My virtual internship with Pythian

My internship with Pythian started in October and has been an incredible opportunity to build upon my project management skills with a virtual internship. I never imagined working for a tech company. As business students, we are often characterized as lacking the hard skills needed for industries as competitive as those in STEM fields. After my internship with Pythian, I know that my perspective can bring value to a team especially within the tech industry. My work with Pythian has inspired me to apply to computer science programs in Taiwan after I graduate in June.

During my time at Pythian I worked on the Pythia Program which is Pythian’s commitment to improving gender diversity by encouraging, promoting and retaining women and young girls in STEM fields. I was able to work with managers across many different departments and learn how to be part of a virtual team, while building a plan for the Pythia Program.

Making an impact for women in STEM fields

The Pythia program is setting an incredible precedent for other tech companies in North America and I am very excited that I was a part of that process. Researching and compiling data on women in STEM fields, particularly the tech industries, was an eye-opening experience. Identifying the pain points for underrepresented groups in tech, particularly women, is key in developing solutions that encourage women to seek positions in this field.

I am looking forward to seeing Pythian’s impact in the local community with Technovation and the impact on the young women who will be walking the halls and learning from such great mentors. Pythian is not only making great strides for the young women in their local community, but for all women in tech by setting an example with their own diversity initiatives.

Working with the women of Pythian

While assigned to the Pythia Program, I was lucky to be working with women who were heads of their departments and brought a diverse range of skills to the table. Whether building communication plans with the marketing department, or measuring progress with the organizational development team, I was always challenged to look at the issue from different perspectives.

As a project manager it can be very easy to stay on the periphery and remain an outsider, and admittedly this was a concern of mine as an intern and a newcomer to Pythian. The level of trust that the OD department put in me, and their guiding hand in helping me navigate through the on boarding period was instrumental to our success.

Working with women from many different technical backgrounds, I was able to learn much more than if I had stayed within one specific department. I cannot say how important it is as a young women to work with other women on the Pythia Program. It was inspiring to be able to work with accomplished women with so much expertise that they were willing to share.

Working virtually is a whole different ballgame

It has been said that virtual work can be trying and difficult for those new to the team, however my time with Pythian was the complete opposite. I am very thankful to have been able to navigate a virtual internship with such incredible support from the OD team. The lines of communication have always been open, and this has been instrumental to our success on the Pythia Program.

Pythian’s managers made themselves accessible and available during my time on the Pythia program, and their guidance was excellent, as was learning from their experiences.

All in all, I could not have asked for a greater internship than my time at Pythian. I was able to work on a project that was important to me as a woman, while working with other women at Pythian. Together we made an impact within the organization and in the local tech community in Ottawa. In the months to come we will see the reach of the Pythia Program on others. For myself, the experience has been impressive as I apply to computer science programs abroad and see my own future in tech. I look forward to following the continued success of Pythian and the Pythia Program.

Find out more about the Pythia Program.

Interested in working for Pythian? Check out our open positions.