Many people starting out in the software industry experience frustration when work conversations are riddled with acronyms or tech jargon they do not understand. They become overwhelmed by the enormous amount of information to learn and do not know where to start. To rectify that, we have a group of women speaking who can demystify some of the tools, jargon, and jobs around software:

• Polina Vorozheykina, a software engineer at New Relic, will share her experience entering the industry into a far more senior team of 12 engineers. She will cover useful terminology to know, how to go about asking questions, and how to begin building broad software expertise.

• Ashley Puls, a principal engineer and architect at New Relic, will cover some useful tools and terminology engineers encounter on a daily basis.

• Elisa Binette, the senior manager of Site Reliability Engineering at New Relic, will demystify some of the roles and job titles used in the technology industry. What’s a full stack, front end, or backend engineer? What’s a DBA? What are the key differences between a senior, lead, or engineering manager?

Afterwards, beginning engineers should better understand common technology terms and the desired skills within each role. They should have a “lay of the land” and feel empowered to go out and learn.

Agenda:

5:30 p.m. - Doors open

6:00 p.m. - Introduction

6:10 p.m. - Talks begin

7:00 p.m. - Q&A, networking

7:30 p.m. - Event ends

Event FAQ:

Q: Will there be gender neutral restrooms?

A: Yes

Q: Is the space ADA accessible?

A: Yes

Q: Where there be food and drink at this event?

A: Yes, pizza and refreshments will be provided.

Q: What is the parking situation?

A: There is paid parking around the building.

Q: Is there secured bike parking?

A: No, there is no secure bike parking.

Q: Should I consider using public transportation?

A: Yes, public transportation is best.

Purpose:

PDXWIT is a community-based non-profit organization. Our purpose is to strengthen the Portland women in tech community by offering educational programs, partnerships, mentorships, resources and opportunities. We are unifying a supportive environment for current and potential women in tech, all of whom are committed to helping each other. Our goal is to bring together and empower women in tech and to encourage others to pursue tech careers. This is our step towards reducing the gender imbalance in the industry and addressing the current negative effects of that imbalance on women.

Our events are inclusive. ALL people who support our purpose are welcome.