First Edition of Vapasi for Women Technologists in Three Indian Cities

ThoughtWorks, a global software consultancy, will be hosting the first ever multi-city edition of Vapasi – a technical training program for women technologists who are on a career break and want to re-enter the world of IT. The latest edition of the program will be simultaneously organized across three cities – Chennai, Hyderabad and Gurgaon.

Set to kickstart on 5 August 2019, the four-week program will sharpen candidates’ technical skills through hands-on sessions on object-oriented programming practices. Upon completion, short listed candidates will be offered 3 to 6 months of internships at ThoughtWorks and can go on to apply for permanent positions. The last 6 batches of Vapasi that were tailored to developers and quality analysts saw close to 100 women participate. Today, many of them are on fruitful career paths at ThoughtWorks and other tech companies in India.

Commenting on the Vapasi program, Tina Vinod, Head of Diversity and Inclusion at ThoughtWorks in India said, “We have always understood the importance of diversity at the workplace and are committed to providing an inclusive environment for our employees. Empowering women’s success in technology is a key focus area for us and we are extremely delighted to launch the latest edition of the Vapasi program. We are experimenting with a multi-city approach that makes this edition of Vapasi, our biggest in terms of scale and execution. This year, our aim is to run no less than eight editions of the program across our seven offices in India.”

“I was a full-time working professional before a two-and-a-half-year maternity break. When I first considered going back to work, I wasn't very confident in starting all over again. That’s when I heard of Vapasi,’’ said Sana Siddiqui, an alumna of the Vapasi program. “During the program, I was surprised to recognize how Vapasi influenced me by boosting my confidence, vision, goals and interest in learning and gathering new skill sets. I received incredible guidance and coaching from the program’s mentors and this made me feel very welcomed!”

Soumia Annie Jose, another participant of the program said, “Vapasi helped me gain confidence and ignite a familiarity with emerging technologies. While the program’s intensive format sharpened my existing skill set, what was truly impressive was the exceptional patience demonstrated by the trainers and mentors. Vapasi has helped me get my career back on track.”

The Vapasi program is part of #TalkTechToHer, a ThoughtWorks initiative directed towards women in technology who have more than 6 years of work experience. The campaign aims to elevate conversations around inclusivity and drive home an important message - women will achieve as much as men or more, when presented with the opportunities, without the biases.

To register for the upcoming multi-city edition of Vapasi, please click here. The last date to register is 25th July 2019.