Attendees at event, hosted at the Alteryx Singapore office
Women from minority backgrounds often face many challenges entering industries such as data science and technology, where diversity is not common. Alteryx for Good, and nonprofit The Codette Project, are trying to change that.
In 2016, Alteryx launched our Social Impact arm, Alteryx for Good, which leads the company’s philanthropy, diversity, inclusion, volunteering, and sustainability initiatives. The Codette Project is a non-profit ground-up initiative dedicated to empowering minority and Muslim women in Singapore to succeed in technology. Bonded by our shared vision to create diversity and inclusion in technology industries, Alteryx for Good and The Codette Project co-hosted an event to empower underrepresented women from minority backgrounds to pursue a career in tech.
“We work with companies like Alteryx that really value diversity, inclusion, equity, and belonging and who are striving for a more inclusive tech industry. We believe that there’s something for everyone in the tech industry and that every individual has the autonomy and opportunity to chart their own success story,” said Nurul Jihadah Hussain, founder of The Codette Project and one of Singapore’s Top 100 Women in Tech 2020.
Empowering women between the ages of 18 to 30, The Codette Project brought together students and working professionals looking to enter technology fields for a joint event with Alteryx for Good to network and learn from successful women how they could accelerate their education and careers with data analytics.
The participants began their morning with a tour of the Alteryx Singapore office, followed by a cosy session with the Women in Tech panel: Liyana Fauzi, Lead Product Manager of GovTech and volunteer of The Codette Project; Gwen Ip, Partner Manager of Alteryx North Asia; and Jeanie Poh, Account Executive of Alteryx’s Enterprise Asean division.
Women in Technology panel: Alex Robinson (moderator) Gwen Ip, Jeanie Poh, Liyana Fauzi
Diving into topics such as seeking community and support systems, networking tips, and the availability of upskilling resources, the panel sought to encourage and inspire women of all backgrounds. Peppered with anecdotes of common experiences and real-life struggles, the panel discussion concluded with a lively Q&A session where participants heard career advice on finding allies in the workplace and carving out work-life balance in the fast-paced tech industry.
“I’m thrilled that today’s session gave insight into what it’s really like to work in the tech industry. It was a great opportunity for the attendees to find mentorship and get advice from the strong women on our panel today. Alteryx for Good seeks authentic and meaningful connections with organizations that champion diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging for all, and we’re so happy to find that with The Codette Project,” said Alex Robinson, the Social Impact Program Manager of Alteryx APJ and moderator of the Women in Tech panel discussion.
Cheryl Lie of the SparkED team presented about data democratization
After a networking session over lunch, the event concluded with a sharing session on Alteryx’s SparkED program, which gives educators, career-changers, and students access to no-cost Alteryx software, learning materials, and certifications for upskilling. Participants were also introduced to the Alteryx Community, where they can network with peers all over the globe, pose questions, access learning resources, and gain new skills.
“Today, we heard valuable advice from people working in various roles across the company. The most valuable advice I received was how important it is to just show up. I attended the session because I know that due to the way that technology is influencing business, everyone will soon be exposed to data analytics, so I came to find out more. After hearing from Alteryx and learning about Alteryx Designer, I realize that I don’t necessarily need to know coding to get into the tech industry. It is accessible to me,” shared Zalifah Zaini, a student who holds a diploma in experience and communications design and is now pursuing a degree in software engineering at the Singapore Institute of Technology.
“It’s true that there are many resources and courses on data analytics, but it is also extremely difficult to seek communities and support systems while pivoting into an entirely new industry. I am excited to dive deeper into the resources offered by Alteryx, such as Community and SparkED,” said Afiqah Adil, a clinical and commercial manager at Roceso Technologies seeking to pivot into business analytics in healthcare.
At the end of the event, participants were encouraged to continue their data analytics journey and access their free educational software license, provided through Alteryx SparkED. They were also encouraged to engage in future initiatives hosted by Alteryx for Good, The Codette Project, and other organizations that champion diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging for all.