The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs has announced a call for application for the TechGirls 2021 program.
This initiative offers a unique opportunity for the next generation of women in STEM in the United States and eligible countries in North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia.
With this program, young girls are given a platform to advance their skills and pursue their careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, equipping them with skills that will position them as future women leaders.
The three-week program is set to hold in the United State. Qualified tech girls engage will engage in skill-development workshops and interactive technology sessions with America’s top tech professionals.
In addition, participants will spend 45 hours of study at a tech camp where they will not only be groomed but empowered to venture into the male-dominated tech space.
If you are a girl in tech, you might want to check if you have what it takes to qualify for TechGirls 2021.
Eligibility Requirement
- Must be between ages 15 and 17 at the start of the program in July 2021
- Must have shown advanced skills with a passion for technology, engineering, and/or math in their academic studies
- Must have a goal to pursue higher education and/or careers in technology;
- Must demonstrate competence in their English language skills;
- Must be mature, flexible, and open-minded;
- Must be willing to attend at least one additional semester of secondary school upon their return to their home country; and
- Must be committed to completing a community-based project upon their return home.
- Interested applicants must be from the following eligible countries:
Note that interested applicants must be from the following countries: Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestinian territories, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and the United States
Preference will be given to those who have limited or no previous experience in the United States. Hence, candidates who have traveled to the United States within the last three years as part of any other ECA exchange program do not qualify.
Benefits of participation
If you meet all of the requirement above, you stand a chance to benefit from the following:
- Improvement in your chances of entering tech fields and gain access to higher education
- Mentoring relationship with tech professionals
- Training on how to implement a concept/idea/model learned during the program in your home country.
- Access to resources and networks that support your interests and educational goals
- Increased usage of on-line venues for collaboration between U.S. and MENA peers.
- Increased virtual and real-time collaboration on ways to address societal issues (i.e. employment opportunities, engaging youth in service, public health awareness, etc.)
- Increased commitment to civic engagement and participation
- Empowerment on how to execute follow-on activities in your home communities that support your future academic and professional goals in the technology sector
Deadline
Application for TechGirls 2021 closes on January 15, 2021.
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