Girls Who Code and Raytheon Technologies Launch Pilot Leadership Academy for STEM College Students

The new program supports 100+ students nationwide to build technical and professional skills in an effort to diversify future talent pipelines

ARLINGTON, Va. and NEW YORK, Aug. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Technologies is partnering with Girls Who Code (GWC) to launch GWC's Leadership Academy, a semester-long program for over 100 U.S. college students. Program participants will join GWC advisors and Raytheon Technologies mentors to build their leadership, technical and professional skills while growing their network of peers studying STEM fields.

The program, which targets STEM students who will soon enter the workforce, will launch on Aug. 30, 2022. The Leadership Academy aims to provide students from historically underrepresented groups with increased exposure to tech careers by empowering them with a supportive community of peers and professional development opportunities. Students in the Leadership Academy come from more than 80 colleges across the U.S. and about 90% identify as Black, Latina, Indigenous, or first-generation college students.

"We are incredibly proud to be the inaugural partner for the Girls Who Code Leadership Academy, helping empower more students to explore and ultimately thrive in STEM-related roles," said Vince Campisi, senior vice president of Enterprise Services and chief digital officer for Raytheon Technologies. "Building on our successful collaboration, this new program will continue to identify new ways to close the gender gap and will be a vital part of how we transform the future of our talent pipeline together."

"At Girls Who Code, we understand that to prepare our students for the workforce; we must not only equip them with the resources they need to build on their technical skills. To help them thrive, we also need hands-on engagement that will teach them the fundamentals of growing their networks through leadership," said Tarika Barrett, CEO of Girls Who Code. "We're overjoyed to partner closely with Raytheon Technologies on this pilot program and are excited by the opportunity to continue to provide students with the tools and confidence they need to make a difference."

This four-month pilot program will include small cohort meetings – designed to provide opportunities for shared learning, career mentoring, and community-building – as well as a Give Back Project. Participants will receive guidance from peers and Raytheon Technologies mentors as they plan, manage, and execute community service projects. Volunteers from the company will also participate in speed networking events and technical interview prep sessions with the students.

Raytheon Technologies' partnership with GWC is part of the company's Connect Up initiative, which supports building a more diverse technology workforce by improving STEM education opportunities for women and students of color. Programs such as the Leadership Academy have the potential to help fill current and future tech talent shortages with young leaders who are well equipped with the skills to thrive across all industries. Raytheon Technologies has partnered with Girls Who Code since 2018.

Contact:

For Raytheon Technologies

Rachel Perlmutter | [email protected]

For Girls Who Code

Poonam Mantha | [email protected]

About Girls Who Code

Girls Who Code is an international non-profit organization working to close the gender gap in technology and change the image of what a programmer looks like and does. With their 7-week Summer Immersion Program, after school Clubs, College Loops program and New York Times best-selling series, they are leading the movement to inspire, educate, and equip young women with the computing skills to pursue 21st-century opportunities. Girls Who Code has reached 300,000 girls around the world. To join the movement or learn more, visit girlswhocode.com.

About Raytheon Technologies

Raytheon Technologies Corporation is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military, and government customers worldwide. With four industry-leading businesses ― Collins Aerospace Systems, Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon Intelligence & Space, and Raytheon Missiles & Defense ― the company delivers solutions that push the boundaries in avionics, cybersecurity, directed energy, electric propulsion, hypersonics, and quantum physics. The company, formed in 2020 through the combination of Raytheon Company and the United Technologies Corporation aerospace businesses, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.

SOURCE Raytheon Technologies