#LatinaGeeks partnered with Cox on Wednesday, March 4th for a discussion on “Key Strategies for Women to Succeed in STEM”. Penny Grandon from Cox joined us for a Q&A where we discussed her career journey in technology and tips to thrive in the tech industry.
The session provided attendees with the knowledge to grow in the STEM field and inspired attendees to stand up for yourself.
Some inspiring key takeaways from the panel:
- Her aunt was the 1st engineer at Mabel. Her aunt is what got her into engineering along with scoring high in math and science in the military exams.
- She was 1 of only two women on her team at CenturyLink
- When she first started as an engineer, she was told to take notes and get coffee. Until her manager recommended, she start to push back if told to take notes or get coffee and tell them you’ll take your own notes.
- Her proudest moment was when the pandemic hit. She realized that people needed data & their services more than ever. This was the way to keep people connected.
- On mentorship:
- Own your value & don’t play small. Be intentional and purposeful.
- Go in with a mindset of I want to change and make lasting relationship.
- Take ownership of your career & don’t depend on people you know to get your to where you want to go. Put in the work.
- Mentor up (a program at Cox) is a sisterhood. It’s a support system that pairs entry level positions to senior level positions. It also helps women navigate in a non-traditional role. It’s a reverse mentorship where you build meaningful relationships. The group is currently reading the book, “How Women Rise.”
We want to thank the Cox team for providing such valuable insight and tips on thriving in the STEM field.
Some resources to help you get started:
Our sponsor company is also always looking for qualified candidates to join their team; we encourage you to explore their open roles: https://jobs.coxenterprises.com/businesses/cox-communications/
