Despite the growth of data science and the increasing number of reports that describe the expanding importance of artificial intelligence, it is clear that “not all jobs have bright futures”.¹ In emerging countries like the Philippines, where the technology gender gap remains broad, the importance of creating an inclusive tech environment is crucial to the field’s holistic development. Particularly, in the Philippines, only ~50% of working-age women participate in the workforce — and almost half of them are employed in “unstable jobs.”² One organization is leading the charge to create a community of Filipinas in technology who are empowered to break through this glass ceiling.³
For the Women Foundation (FTW Foundation) is a Philippine non-profit providing free data science and artificial intelligence training for women. Their mission is to “change women’s lives through intensive tech-skills training to enable upward career mobility.”⁴ FTW Foundation’s first data science cohort achieved a 286% average increase in monthly salary after their 14-week program. Moreover, 92% of their scholars landed data science jobs in only 6 weeks.⁵ Founded in 2018 , FTW Foundation has trained and placed close to 100 scholars to date. Through their impact, FTW Foundation has pioneered a movement — no matter a women’s socioeconomic and academic background, each FTW scholar who has pursued the program had an unwavering goal to help the Philippines by solving some of society’s greatest problems through technology.⁶
As a Filipino-American who grew up in Manila, Cara Wilson pursued her university studies in the United States, before spending 22 years living and working in Milan, Italy. She studied History at Harvard College, and then worked in advertising in New York and Manila. Shortly afterward, Cara completed an MBA at SDA Bocconi in Milan, Italy before working and raising a family there. “I guess you can say I made my home in three continents!” Cara said, when I asked her about her background.
Amber: Did you always know that working in technology was what you wanted to do?
**Cara: **Not at all. As a Humanities concentrator and a Marketing executive, I was always of the opinion that technology was like a foreign language to me. Since I love languages, however, I guess that was a pleasant discovery in the end. Technology can be a great equalizer and this is what FTW leverages.
**A: **What inspired you to pursue a career in data science, and start For the Women Foundation? And what perspective did your experience in marketing, as well as your degree in history, contribute to that decision?
**C: **First of all, I would like to clarify that I am not a Data Scientist but I have had to familiarize myself with the fundamentals of Data Science/Analytics in order to deliver on the FTW mission to empower deserving women into this promising career. While I was in Milan, I met so many intelligent Filipino women that were trapped in domestic work even though they had the education and potential for much more. This all happened because there was a lack of promising job opportunities in the Philippines and they had to work abroad in order to send money home and support families. In the Philippines, this meant a generation of kids growing up without their mothers and sisters. I wanted to be part of the solution to try and change this one day. It has been a very rewarding experience.
I think a degree in History is a perfect way to launch yourself into any career — it not only teaches you to write but gives you a well-rounded perspective and the ability to take a lot of information and extract key learnings in a concise manner. As a marketer, I am keenly aware of the importance of communication and these are all skills that are important in what I do. I think my thinking and analytical processes are enhanced by having had this background.
**A: **What was the biggest challenge you faced when starting FTW Foundation, and how did you overcome it?
C: Well, I think I am going to have to be practical and say fund-raising was — and is — tough but somehow, since I am passionate about what I do, the universe seems to be on our side and things have worked out. I also think finding dedicated instructors that believe in our advocacy has also been a challenge. Data Scientists are mostly young professionals who are busy building their careers, and it is tough to ask them to take some time away from that and dedicate time to teaching. However, once we find the right ones, they are quickly impressed by how driven and engaged our women scholars are and this is a great source of inspiration. They can truly see how this work allows them to continue to work on interesting data projects while really changing lives at the same time.
#programming #women-in-tech #deep learning