Latinos Who Tech Podcast

In this episode, Hugo welcomes Frances Coronel, a Peruvian-American software engineer for the Customer Acquisition Team at Slack, a collaboration hub that brings the right people, information, and tools together to get work done; connects teams and unifies systems to make businesses go forward.

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Android | Email | Google Podcasts | RSSIn this episode, Hugo welcomes Frances Coronel, a Peruvian-American software engineer for the Customer Acquisition Team at Slack, a collaboration hub that brings the right people, information, and tools together to get work done; connects teams and unifies systems to make businesses go forward. Frances was born and raised in Norfolk Virginia, and studied in New York City and California. Join in as they talk about France’s journey into computer science, her motivation to earn a master’s degree, her experience being a female Latina software engineer, and her role in Slack and the company’s growth.

Show notes:

• 00:20 – Welcoming Frances Coronel
• 00:26 – About Frances
• 01:36 – Using the word Latinx
• 05:45 – France’s first interest in computer science
• 10:02 – Discovering Meetups and other engineers
• 11:37 – Motivation in getting a masters degree
• 15:33 – Frances’s opinion about short, intensive and rigorous courses “Bootcamps”
• 19:59 – What makes a successful Coding Bootcamp
• 24:28 – Linkedin Nextplay
• 26:22 – France’s current role in Slack
• 27:38 – About Techqueria
• 28:39 – How Frances got to Slack
• 32:18 – The thing Frances likes the most about Slack
• 35:50 – What Frances looks forward to everyday
• 41:49 – Influencers, forums and sites frequented by Frances either for programming or because of interest
• 50:24 – France’s parting words to audience curious about STEM and software engineering

Key Takeaways:

• “You don’t need a computer science degree to be a successful software engineer”
• Look for actual data on linkedin and program graduates when choosing a coding bootcamp
• Coding bootcamps are much more accessible to break into tech industry
• There are lots of alternative paths breaking into tech, You don’t have to be an engineer to be in the tech industry
• “It is very important to bring your true self to work”
• Diversity is very important when working in the tech industry

Mentioned resources:

• Meetup NorfolkJs
• Nextplay Events – Events where students and professionals of color connect to opportunities in tech
• Hack Reactor – Software Engineering Program and Coding Bootcamp
• Galvanize – Urban campuses where people can access the skills and network they need in-person or online to level up in tech
• Techqueria – A non profit representing one of the largest communities for Latinx professionals in the tech industry

Connect with her via linkedin:Frances Coronel

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Who is Hugo Castellanos?Find out about him onlinkedinThanks so much for listening to the show! If you want to know more about this or comment on the show, please join us onLatinosWhoTechor go toConexiones

Recording was completed December 4th.