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TechWomen Program 2023
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8 MINUTE READ
December 1, 2022

 

 

TechWomen brings emerging women leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East together with their professional American counterparts for a mentorship and exchange program. TechWomen provides participants access to networks, resources, and knowledge to empower them to reach their full potential. During the five-week program, participants engage in project-based mentorships at leading companies in the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley, participate in professional development workshops and networking events, and travel to Washington, D.C. for targeted meetings and special events to conclude the program.

TechWomen Emerging Leaders will:

  • Challenge themselves with new questions and concepts
  • Collaborate with like-minded women in their fields on an innovative project
  • Network with influential industry leaders
  • Discover their own innovative leadership style
  • Create meaningful friendships with women from all over the world
  • Explore the diverse communities of the San Francisco Bay Area and Washington, D.C.
  • Inspire the next generation of women and girls in their home countries

The TechWomen experience doesn’t end in California or Washington, DC. After the program, TechWomen have the opportunity to reconnect during delegation trips to program countries in Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East. Programming focuses on expanding networks of women in the STEM fields, creating and strengthening partnerships, encouraging girls to pursue STEM careers, and ensuring the sustainability of Mentor-Emerging Leader relationships.

TechWomen is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). TechWomen, launched in 2011, supports the United States’ global commitment toward advancing the rights and participation of women and girls around the world by enabling them to reach their full potential in the tech industry.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must:

  • Be women with, at minimum, two years full-time professional experience in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields. Please note that internships and other unpaid work experience does not count toward the two-year professional experience requirement.
  • Have, at minimum, a bachelor’s degree/four-year university degree or equivalent.
  • Be proficient in written and spoken English.
  • Be citizens and permanent residents of Libya at the time of application and while participating in the program.
  • Be eligible to obtain a U.S. J-1 exchange visitor visa.
  • Not have applied for an immigrant visa to the United States (other than the Diversity Immigrant Visa, also known as the “visa lottery”) in the past five years.
  • Not hold U.S. citizenship or be a U.S. legal permanent resident.

Preference will be given to applicants who:

  • Demonstrate themselves as emerging leaders in their chosen professional track through their work experience, volunteer experience, community activities and education.
  • Are committed to return to their home countries to share what they have learned and mentor women and girls.
  • Have limited or no prior experience in the United States.
  • Have a proven record of voluntary or public service in their communities.
  • Have a demonstrated track record of entrepreneurialism and commitment to innovation.
  • Demonstrate a willingness to participate in exchange programs, welcome opportunities for mentoring and new partnership development, and exhibit confidence and maturity.

TechWomen encourages people with diverse backgrounds and skills to apply, including individuals with disabilities.

To apply for the TechWomen program, please complete the online application at https://www.techwomen.org/participants/eligibility-and-application 

Selection Timeline

The Fall 2023 TechWomen application opens November 2022 and closes 09:00AM PST (GMT-08:00), Friday, January 13, 2023. Applicants will be notified of the status of their application (non-select or semi-finalist) no later than April 30, 2023. Semi-finalists will be contacted for an in-country interview no later than April 2023. Final decisions will be made no later than May 31, 2023. All applicants will be notified of the results of their application.

For more information, please contact techwomen@iie.org or TripoliPAO@state.gov

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