Return To Work Series featuring Preeti Amin
Indian Women in Computing is excited to present a blog series that is dedicated to recognizing amazing women who have embarked on a brave journey to return to work. We are spotlighting their journey and accomplishments true to our mission to amplify, grow, and connect.
Do you know any marvelous Indian women in computing who have returned to work? Send us a tip to iwicwebsites [at] gmail [dot] com
#womenwhocode #returnship #IndianWomeninComputing #womenempoweringwomen #womenintechnology
After a break of seven years from the workforce, Preeti Amin was confident in her decision to return to the job market. She made a deliberate decision to start a career in technology despite formal training and 8 years of work experience in Chemical Engineering. She was hopeful due to the wealth of jobs and online learning resources in the technology sector. She also had more free time at home to upskill herself since both her kids had started school. In a short span of one year, she participated in a returnship at OSISoft, an artificial intelligence bootcamp at the Insight Fellows program, and several online courses at Coursera and Udemy. After these rewarding learning and returnship experiences, Preeti is excited to continue her journey in technology by enrolling in the Master’s program in Computer Science at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
You came back to the workforce after 7 years. How did you make this decision?
I started thinking about going back to work when my youngest started kindergarten but it took me nearly a year to be confident in my decision. One of the main contributors to this decision was that my kids were really independent by that time. I also spent time communicating with my family and preparing them for this next stage of my career and how that would change the dynamics at home. With these efforts, my family felt very involved in the decision and supported me through the many ups and downs that were going to come. My kids became my greatest cheerleaders in this process.
You’re a Chemical Engineering professional by training and practice. How did you decide that you wanted to switch into the technology industry?
You’re right! I did a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering and worked in the manufacturing sector (Honeywell and Nanosys) for eight years. Since I was getting a fresh start, I also took a step back to evaluate the opportunities that were available for me. Fortunately, I had done a double major in my undergraduate degree with Computer Science as my second major. This gave me some confidence to choose the tech industry. Additionally, when I was searching for return-to-work opportunities, there were an abundance of technology and finance returnships. This made the choice even easier for me.
“I also spent time communicating with my family and preparing them for this next stage of my career and how that would change the dynamics at home.”
Once you targeted tech, how did you get a returnship and how was your returnship experience?
Once I was sure of my decision to return to work and switch to the tech sector, I started searching for opportunities online. Very quickly, I noticed that a returnship might be the quickest way back to the workforce. I applied to OSISoft and passed their interview with flying colors.
“During the returnship, they organized several workshops and helped us network with other women who had returned back to work through returnships. It was really empowering to hear stories of and from women like me.”
I started my returnship program as a product support engineer in a cohort of 3 women who were also returners. It was great to have a cohort to share my experiences with. On the downside, because the program was very independent, we did not feel integrated in the company. Overall, I was very grateful for this experience because I was able to sample a role in the tech industry.
This returnship program was managed by Path Forward, a nonprofit on a mission to empower people to return to the paid workforce after they've taken time off for caregiving. During the returnship, they organized several workshops and helped us network with other women who had returned back to work through returnships. It was really empowering to hear stories of and from women like me.
Why did you decide to get training in artificial intelligence?
Through the returnship, I realized that the product support engineer role was not for me. In the meantime, I noticed that the field of artificial intelligence was booming. I thought that I would enjoy the challenges of this fast-paced industry. First, I had to gain relevant skills. I took several online courses to teach myself Python and related technologies. It took me some time to adjust to this new format of online learning which was very different from my days in college. Eventually, I started enjoying courses across all learning platforms like Udemy, Coursera, and Udacity.
After learning the basics of the field, I was ready for the next challenge. I enrolled in the Insight Data Science program as an Artificial Intelligence Fellow. This was an amazing learning experience which helped me understand concepts from across the field. My cohort was dominated by recent graduates from PhD programs but I felt like I blended in. I enjoyed the environment created by the program.
“I took several online courses to teach myself Python and related technologies. It took me some time to adjust to this new format of online learning which was very different from my days in college. ”
In Fall 2020, I graduated from the Insight program. I am excited to continue my learning experience through a Master’s in Computer Science program from the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign. It is a two year online degree program which gives me the flexibility to complete the degree from my home in the Bay Area.
