Delivered workshops on collaborative development got 16 designers and developers their first job

Workshop Wednesdays before the pandemic

Identification of Opportunity

During the COVID pandemic, coding groups Codehub and Women's Tech Hub transitioned to an online model but struggled with an inconsistent schedule and lack of compelling workshop ideas. Most attendees were aspiring developers and designers seeking career transitions. A common gap was real-world experience collaborating across disciplines on a shared project codebase.

Definition of Problem

The Women's Tech Hub organizers wanted to create a website for STEM learning resources aimed at children. I identified this as an opportunity to provide attendees with a realistic development project they could contribute to and showcase for future job applications.

Iteration to Solution

I established separate processes for the designers and developers to work towards the shared goal:

Designers conducted research with teachers and community groups to understand effective educational methods and requirements. Then worked on the site using component driven design.

For developers, I implemented strict linting, testing, and code review processes that simulated a professional development environment with a multi-contributor codebase.

Impact

Although the learning resource website itself was never officially released, that was not the primary objective. Over 4 months, all 16 regular attendees from these groups successfully secured full-time employment in their first tech roles - siting this project as the main discussion point in interviews . Providing an applied learning experience bridging design, engineering, and collaboration produced career-accelerating results. This is one of my proudest professional achievements for its direct positive impact.