CST 361S Technology Tutors

Update your learning journal from what you experienced this week with class and your reflection on this week's reading/with your community partner.

How many hours have you completed to date? 

From this week, I have around 45 hours to date.  I finished my 30 hours last week. Last week, I got to go to the HerScript meetup here in Salinas. I learned a lot about various things from other students and professionals who live in the area. I talked with a student who graduated in 2017. I asked many questions about the internship process and interview process. He told me that every company he interviewed with had some form of a technical interview on data structures and algorithms even though they were not all in the Bay Area. This was interesting because I thought that process was entirely unique to the tech hubs of America/Bay Area and nowhere else. I think I will have to see if that’s also true when I apply to other companies.

           In the article, Five Ways Social Entrepreneurs Use Technology to Increase Their Impact by Ashoka many different aspects were investigated. In the first way, the author explains that teaching someone a technology without hands-on experience doesn’t guarantee long-term success. Instead, people should be empowered to user technology to solve problems. I would say that nothing guarantees success so the point doesn’t hold any weight. It’s also possible for someone to be taught a skill, then they pursue to real world experience of implementing it themselves. In the second point, the author says that solutions that do not take into the needs of stakeholders are likely to fail. I agree with this point, a service that does not address a concern people actually have won’t make any money. In the third point, the perception of marginalized people can be impacted by social entrepreneurs by creating services to help them find employment and hopefully also classes to help them integrate into the work environment. In the fourth point, social entrepreneurs create a community network where many volunteers provide help towards one common goal. In the last point, the data is used to influence decision makers put funds or additional help towards previously overlooked problems.

           There is an article related to point three on the Speciallisterne company, an article called How a Danish Company Is Helping People With Autism Get Jobs in IT and Tech by Zoe Henry. She explains that employers aren’t hiring people with autism because they don’t fit the social paradigm of the happy worker who works well with others and can promote themselves. I think that when hiring managers interview those with autism or related issues, they may see someone shy, withdrawn, demure and be repulsed by those actions. The author explains that employers should change the way they screen candidates because skills that have to do with social interaction have no correlation to success in the workplace and those with autism have trouble doing those.