Build Bright Colombian Futures through STEM

Reinventing one's professional career often means having the courage to explore completely unfamiliar paths. For María, a 29-year-old psychologist in Colombia, stepping into the world of technology became an opportunity to discover new capabilities and pursue possibilities that once seemed out of reach.

Driven by limited career opportunities in psychology and a desire to explore new professional horizons, María’s journey in the tech sector began through MAKAIA's STEM Talent Incubator, a foundational training program designed to strengthen the core competencies of individuals seeking to take their first steps toward technology-related careers like literacy, numeracy and critical thinking. Throughout the program, María strengthened her reading comprehension and quantitative reasoning skills, providing her with the foundation needed to successfully transition into the next stage of her learning journey.

After completing the STEM Talent Incubator, María, applied to another MAKAIA program: the BeTek Bootcamp, to further her IT training. Between 2025 and the first five months of 2026, 690 individuals completed the STEM Talent Incubator, 40 of whom received scholarships to the Bootcamp.

María started her training in the Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence Bootcamp, which introduced her to programming and digital technologies she had never previously had the opportunity to explore, largely because most available training programs were not accessible given her financial and personal circumstances. Continuing along MAKAIA's STEM Pathway allowed her to broaden her professional aspirations and develop the skills needed to navigate today's rapidly evolving labor market.

Today, the impact of that experience is already evident in her professional life. María recently secured a new position where she combines her background in psychology with the data and AI skills acquired through the Bootcamp. This opportunity represents an important milestone in her professional development while improving her quality of life. She also plans to continue building a career in data science and pursue further specialization in the field.

One of María's greatest challenges was learning entirely new concepts related to data analytics and programming. However, the guidance provided by instructors and the practical learning resources throughout the program made the experience approachable and engaging, enabling her to build new technical competencies with confidence.

Beyond technical knowledge, María also strengthened essential transferable skills such as time management, emotional resilience, and adaptability. These competencies, together with the program's employability support, helped her approach recruitment processes with greater confidence and ultimately secure her new position.

"The fact that the program also focused on emotional well-being and professional development made the experience much more comprehensive," she explains.

Ultimately, María acknowledges that initiatives like MAKAIA's STEM Pathway are essential to reducing barriers and expanding opportunities for women in technology: 

"There are many women like me who are interested in fields such as data science but don't always have access to the opportunities needed to pursue them. That's why I would absolutely recommend this experience."