“My family is proud of my accomplishments and is supportive of me continuing my studies.” Along with his fellow students Tina Huynh and Kameron Rainey, John Lowney experienced first-hand how challenging it can be to pursue a career in technology when you don’t have immediate access to the right equipment and support. That all changed when they were given the opportunity to participate in RGF Connect’s innovative CSI Connect Technology Lab. This local social and educational program in Jacksonville, Florida (USA) has transformed their prospects for the future.

Before being given the opportunity to be mentored by CSI Connect through high school and then choosing an IT-focused major in college, students John, Tina and Kameron from Andrew Jackson High School (AJHS) experienced barriers that made it difficult for them to develop a professional interest in technology.

John: “One of the struggles we face at our school is the lack of funding for new programs and equipment. This can be limiting for us as students.” Especially when students – for example, due to a lack of money at home – don’t have access to personal computers or other equipment outside of school. “Due to school computers not working well, I wasn’t able to get many technology assignments for my course finished. To give you an idea, it took about an hour to download documents,” Tina adds.

Increasing diversity in technology

As well as having limited access to the right equipment and programs, students may feel excluded because of their social, cultural or ethnic background. Tina: “A lot of people bullied me, simply because I have an Asian background. And that made me struggle with certain things in life, including education.”

Kameron Rainey: “I didn’t necessarily have difficulties in finding education opportunities or accessing technology. Though, sometimes it was hard to avoid the impression that a certain teacher didn’t give me as much time or help than was given to other students.”

Whether justified or not, it made Kameron feel insecure and he didn’t find he could ask for help to understand what was being taught. Of course, this bias (conscious or unconscious) can rear its head anywhere, including in the workplace. Dominique Carter, Internship Manager at CSI Connect: “Our research shows that females and African Americans are significantly underrepresented in the field of IT. We want to increase diversity in all areas – gender, ethnicity and sexual orientation – and give students from all backgrounds the opportunity to experience and explore a career in technology.”

Hands-on experiences and real projects

The relationship with the students started when CSI Companies partnered with AJHS to transform the school’s library into an innovative IT lab. In addition to creating the lab, five students were selected – who were then named ‘The Jackson Five’ – to be mentored through high school, college, and eventually the CSI Connect internship program. The IT team presents workshops in the lab, introducing students to the idea of technology and the opportunities within the industry.

Dominique Carter: “The CSI Connect mentorship program enables students to gain hands-on experience and attend tech lab sessions tackling real business issues with real IT Professionals.”

Become a better leader

According to the students from AJHS, the program is paying off. Tina: “Everyone taught me so much about technology and connected me to other people in the business for even more advice. They are all so friendly and understanding. One of the ladies from the program even sent me the number of someone to help me acquire my Federal Student Aid (FSA), this is an important source of financial support for students in the US. I am very grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given.” Like Tina, John states that his CSI Connect journey has helped him become a better leader: “I’ve never really had a leadership role before, and I really enjoyed taking the initiative and making decisions that impacted the school.”

“I was given guidance by the speakers from CSI Connect, discussing their life experiences and how they work,” Kameron says. “However, the people that helped me the most were the interns. They taught me about various work activities and projects in IT, that I didn’t even know I was interested in.”

“The program doesn’t stop at graduation,” Dominique explains. “The students who enroll in college and choose IT majors will have the opportunity to join our internship program on site at CSI Companies. Our goal is to mentor them through high school, hire them as college interns and offer them full time roles upon graduation. We also continue to check in with the interns via surveys to keep up with their growth and career advancement. I love meeting students and watching them grow into professionals. Personally, I’ve also learned so much through this program. I am not a technical person, but managing this program has allowed me to immerse myself in IT.”

Empowering the next generation

John, Tina and Kameron’s participation in the program doesn’t only impact their own lives, but the lives of their friends and family as well. John: “I’ve made new friends through the tech lab programs, people who I probably wouldn’t have met otherwise. My family is proud of my accomplishments and is supportive of me continuing my studies.” Kameron smiles: “I get a lot of positive feedback when participating in the tech lab program, and I am encouraged to continue learning. Many people who encouraged me to continue the program also challenged me to pursue a computer science degree. They expect great success from me in the future!”

In preparing these students to become tomorrow’s technology workforce the impact of CSI Connect is becoming increasingly clear. It makes Dominique feels very happy about her job: “I have a burning passion for this work. We are talking about life changing income, potential and careers for these students and their families. Breaking generational curses and empowering the next generation. It’s very rewarding knowing I get to make a difference every day.”

Continuing studies at university

John, Tina and Kameron are on the verge of finishing high school and continuing their studies at the University of North Florida (UNF). Tina: “I expect studying at UNF will help me to grow my skillset and meet new people. As I learn and gain more knowledge, the opportunities and possibilities for a career in computer science will only continue to grow. I want to take advantage of every resource I can.”

John Lowney: “The university will offer me a more personal college experience, especially compared to a larger school. I think that this opportunity will help me learn more about myself, as well as prepare me for a career at a later stage.”

Kameron agrees: “Studying at UNF will definitely provide me with more education and experiences that are necessary to be successful in my career and life in general. It will also give me many opportunities to connect with companies and different people in technology. Eventually, the study will broaden the range of suitable tech jobs in Jacksonville.”

Expanding the horizon

Due to the success of the CSI Connect program at the high school and college level, the program will focus on expanding to younger students on the middle and elementary level. “We plan to use the current high school tech lab model and use our interns to help teach and build a pipeline of talent, to create the next generation of IT professionals”, Dominique concludes.

‘Giving back to community’ is the motto that drives all CSI Companies’ activities, and the RGF Connect program CSI Connect is no different. Launched in 2022, the CSI Connect program aims to expose students in underserved Jacksonville communities to technology careers, professional training, and life-changing opportunities. The objective: providing students with meaningful and practical experiences that complement their interests and positioning them for promising jobs in the technology industry.