Demystifying Technology Careers with Gina Pol
In this episode, host Suhaani Sodhi meets with Gina Pol from Girls Who Code to break down common misconceptions about the tech industry. From exploring non-traditional career paths and the importance of failing forward to the ethical integration of AI, Gina shares how students can find their place in a collaborative, creative, and ever-evolving field.
Hello! Welcome back to Debugged, the Congressional App Challenge’s alumni-led podcast that connects the country’s youth with technology by debugging the intricate world of computer science.
In this episode, host Suhaani Sodhi talks with Gina Pol, who leads strategic growth initiatives at Girls Who Code. Gina’s work is centered on closing the gender gap in technology by expanding access to STEM education for K-12 and college students through free, high-impact programs.
One of the biggest hurdles for young people entering tech is the belief that tech = coding. Gina demystifies this by highlighting the vast array of roles, like product design, data science, project management, and cybersecurity, that require creativity and collaboration rather than just pure programming. She emphasizes that the tech workforce is deeply team-oriented and cross-disciplinary, welcoming those with non-traditional backgrounds.
A highlight of the conversation is the Pathways program, a flexible, self-paced virtual initiative where students explore tracks like AI, web development, and game design. Suhaani even shares her own experience as a Pathways alum, explaining how learning about neural networks through the program helped her create a winning app for the Congressional App Challenge!
Gina also dives into the soft skills that make a technologist successful, like sisterhood and community, bravery over perfection, and human-centric AI.
To wrap up, Gina offers a powerful piece of advice for students: take the first step. Whether it’s starting a STEM initiative at school or connecting with an educator, the key to a career in tech is curiosity and the courage to begin. Listen to this week’s episode to hear more about Gina’s story and how you can get involved with Girls Who Code. Stay tuned for our next episode in two weeks!