Student/Alumni Highlight

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.

Success Story: Ruqaiyah Angeles

April 26, 2021 By Ismael Sosa

Have you been exposed to STEM opportunities before?
I was exposed to STEM opportunities through workshops and events through my high school
How did you hear about Dev/Mission?
During a meeting with a counselor from 100% College Prep, the counselor asked about what I was interested in majoring in. After I showed interest in tech, he provided me with 2 coding boot camps to look into, Dev/Mission being one of them.

I went to 826 Valencia to record a story I wrote in a recording booth and an advertising agency was in attendance to assist us in creating a storyline, developing the characters, and how to sound when recording. My mentor introduced me to her co-workers and she was talking about joining Dev/Mission.

When volunteering for the Boys Basketball Team, the coach and I had a conversation about my future plans for college. Once I said I was trying to major in computer science, he reached out to one of his former players and connected me with him who then reconnected me to Dev/Mission and sent me the link to sign up.

What were you doing before joining Dev/Mission?
I was a senior in high school running in circles, trying to figure out what major I wanted to do and what boot camps can I do to help me prepare for my major.
How long have you been a Dev/Mission participant/alumni/volunteer?
I have been involved with dev/Mission since the Summer of 2019, so going on for 8 months. I was a participant in the Pre-Apprenticeship Program, currently a Community Technology Associate while working towards getting certified in IT by Google, through Dev/Mission.

Describe your typical routine at Dev/Mission and why it’s important in your life?
Currently, I intern with dev/Mission as a Community Technology Associate so I come into VG, set up for the day, work with clients on issues they may have with their laptops and tablets, update my assignment tracker, and work on my Google IT certification.

What personal goals have Dev/Mission helped you accomplish?
Dev/Mission has helped me expand my knowledge about technology as a whole, how to network, and sell myself in a way that is natural yet professional. This organization is a big part of how I’m surviving in my CompSci courses in college and because they’ve taught me the basic fundamentals of software and hardware, IoT, professionalism, and networking.

How has Dev/Mission staff supported you?
Dev/Mission has held me up to a certain standard from the moment I walked through the doors and I’ve used that to put 110% effort in what I do. They have provided me with endless events, workshops, and opportunities for internships, fellowships, careers and more. They have given me a platform to grow from and a structured and grounded community within tech that I’m able to fall back on.

What three words would you use to describe Dev/Mission if you were trying to convince a friend to get involved?
1- resume
2- connections
3- experience

Has Dev/Mission positively impacted you/your family? If so, how?
Yes, it has impacted. I participated in the Summer Cohort of 2019 with my brother, and soon to be my sister, brother, and another brother. I’ve been so supported and assisted by Dev/Mission that I’ve paved the way for my siblings to all go through the program and gain exposure to tech. Coming into this program, I had no idea what tech jobs entailed, nor the variety of career paths within tech. Having gone through the program has assisted me in gaining exposure and allowing me to enjoy tech, not exclusive to work but also through the means of giving back to my community.

How Dev/Mission has helped you to pursue post-secondary or employment pathways?
I’ve used what I learned at dev/Mission and applied it to my computer science courses and my internship with dev/Mission of assisting residents with technical issues they may have with their mobile devices.

What do you think makes Dev/Mission different from other organizations?
Dev/Mission is a well-rounded organization that guides you into a tech job. They provide so much opportunity, not only through insights of actual tech companies but the tools necessary to thrive in this field. Their open and welcoming environment is nothing but encouraging, that as a young person, makes all the difference. They direct us to the opportunities and it is truly on us to reach out and take advantage of them all. Not only does Dev/Mission provide a boot camp, but every step after that and more. They are willing to take anyone and build them up.

Ruqaiyah Quote:
“The best thing about the program is the overall mission. People of color are set at a disadvantage and those who are from low and even middle class income are set back even further. Giving us young people the opportunity to thrive and somewhat level out the playing field is amazing and well appreciated. I feel that we are never given the proper chance and access to programs like such to expose us to different fields of work and so with this program, it is truly a blessing.”

Success Story: Michael Villalobos Gomez

February 8, 2021 By Ismael Sosa

Have you been exposed to STEM opportunities before?

Yes, I was part of a coding Bootcamp in highschool where I learned a bit of programming.

How did you hear about Dev/Mission?

I read a news article online about them and I decided to check them out. After learning about what the program was about and reading some testimonies I knew I was a good fit.

What were you doing before joining Dev/Mission?

Before Dev/Mission I was studying Latin American and Latino Studies at UC Santa Cruz.

How long have you been a Dev/Mission participant/alumni/volunteer?

I am a graduate from their Fall 2019 cohort and am currently working as an IT Technician Intern.

Describe your typical routine at Dev/Mission and why it’s important in your life?

While I was a student for Dev/Mission, my routine was attending lectures and going to worksite visits. Now as an IT Technician intern I diagnose/troubleshoot software and hardware problems, install and configure computer systems and manage inventory.

What personal goals have Dev/Mission helped you accomplish?

Dev/Mission has helped me accomplish my personal goal of working in IT by being part of their internship.

How has Dev/Mission staff supported you?

Dev/Mission has opened up many opportunities for me to improve myself and reach my career goal of working in IT.

What three words would you use to describe Dev/Mission if you were trying to convince a friend to get involved?

1- Engaging

2- Rewarding

3- Supportive

Has Dev/Mission positively impacted you/your family? If so, how? Yes, it has impacted, how?

My family is really proud and happy for me because Dev/Mission not only was able to get me a position as intern but also improve my career skills for when I have to go to an interview.

How Dev/Mission has helped you to pursue post-secondary or employment pathways?

As soon as I graduated from the program I knew I wanted to do something relating to IT and Dev/Mission offered me an internship with them as an IT Technician. I have been an Intern with Dev/Mission since January 2020. I have also earned my Google IT Support Certification and I am in the process of applying to the Monkeybrains Apprenticeship Position.

What do you think makes Dev/Mission different from other organizations?

They open you up to so many opportunities and not only are they with you while you are part of the Dev/Mission program but after you graduate they help you with internships, apprenticeships and/or post-secondary.

Michael’s Quote:

“When I first started my internship I wasn’t sure what I would be expected to do, all I knew was that I loved IT and I wanted to get as much hands on experience as possible. I am very grateful for Dev/Mission for offering this opportunity, especially in the year 2020 where almost everyone had to transition to working from home. As much as I would have loved working at the office, I am glad that I was given enough support and taught necessary skills that will certainly benefit me in the future. I learned a lot about myself in this past year and will use these skills as I continue my journey in IT.”

INTERN HIGHLIGHTS: APPDYNAMICS

September 18, 2020 By Ismael Sosa

Dev/MIssion is very thankful for the contribution from AppDyanmics as they have provided a grant for this summer. This grant supported 6 alumni during their three-month internship as GMT Incubation – Software Engineer Interns where they learned valuable technology skills to prepare them for an entry lever Jr software developer in the near future.

Want to hear about our interns read about their experience below:

Stephany Pescador

My favorite part about working with AppDynamics is the fact that my coworkers and I all get along super well! It makes working from home easier and I feel more apart of a team, especially during quarantine.

I was in an internship before starting with AppDynamics and Dev/Mission gave me the opportunity to work at the internship as well, I am really grateful that I was able to do that internship.

Some advice I would give to students trying to enter the industry would be to work on your soft skills as much as you can! People in tech are very awkward from what I’ve learned and it’s very easy to hold an awkward conversation once you’ve practiced your soft skills.

Raymond Huang

One of my favorite parts of working with AppDynamics is having the opportunity to work with the amazing team to learn about the different types of technologies that schools do not generally teach.

Dev Mission is a program where they do not only offer technological training, they also teach students about the importance of soft skills when working in the industry. A majority of the time, people in the company have to communicate with their team, and being able to present their ideas effectively will make them stand out from the rest of the candidates. Dev/Mission has definitely prepared me for this internship opportunity at AppDynamics because not only was I able to apply the technical skills I learned in that program at my job, I was also able to communicate with people more effectively and efficiently than before graduating from this program.

Be passionate about the problem you want to solve and just reach out to people. You never know where life takes you just by reaching out.

Leonardo Escudero

My favorite part of working with AppDynamics is being able to work with other engineers and experience what it is like to collaborate and work with them as a team. I don’t really have a favorite though because this is my first internship experience and I loved everything about it. Being able to have meetings, stand ups, sprints, using a Kanban board to give us specific tasks, using the terminal more, and much much more. Especially with Github I was able to understand merging branches and pull requesting so that others can code review, you don’t usually get that experience when you work with your own projects.

Dev/Mission prepared you for this opportunity?
Dev/Mission definitely helped me with preparation. They helped me with my resume and taught me skills that would later be qualified to apply for these kind of roles.

An advice I would give to others is to focus a lot more with connections than with technical skills. I know that sounds weird at first but it is true. If it weren’t for Dev/Mission I would not have been able to know about this opportunity let alone not even know that Cisco App Dynamics is starting an internship curriculum. Yes technical skills are very important but connections can definitely help you get that opportunity that you have always wanted with little to no difficulty.

Gael Gil

One of my favorite parts of working with AppDynamics is working with the people I work with. I think both the AppDynamics staff and interns are amazing and very helpful people. I love working with the people I do, everyone is very supportive and we all get along. I’ve gotten to learn a lot about careers in tech and work on different parts of our projects that I don’t normally do. I also like that I finally get to use all my skills and knowledge that I’ve learned from studying computer science.

I feel that Dev/mission has given me many opportunities that I have been able to take advantage of each getting more advanced as I take more opportunities. The most helpful thing was being a part of the Uber Fellowship earlier this year. This fellowship really helped me prepare for my work at AppDynamics. A lot of the tools and practices we did during the fellowship were things I used at some point during this internship so I felt more than prepared during this internship.

A piece of advice I would give to other students is that you don’t need to know everything. This is something that I personally struggled with myself. I felt like I had to know everything and this put a huge pressure on me and this can make getting started in tech very discouraging. So just take your time and find something you like in tech and go with it, try a bunch of different things because you won’t be expected to do everything by yourself, this is why we have teams.

Mellany Quiroz

My favorite part is working as a team and being able to contribute to a meaningful project

Dev/Mission has helped me with improving my coding skills and being able to work in a professional setting by helping me improve my networking skills!

Don’t be afraid! Take up the space you deserve! Keep improving on your skills. To my black and brown youth, YOU DESERVE TO BE IN TECH! We NEED YOU HERE! Tech cannot progress without YOU!

Christian Salas

I really enjoy the culture and the collaboration with the team. Whenever we’re stuck with a problem, someone is always willing to sit down with us either individually or as a team and walk through the problem together so we all understand it. I also enjoy the presentations about the different professions so we could learn more about what we can do as a career.

Participating with Dev/Mission gave me more of a confidence boost and a more reassurance that I can do this line of work and taught me how to better articulate my ideas, by teaching others.

I would tell other students or anyone trying to enter the tech industry that it’s not just about what you know, but about who you know as well and when people see your passion and commitment, they will want to help.