“The Women Techsters Fellowship laid an excellent foundation for me”- Chinyere Isiguzo

Chinyere Gift Isiguzo, a woman in tech and a Finance student at the University of Ilorin, began her tech journey in 2023 after completing her IJMB exams. Driven by a desire to learn and grow, she secured a tech scholarship with Cybersafe Foundation, where she studied Data analysis. Following that, she applied for the Women Techsters Fellowship and was selected, gaining invaluable skills like Excel, Python, and machine learning. Despite facing challenges balancing her studies and the fellowship, she persevered, supported by her family and teammates. Grateful for the opportunities provided, Chinyere looks forward to applying her knowledge in the field and encouraging others to pursue careers in tech. Read on to find out more about Chinyere’s story.

My name is Chinyere Gift Isiguzo, a proud woman in tech and a Finance student at the University of Ilorin. I am based in Lagos State, Nigeria, but I study in Kwara State. I come from a family of eight, which includes my parents, and I am the last child in a beautiful family of three girls and three boys. My mother is a contractor, and my father worked with pharmaceutical companies before retiring to start his own business. Both of my parents are from Imo State, but I was born and raised in Lagos State.

My journey into the world of technology began after I completed my IJMB exams in 2023. After finishing, I wanted to keep my brain engaged, so I decided to learn new skills and increase my value. I have always admired people in tech and wanted to dive in to gain knowledge and grow intellectually. Driven by my logical nature, I recognized that learning tech would be incredibly beneficial.

I learned about the Women Techsters Fellowship Class of 2024 through a relative, who shared the registration link with me. I initially had mixed feelings when applying because the application process was lengthy, but I was excited at the prospect of learning new things in the Data Science Learning Track. Seeing it as a unique opportunity, I applied and was fortunate enough to be selected.

While waiting for feedback on my fellowship application, I started taking Data analytics courses on Cisco and exploring other free online resources. Eventually, I was accepted into the Women Techsters Fellowship, marking the true beginning of my tech journey.

Getting accepted into the Women Techsters Fellowship and gaining admission to the University of Ilorin at the same time felt like double congratulations, but I soon realized the challenges I would face.

The Women Techsters Fellowship laid an excellent foundation for me. Throughout the training, I acquired valuable skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving, in addition to technical skills like Excel, Power BI, MySQL, Python, and machine learning. My facilitator, Yasmin Osama, was exceptional and patient, breaking down complex concepts and teaching us from scratch.

Balancing the Women Techsters Fellowship program with my education has been quite challenging. As a first-year student, the stress of school was significant while I was also participating in the fellowship. I often found myself switching roles between a student during the day and a Techster at night. I encountered numerous challenges, including issues with electricity and adjusting to a new environment. It was a tough experience, and I wasn’t sure I would reach the finish line, especially during our capstone project while also preparing for exams. But, by God’s grace, I completed the fellowship training successfully.

I never wanted to give up, even though I was worried about meeting graduation requirements. I was able to overcome those fears because of God’s grace and my amazing family, who supported me financially and in many other ways. I am also grateful for my supportive team members, who were incredibly helpful throughout my fellowship journey, particularly during times when I couldn’t be present due to exams.

I am thankful to God for the incredible platform that Tech4Dev has provided. It has helped me develop myself intellectually, and I look forward to actively practicing everything I have learned as soon as I finish my exams. I have started applying my knowledge even while currently taking exams. I appreciate the ability to revisit class recordings to refresh my understanding as needed. Although I am not working right now, I look forward to securing a paid internship before the end of the program to improve both my and my family’s livelihood.

I plan to maximize everything I learned during the fellowship by continuing to learn and practice, improving my skills, and solving problems in the firms where I work as a Data Scientist. I aim to help these organizations derive meaningful insights from their data.

My advice to anyone considering a tech career is, “Go for it! It may feel challenging at first, but with time, it gets better. So, instead of hesitating, just dive in!”

Thank you, Tech4Dev for the wonderful opportunity, I am immensely grateful.