3 May 2023
As of 2022, women hold only 26.7% of technology jobs. And compared to entry-level roles, top-management positions have an even lower representation of women. We want to drive change and support strong, ambitious women entering the tech industry.
To help, we’re excited to announce the return of our internship programme, The Bolt Outternship, designed to help women kick-start their careers and create a more equal and diverse tech future in Ghana.
To give you a better overview of the Bolt Outternship, we asked last year’s participants to share their thoughts, worries, highlights, and words of encouragement for applicants. If, after reading the article, you feel inspired to apply, you’ll find an application link at the end of the article.
Now let’s hear from our previous interns.
Tessa joined as a marketing intern, responsible for content localising. “My responsibilities fell under the marketing department. However, the internship taught me many other skills unrelated to my job. For example, navigating a work-life balance,” she says.
Tessa believes that by saying yes to such opportunities, young women can grow their professional careers in tech, build confidence, and defy stereotypes.
“As a final-year student, stress is inevitable. Luckily, during the internship, I learned how to organise and prioritise my academic workload, which greatly helped me to improve my mental and physical health.”
In the future, Tessa wants to be a marketing consultant advocating for the growth and education of women in the industry.
“You can achieve anything once you put your mind to it,” says Tessa. She encourages everyone to believe in themselves, stay true to themselves, tune out the crowd, and choose to challenge the status quo every day.
Mimi came to Bolt as an Operations Coordinator Intern for ride-hailing and got a full-time job!
Mimi studied Actuarial Science and had little experience in the tech industry: “I always wanted to work in data science and was looking for the opportunity to gain some experience in the tech world before venturing into the world of data science,” she says.
Over the next five years, Mimi wants to deepen her understanding of the data world and strengthen her skills by furthering her education. She’s a great example of a young woman with little experience who’s persistent about making her way in the tech industry.
“It’s not about being perfect or knowing it all,” says Mimi, “It’s about making an effort, taking things one day at a time, and adding value to yourself. Many girls have done it, and I believe you can, too.”
Rita studied management information systems and participated in the 2021 Girls in ICT Tertiary programme, which gave her insights into other aspects of the tech industry, such as smart cities.
At Bolt, Rita interned in the Bolt Food Partner Operations team. “I decided to apply for this internship because I was looking to explore my interests and capabilities. I also read the blog articles with stories from last year’s participants, which inspired me even more,” says Rita.
“At Bolt, I learned to ask questions, take risks, show more initiative, and voice out ideas and possible solutions. One of my favourite learnings was communicating with partners and assisting where possible. It helped me communicate better both professionally and personally,” Rita shared. “Some of my daily and weekly tasks gave me more insight and a better understanding of the concepts I studied in class post-internship.”
Rita’s in the final semester of her undergraduate degree and will graduate in June. She aspires to be a serial entrepreneur across various industries, including the food industry, and a management consultant.
“When applying for an internship, learn about the company, their values and vision first to be sure you want to add value and learn from that venture,” says Rita. “And remember — to make your dreams a reality, you must work tirelessly to achieve whatever you want. Nothing comes easy, but it gets easier when you have someone who can guide and advise you on certain decisions.”
The application period starts on May 3 and lasts until June 2. There will be four stages in the recruitment process:
This year, the Bolt Outternship runs from July until September. It’s paid, and we don’t expect you to have a strong background in of our offer areas — we all start somewhere.
If this opportunity doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, but you know someone who can benefit from it, share the application form with them!
Help your friend, a fellow student, or a beloved family member kick off their tech career!
