/Mission?
The most memorable thing from my time at Dev/Mission would be graduating at City Hall with the rest of my classmates, everyone was so proud of what they were able to accomplish and that’s when my career in tech began because it was also announced that I would be a Community Technology Associate for the 1030 Oakdale site.

Any advice for someone who wants to get into tech but doesn’t know
where to start?
My advice would be to just start, no matter how scary it may seem! Sometimes all it takes is a leap of faith and your whole life could quite literally, be changed forever.

If there was one thing you would want people to know about Dev/Mission
what would it be?
One thing I would want people to know is that no matter where your background lies in, there is always a place for you to flourish and shine at Dev/Mission.

CTA Program – Creating Lasting Change in Our Communities with Technology

August 20, 2021 By Ismael Sosa

Written by Zizo Ezzat

Remote learning, webinar meetings, and QR code menus have all become familiar to us and are evidence of technology’s growing role in our lives. Understanding how to use devices and the internet is no longer optional but has become a necessity for daily life. Technology has played a pivotal role in society due to the pandemic, and an unfortunate side effect of this reality has been the widening inequity to resources, support, and technological literacy within affordable housing communities.

Dev/Mission, a San Francisco based Non-Profit in the Mission district, has decided to step up to confront this issue. Dev/Mission’s Community Technology Associate (CTA) program will provide 4 affordable housing communities in San Francisco with direct tech support and digital literacy. Dev/Mission is able to support the residents of these communities with CTA interns thanks to the generous $500,000 donation provided by the Stupski Foundation.

Motivation Behind the CTA Program

This innovative program started as a passion project for Dev/Mission CEO and co-founder, Leonardo Sosa. Having grown up in affordable housing, Sosa experienced the lack of access to technology and digital literacy in these communities. He made it his mission to use his years of non-profit experience to develop the CTA program in an effort to give back to residents facing the same barriers that he experienced growing up.

“I grew up in affordable housing and now that I am leading this organization, I always want to give back to those communities whether they are affordable housing, isolated, or just have no access to technology,” said Sosa as he was explaining his motivations behind the CTA program. His vision came to life in 2018 when Dev/Mission implemented the first trial of the CTA program in select neighborhoods.

How We Will Change Lives with Technology

Residents who currently live in neighborhoods partnered with the CTA program will receive a CTA intern in their location who will assist them with technical support, troubleshooting, and digital literacy training completely for free. Interns who will dedicate 4,608 hours of support annually, as well as hosting “Refurb-a-thons” events where residents can participate in a digital literacy class to potentially earn a refurbished laptop provided by Dev/Mission.

Creating opportunities is a goal for the CTA program by teaching residents critical career skills such as sending emails, updating software, and using the internet safely. Ultimately, Dev/Mission hopes to develop motivated individuals from these communities to bridge the diversity gap in the tech industry. Dev/Mission also believes that income shouldn’t be a factor in success, which is why they worked tirelessly to ensure residents would receive this service for free to avoid paying the monthly fee for comparable service from a business.

Using the grant provided by the Stupski foundation, CTA interns will be able to gain critical work experience and participate in a great cause for the community, all while earning a monthly stipend! Young adults interested in helping the community will also be pleasantly surprised to find that CTA interns receive extensive training from Dev/Mission in using ticket support systems, data entry, and the Google IT certification. Interns gain more than just technical skills through their 4 month opportunity, they also learn valuable communication and problem solving skills that they can use to land full-time jobs in IT after their internship concludes.

CTA Interns Describe Their Experience

“While in the program, I realized how much the community needed someone to come just to ask questions about technology. For some folks, it’s easy to make an online account but for others it’s a little bit harder. I definitely saw the gratitude the residents had for being able to get something done with the help of someone else,” said Jocelyn Umanzor who was a 2019 CTA intern in the Valencia Gardens location. After completion of the internship, Umanzor has gone on to become an IT professional.

“I became a CTA because I wanted to give back to my community and offer a service for low income families to be able to receive tech support at no cost to them. Being someone that also lives in the community, it was my own personal goal to help make a difference. I have been able to use my skills from the CTA program and have used them during my internships at Postmates and AppDynamics,” explained Stephany Pescador who was an intern in the Bayview location. Pescador currently serves as the STEM hub coordinator with Dev/Mission, continuing her community work.

“The CTA program has been beyond beneficial for me. Not only am I able to give back to my community, but it has opened doors and created opportunities for me. From operating systems to customer service, this program has cultivated me to be a more well rounded person. It’s provided me with speaking opportunities and recognition from Google and Coursera,” said Ruqaiyah Angeles who was also a 2019 intern in the Valencia Gardens Location. Angeles has also moved on to become the CTA Program Coordinator where she now manages and trains future CTA interns.

Next Steps – Important Dates and Locations

Beginning September 6th, the CTA program will officially launch with 36 CTA interns over the next 3 years in the Mission District inside Valencia Gardens, Bayview Hunters Point East/West/Westbrook at the 1030 Oakdale Community Center, 3 Harbor Road, 90 Kiska, and the Western addition, and Hayes Valley neighborhoods.

Technology is the great equalizer in our communities of need and with the CTA program in place, we can directly make change happen. Regardless if you are a CTA intern, volunteer, or resident receiving assistance, you are participating in bridging the digital divide by investing your time and knowledge into strengthening our local communities.

“It’s been a really exciting summer with Dev/Mission knowing that we have a foundation that really believes in what we’re doing, and cares about the impact in our community,” said Leonardo Sosa in reference to the Stupski Foundation and in anticipation of the official launch of the CTA program. Dev/Mission is thrilled to become the proponent of change within our underserved communities and starting September 6th, Dev/Mission would like to invite all of our affordable housing residents to stop by our partnered locations for free tech support from our homegrown CTA interns!

Learn more about Dev/Mission Click here

Want to donate? Click here

Uber Fellowship – How one nonprofit and tech giant eliminate barriers to the tech industry

July 9, 2021 By Ismael Sosa

Uber Fellows watching a demonstration by Uber Fellowship Instructor, Francis Li, inside Uber HQ

Written by Zizo Ezzat

Uber is the Bay Area based tech giant that we all know and love for calling rides when we need them most, or delivering our dinner home when we want to spend the night in. While we may usually think of these services when we hear “Uber,” what isn’t as commonly known is that Uber has been looking for ways to invest in underrepresented young adults that are looking to break into the tech industry. On their search for organizations who share the same efforts, they found the perfect partner in a non-profit based in the San Francisco Mission neighborhood, Dev/Mission.

Dev/Mission is a 501(c)3 non-profit with the single goal of “Creating the next generation of tech talent.” They train young adults from untapped communities with the skills and support to pursue a career within the tech industry, at no cost. Since 2017, Dev/Mission has been providing professional training opportunities for young adults. Some of which include the 12 week Pre-Apprenticeship, STEAM Hub, and Digital Music Lab.

Uber has been a longtime partner with Dev/Mission, in fact, the first Dev/Mission meetings were hosted in the San Francisco Uber headquarters. Uber’s support did not stop there, Kurtis Nusbaum, Uber employee and Dev/Mission CTO, states “Uber has issued a $300,000 grant and donated our refurbished technology to Dev/Mission.” Having this strong relationship between the San Francisco based nonprofit, and the Bay Area tech giant established the foundations for this new one of a kind opportunity, which would be later known as the Uber Fellowship.

The Uber Fellowship is a 6 month training opportunity for young adults to learn full-stack web development and product management. Fellows spend their Tuesday nights working with Dev/Mission instructors and Uber engineers to learn modern web development libraries such as React.js, along with tools currently being used by tech professionals such as GitHub, Heroku, and Docker.

On Wednesday nights, Code For San Francisco volunteers work with the fellows to learn product management and UX/UI fundamentals such as user centered design. With the support of both Uber and Code For San Francisco, fellows are tasked with creating an open source project to solve an important issue in their community.

Allen Meyer, co-instructor of the fellowship, and Code For San Francisco volunteer, says “You create a space for the next generation to learn, and the only way they can learn is by having people in positions of power making those opportunities available to them.” Opportunities such as this fellowship allow young adults to break into the tech industry by providing them with a network, education, and collaborative projects to work on.

Spring 2021 cohort virtually collaborating with Code For San Francisco volunteers

The Spring 2021 Uber Fellowship cohort was a testament to the dedication of the volunteers, and the commitment of the fellows. For the first time, the fellowship was forced to transition to a fully remote setting and did so successfully.

Due to the quick adaptation, the fellowship was able to support even more fellows than ever before, seeing a 62% increase in participants compared to the previous cohort. Fellows created web apps such as Bulga; a budgeting tool for young adults. Codeswitch; networking platform for students, and mentors. FairPlay; bridging the digital divide for students. Garden Space; an app for organizers, and volunteers to maintain San Francisco gardens. SmolBiz; a new way to engage with small businesses in your area.

During the Spring 2021 Virtual Uber Fellowship Showcase, the fellows had the opportunity to exhibit their hard work through an engaging presentation, and a live walkthrough of their webapp from a user’s perspective. We had the privilege of having Sukumar Rathnam, CTO of Uber, and Hao Truong, Director of Engineering of Uber, in attendance for the fellowship graduation. Rathnam also spoke to the fellows, and noted that, “It’s about the right opportunities, that’s the kind of work that Dev/Mission is doing, the kind of work that Hao Truong is doing, because it levels the playing field to get into this industry…and eliminate the barriers.”

After completion of the program, 100% of fellows surveyed felt more confident about their future in the tech field. Jian Xie, a fellow from the Spring 2021 cohort, reflects about his experience in the fellowship, “Uber and Code For San Francisco supported me by opening me up for new connections and a sense of community that I felt I can rely on whenever I have technical issues.”

Support provided by the Uber Fellowship continues well beyond the end of the program, especially as fellows continue to work on their projects. “We’re starting to see some of the first examples of these fellowship projects living on beyond their cohort, which is exciting, because in the end, we want to build applications that will serve the community,” said Francis Li, co-instructor of the fellowship.

The Uber Fellowship is only getting started as Dev/Mission, Code For San Francisco, and Uber are already planning for the next cohort of fellows. Uber especially has been so impressed with the accomplishments of the fellows, that they have decided to take an even more prominent role in the fellowship to provide greater support.

Uber Fellows from the first cohort working with their teams on their web apps

Special thanks to Uber and Code For San Francisco for their ongoing support in making this fellowship possible. Dev/Mission is grateful to have partners that share their vision of “Creating the next generation of tech talent,” and breaking down barriers for young adults entering the tech industry. We look forward to continuing our partnership, and would like to congratulate all of the fellows that have participated in the fellowship from the first cohort to the most recent Spring 2021 cohort!

Leonardo Sosa, CEO and Founder of Dev/Mission, conveys his optimism about the fellowship along with some words of encouragement, “Young people just need to make it happen, the opportunities are available to you. Get started with Dev/Mission, and let’s take it to the next level. I believe that’s what the Uber Fellowship is about, and the talent is right here in San Francisco, and the Bay Area. Now let’s find a home for this talent in these tech companies”. Whether in person, virtual, or hybrid, Dev/Mission looks forward to inviting the next group of fellows that will embark on their journey in the tech industry!