The way forward for know-how is brilliant, particularly after the resounding success of the seventh annual Cisco Women Energy Tech, held on the Cisco campus in Richardson, Texas, on April 17, 2025!
This impactful occasion linked 73 brilliant younger college students with the huge potential of STEM, supported by 13 devoted educators. These gifted members hail from Cisco Networking Academy colleges, a strategic partnership that permits us to successfully attain and encourage the subsequent technology of tech professionals.
What’s Women Energy Tech?
In celebration of Worldwide Women in Info and Communication Know-how (ICT) Day, Cisco Richardson hosts Networking Academies throughout the North Texas Metroplex, providing college students a full day of empowerment, studying, and pleasant actions. This occasion blends inspiring talks, hands-on labs, mentorship, and networking into a fascinating and academic expertise.
Women Energy Tech is extra than simply an occasion. It’s a motion devoted to empowering ladies and younger ladies to pursue careers in know-how and bridge the gender hole in STEM. We’re cultivating the subsequent technology of innovators, problem-solvers, and tech leaders.
A day of inspiration and exploration
Inspiring messages
The day kicked off with an inspiring keynote deal with from Melissa Kraft, the CIO of the Metropolis of Frisco. She shared her tech journey, highlighting its energy and boundless alternatives, and delivered a profound message to the younger ladies:
“Tech is highly effective. YOU make it significant. Keep in mind, you belong on this house.”
—Melissa Kraft, CIO, Metropolis of Frisco
Constructing on this momentum, the ladies then engaged in a considerate dialogue, sharing their private inspirations and what sparks their curiosity inside the world of know-how.
Following the keynote, Veronica Valladarez, Cisco Account Government – Portfolio, delivered an inspiring deal with.
She vividly shared the exceptional story of Cisco co-founder Sandy Lerner and her resilient journey of turning adversity into a brand new, profitable enterprise. Veronica then linked this to the ladies’ potential by her empowering message:
“Rejection is simply redirection. True innovators make NEW worlds when the outdated ones don’t settle for them.”
—Veronica Valladarez, Account Government, Cisco Portfolio
Her phrases deeply resonated, fostering self-belief and resilience to encourage the younger ladies to worth their distinctive views.
Partaking actions
To interrupt the ice and foster connections, the attendees participated in a full of life Networking Bingo Recreation. This enjoyable and interactive exercise inspired college students to step outdoors their consolation zones, meet new folks, and uncover shared pursuits, constructing a supportive and collaborative environment proper from the beginning.
To provide our brilliant younger attendees a style of various aspects of know-how and join them with inspiring function fashions, we ran our labs and pace mentoring periods in a dynamic rotation.
- AI Lab: Fitted to Victory – Younger minds explored the fundamentals of synthetic intelligence by a hands-on experiment. On this exercise, they educated a mannequin to categorise fits of playing cards utilizing their webcam. They explored how algorithms be taught, experimented with picture recognition software program, and even brainstormed how AI could possibly be used to unravel real-world issues.
- Sphero Lab: Maze Mayhem – College students discovered to program and management modern programmable robotic balls by a LEGO maze. This hands-on expertise helped foster problem-solving abilities, creativity, and a deeper understanding of programming ideas.
- Velocity Mentoring – This offered a useful alternative for the scholars to attach with a various group of completed professionals from numerous tech fields. The rapid-fire, centered conversations allowed the younger ladies to ask questions, acquire insights into completely different profession paths, and obtain customized recommendation and encouragement.
The day culminated in an Awards ceremony, celebrating the members’ enthusiasm, engagement, and newfound information. The grins on the scholars’ faces as they obtained recognition have been a testomony to the occasion’s affect.
Extra than simply tech
Women Energy Tech isn’t nearly technical abilities; it’s about constructing a robust, supportive neighborhood the place younger ladies really feel empowered, assured, and know their voices and concepts are valued.
We have been significantly moved by the conversations we overheard – ladies sharing their aspirations and inspiring one another to pursue their goals fearlessly. This sense of camaraderie and mutual help is strictly what Women Energy Tech goals to domesticate.
What attendees mentioned
“My favourite a part of the occasion was getting to attach one-on-one with the unimaginable folks from Cisco. I beloved listening to everybody’s profession trajectories because it gave me a lot perspective—it helped me keep grounded in my very own imaginative and prescient whereas serious about all the chances forward. My largest takeaway was the significance of staying open-minded and dedicated to steady studying. I noticed that mindset can open doorways you didn’t even know existed!”
—Jassmin
“I used to be scared, at all times asking myself, ‘What if it’s arduous? However you guys confirmed me what it means to work in know-how and what it will possibly do for the folks. You confirmed me that, regardless of my pursuits, tech at all times has a spot for somebody. I thanks for all you’ve performed!”
—Aaliya
“Thanks for internet hosting this nice occasion. It was inspiring and really helpful. The wonderful mentors I’ve met by networking have considerably modified my life selections. As an immigrant, I don’t have a lot steerage in these elements of my profession, and this occasion was an incredible alternative for me. Thanks!”
—Nameless Thank-You Notice
Trying forward
Women Energy Tech 2025 was an funding sooner or later. It was a day when younger ladies found their potential, linked with function fashions, and realized {that a} profession in know-how just isn’t solely doable but additionally extremely thrilling and significant. The vitality and enthusiasm witnessed all through the day left little doubt that the way forward for tech is in brilliant arms. We are able to’t wait to see the wonderful issues these younger ladies will obtain!
To make sure the continued success and progress of this annual Women Energy Tech occasion, we constantly want devoted leaders to help with coordination, supportive companions to fund partaking actions, and impactful audio system to encourage our attendees.
If you’re taken with getting concerned, e mail us.
Thanks to everybody who made it doable
Our honest gratitude to The Batiste Venture for our Tech labs, and to our Cisco Inclusive Neighborhood sponsors, Girls in Science and Engineering (WISE) and Conexión LatinX Community.
A heartfelt because of the 13 devoted educators, two inspiring audio system, 40 enthusiastic volunteers, 11 dedicated Women Energy Tech leaders, and particularly the good ladies who participated. You all introduced the imaginative and prescient of Women Energy Tech to life.
What was your favourite a part of Women Energy Tech 2025? Share your ideas and images utilizing #GirlsPowerTech2025!
Join Cisco U. | Be a part of the Cisco Studying Community.
Observe Cisco Studying & Certifications
X | Threads | Fb | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube
Use #CiscoU and #CiscoCert to hitch the dialog.
Share: