Sertifi Partners with Chicago Lights Career Development Program

Usually summer for students means more free time, but for a select few they dedicated their time and energy into a head-start for future careers.

To promote diversity and equal opportunity in the technology industry, Sertifi partnered with Chicago Lights and held weekly sessions as part of the Career Development Program. Students had a chance to program for the first time, learn about the business side of developing software, and pursue advanced college-level topics in computer science. Employees from the Development, Quality Assurance, and Product teams all lent a hand in order to provide a diverse range of materials and knowledge. 

Chicago Lights Career Development is an eight-month educational experience that serves high school students living in some of Chicago’s most economically challenged neighborhoods. Through this opportunity, students gain the insight and tools necessary to break the cycle of poverty and get a head start in planning for a satisfying career and keeping a fulfilling job. 

For both the students and Sertifi employees, the result was an enriching experience. Student reviews showed how surprised they were at their own growth, “…for showing me the things I didn’t know I wanted to learn.” Jessica Talbot from the product team, mentioned, “The class was an amazing experience. I’ve never taught before and had no clue what to expect. What I found was an amazing collaboration of young, curious minds teaming with new ideas.”

For more information on how you can help break the cycle of poverty, check out Chicago Lights and how to get involved!