VMware CodeHouse 2017 Inspires Female Coders

VMware’s Palo Alto campus recently became home to ambitious young female engineers at CodeHouse – a three-day workshop teaching college women to make an impact and tackle technical challenges.

The event, which took place from July 19th – 22nd, aimed to bring to light the issue of diversity in the workplace and spur more women’s interest upon entering the technology field upon graduation.

Ricky Trigalo, a mentor and development manager in the office of VMware’s chief technology officer, shared her past issues with people assuming she’s a man — because of her name and technical abilities. These women are faced with the issue of diversity every day, but were reminded by Ricky and other mentors that in the event of mistreatment, they have the power and knowledge to stand strong and fight it.

As the women of CodeHouse corrected codes and prepped for final presentations, they also shared stories of often being the only women in their classes. COO Sanjay Poonen was particularly touched by their stories, and assured the women that just by entering the field, they are changing the status quo for the better.

“We have to surround every bad example with nine, 10 good examples — examples of young women, young leaders doing well and being treated fairly,” he said.

Learn more about VMware’s support for female coders, as well as the lessons learned and experiences gained at CodeHouse in this San Francisco Chronicle article.