Aishwarya J from the first batch of TechBee graduates talks about her journey from an aspirant to a team lead in the Graduate Special edition of She the Future. Here’s her STEM story:

“From an early age, my interest lay in science and technology. My parents stood by me and helped pave the way for me to pursue my interests. I was top of my class in Computer Science and showed an inclination toward programming, so I decided to take up a career in technology. And that’s when TechBee happened. A neighbor shared details about the program with me and, well, the rest is history.

I was inspired, motivated, and supported in my STEM journey by my father. He had a background in science but due to some personal trials, he couldn’t pursue his career in the space. He always backed my pursuits and for that, I’m forever grateful. Not just him, both my parents are my role models. They have endorsed me at every stage of my life. They have helped me understand what the true meaning of life is, how to adapt to its uncertainty, and how to enjoy the little joys that life offers.

Young women at work have come a long way. I see new joiners coming in with a strong sense of self-belief. For all new entrants, here are my key tenets to early-career success:

Grab opportunities when they knock on your door.

Do not restrict yourselves. Learn and adapt to change in the environment.

Explore new things rather than just going with the flow.

Share your knowledge to grow more.

Meet new people and grow your professional network.

Finding the right mentors in the workplace is also crucial. I’ve been lucky enough to find such a mentor in my manager Jeyauma Kalimuthu. She has always treated me like an equal and has given me the opportunities to showcase my talents. Over the past four years, she has given me support and guidance to not just climb the career ladder successfully but actually build a unique one for myself.”

To learn more about #ShePowersProgress, visit: https://www.hcltech.com/shepowersprogress