SVIP: Gain developers, redress gender imbalance in tech

Opportunity: gain highly qualified software developers while helping to redress gender imbalance in tech

Silicon Valley Internship Programme (SVIP) is an organization set up to give something back to the global entrepreneurial community. Founded in 2012, it has been working with the British American Business Council, British Consulate, top global engineering universities and high-growth tech companies to create a unique win-win situation. Participating companies gain highly qualified software developers for (at least) one year with the SVIP handling the bureaucratic hassle of visa processing and logistics, and newly-graduated software engineers get the chance to hone their technical skills in their day job and to develop their entrepreneurial aspirations in a structured program run by the SVIP.

Beyond our entrepreneurial educational aspirations we are attempting to proactively help tackle the gender imbalance in the tech industry. To that end, the SVIP has partnered with Girls In Tech (GIT) to provide this opportunity to female top software engineering graduates globally.  We still have a long way to go, but over the last 2 years 46% of the SVIPs have been women compared to just 6% in our first 3 years.

The SVIP is currently seeking additional high growth software companies for this year’s program. If you’re interested in exploring this opportunity, please have a look at the Silicon Valley Partnership Internship website and email me to set up a time to discuss.

Opportunity overview

As a potential participating company, you have the opportunity to benefit from this pool of talent while contributing to the democratization of opportunity in the tech space.

Specifics

·        This year’s program runs from September 2016-September 2017, with interviews taking place in February

·        SVIP sources and screens applicants, and creates a shortlist of applicants for each company based on their requirements

·        Participating companies interview their applicant shortlist

·         SVIP handles logistics (J1 visas, flights, first month’s accommodation, orientation, entrepreneurial training program)

·        Once in the US (September 2016), the interns work as full-time members of the company’s dev team, and take part in the entrepreneurial training program that SVIP runs throughout the year

·        Participating companies pay the developer for the year ($66k stipend) and pays SVIP $15k to cover expenses

Next steps
If this opportunity is of interest to you – please email michael.hughes@loopup.com to set up a time to talk.