I Joined Women Techsters to Explore Data Science, A Year Later, I Became a Senior Analyst and a Rhodes Scholar-Elect

What can happen when a student looking to explore a new field is given the skills, exposure and opportunity to pursue it? For Kakuhu Matondo, joining the Women Techsters Fellowship was the beginning of a journey that took her from exploring a career in Data Science to securing an Analyst role immediately after graduation, progressing to Senior Analyst within a year, and becoming a Rhodes Scholar-Elect for Zambia.

My name is Kakuhu Matondo, and I joined the Women Techsters Fellowship as a student looking to explore a career in Data Science.

At the time, I was looking for an opportunity to understand the skills I needed to strengthen my career prospects in the field. The Fellowship gave me the opportunity to build those skills, gain practical experience, and become more confident as I pursued opportunities in technology.

Through the program, I gained practical skills and exposure to tools that strengthened my confidence in applying for roles. I also had the opportunity to work with women from different walks of life who shared my passion for building a more inclusive and diverse generation of technology innovators.

One of the experiences that stood out for me was working with diverse teams during our capstone project. It gave me an opportunity to learn through collaboration and apply what I had gained from the program.

That experience became valuable as I began applying for roles after graduation. I was able to secure a position as an Analyst immediately after my graduation, drawing on the experience I gained through the Fellowship and the capstone project.

Only a year into my employment, I was promoted to Senior Analyst, ahead of my cohort. I am particularly proud of this achievement because the Women Techsters Fellowship helped cultivate a strong work ethic and a commitment to pursuing work at the highest level. The practical, day-to-day skills I gained during the Fellowship also helped me work more efficiently, and my team was able to recognize those efforts.

The Fellowship also shaped another important part of my journey: my commitment to giving back to my community.

The Tech Girls Advocacy Drive was an important part of my Fellowship experience. It helped ignite my passion for giving back to my community and provided a platform for me to inspire the next generation of women in technology. This experience was also instrumental in my Rhodes Scholarship award journey.

Receiving the Rhodes Scholarship was a significant milestone for me. It reinforced the value of the opportunities I had encountered and the importance of using those opportunities to create impact beyond myself.

Today, I am a Senior Analyst and a Rhodes Scholar-Elect for Zambia. Looking back, I am proud of the progression from joining Women Techsters as a student exploring Data Science to building a career in the field and taking on opportunities that continue to expand my horizons.

Since completing the Fellowship, I have continued to grow in my career and take on new opportunities. I am proud of how far I have come, from joining Women Techsters as a student exploring Data Science to becoming a Senior Analyst and a Rhodes Scholar-Elect for Zambia.

For me, the Women Techsters Fellowship was not only about gaining technical skills. It gave me practical knowledge, confidence, a community and an opportunity to discover how I could use my skills to contribute to others. Those experiences continue to shape how I approach my work and the opportunities ahead.