Pass the Torch for Women Foundation Partners with Women & High Tech & Indy Women In Tech To Address Critical Employment Need

Women & Hi Tech, Indy Women In Tech, and The Pass the Torch for Women Foundation are partnering in a unique manner to propel women into high tech fields. This is an exciting time for the Indianapolis business community, with more tech companies being formed or moving here. It is essential that our city be able to provide the workforce to meet the increasing employment needs, and with so few women going into technology for their career of choice, we will struggle to meet demand should no action take place. Women are also poorly represented in leadership positions in tech companies, lacking female role models and mentors to help them prepare for professional growth.

Women & Hi Tech, Indy Women In Tech, and Pass The Torch For Women will address this issue with a new partnership. Women & High Tech have a wealth of skilled, educated female members committed to sharing their legacy to help grow women leaders in their field. Indy Women In Tech is committed to supporting this cause by providing scholarships for female college students to enroll in tech education such as the 1150 Coding Academy or in the Ivy Tech IvyWorks Program. Pass The Torch For Women Foundation will serve to connect the Women & Hi Tech volunteer mentors to the IWIT scholarship students, where through a formalized mentoring program, they will connect for three, one hour sessions over the phone or in person, over the course of four months. Female students that enroll in the Ivy Tech IvyWorks program will also be eligible to participate in the Pass the Torch for Women Project Grow Program, where they can attend classes on topics of negotiation, networking, propelling their career through mentoring, financial literacy, stress management, confidence building and more. An additional benefit for Women & High Tech members is the opportunity for them to serve as a mentor to a student, but to also enroll in the community as a developing professional in order to be assigned to a mentor for their own professional support.

In celebration of the collaboration, the organizations are hosting a Pass the Torch for Tech Breakfast taking place on Tuesday, April 24th where Mayor Hogsett, former Mayor Ballard, and other community leaders will be addressing the need for advancing female talent into STEM careers. Media is invited to join for the inspiring event, where the focus will be to build awareness in how we can support the future leaders of tomorrow.

About Pass the Torch for Women Foundation (PTTFW): With their peers being in the minority within top decision-making levels, how do women create the connections that allow them to grow as leaders? How do they gain the skills and support to move up the ranks? The Pass the Torch for Women Foundation is addressing this issue in a unique and powerful way. We are creating a community of women and men committed to supporting women throughout their career lifecycles, from college students to emerging leaders to top executives. This community comes together to provide mentoring, networking and leadership training to help women reach their full potential.

To learn more about how you can volunteer as a mentor and/or financially support the work of the Pass the Torch for Women Foundation, please visit passthetorchforwomen.org.

About Women & Hi Tech: Founded in 1999, Women & Hi Tech exists to change the landscape of women represented in STEM to be equally inclusive to all. To achieve this goal, we work to connect female STEM professionals with each other and community in Indiana. Our members and sponsors represent a wide array of STEM fields, including life sciences, accounting, engineering, psychology, statistics, and information technology.

To learn more about the organization and how you can get involved, please visit
www.womeninhitech.org

About Indy Women in Tech: Indy Women in Tech is committed to inspiring women of all ages to pursue tech-related employment in Indiana. Through our scholarships, our students are developing the skills that will fuel Indiana’s economy. Together, we will make Indiana stronger for years to come and move the needle for the future of Indy’s tech workforce. We are commited to supporting women by providing education/training through scholarships and wrap around services that remove the barriers and lead to their success. Indy Women in Tech is dedicated to creating an environment where education and training is equally accessible to all.

To learn more about getting involved, please visit www.indywit.org