Bloomberg engineers prepare The Knowledge House Fellows for careers in tech
July 22, 2022
The Knowledge House (TKH), a non-profit coding bootcamp headquartered in the Bronx, NY, provides free technical training and professional development services to low-income youth and young adults in New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Newark, NJ, so they will have the technology and workplace skills needed to launch successful careers in the technology industry. TKH Innovation Fellows meet with mentors throughout the year to engage in tutoring and interview prep, as well as to learn how different emerging technologies are being used in industry. Volunteers also help prepare TKH Fellows for careers in tech and frequently aid in hiring at the companies where they work.
Bloomberg engineers, data scientists, project managers, and cybersecurity experts work closely with TKH Fellows, serving as volunteer mentors through Bloomberg’s Corporate Philanthropy and Engineering Recruiting programs. Bloomberg employees participate in The Knowledge House’s Volunteer Initiative Program (VIP) year-round as industry experts to support students and graduates in their career development as future technologists, entrepreneurs, and digital leaders. In addition to leading technical talks about software development tools like GitHub and Next.JS, and diversity topics like bias in hiring, the Bloomberg engineers have also organized the annual “The Knowledge House x Bloomberg Hack of Knowledge” hackathons in 2021 and 2022.
Following the most recent hackathon weekend of coding, problem-solving, and team-building with the Fellows in the spring, we spoke with several Bloomberg employees about their individual experiences volunteering with The Knowledge House and sharing their technical skills and know-how:
Rishab Gupta
Engineering Team Lead, Media Data Science, Consumer Media
Why did you volunteer to support The Knowledge House?
The Knowledge House presents me with the perfect volunteering opportunity. I can choose my own hours and use the skills I have acquired over the years to help propel others’ careers. I am excited to support this cause and be a part of this journey.
What are some of the programs at The Knowledge House that you’ve volunteered for over the last 12-18 months?
I’ve been a tutor for the Data Science track for more than a year.
What technical skills are you helping The Knowledge House Fellows develop?
I am helping TKH Fellows get better at coding in Python, using NumPy and Pandas. I’m also helping them get more familiar with the usage of databases and understand the complex world of machine learning algorithms and data science.
What do you hope The Knowledge House Fellows get from the ongoing relationship with Bloomberg’s engineers?
I hope that the TKH Fellows get as much as they can from the ongoing relationships they’re developing with Bloomberg engineers, and do not just focus on getting their assignments completed. While they should definitely seek help in building their technical skills, they should also learn from the wealth of knowledge and experience that Bloomberg engineers possess.
What have you gotten out of your experience volunteering with The Knowledge House?
My experience with TKH has been immensely rewarding in so many ways. I love seeing the fellows with whom I’ve worked graduate from writing “Hello World!” programs to building complex data science projects using publically available datasets in a year. I am humbled by the motivation, drive, and passion the fellows exhibit as they pursue education at this stage in their lives while sometimes also working full-time jobs. It is wonderful to meet so many bright and inspiring people and to have the opportunity of playing a small part in their journey toward careers in technology.
Obioma Richardson
Project Analyst, SAP Order Management/Billing, Global Finance Ops & Systems
Why did you volunteer to support The Knowledge House?
As a Bronx native, the idea of collaborating with such an amazing organization gives me great pride. As a Bloomberg team member, it is an honor to have the opportunity to share my skills and talk about my experience in order to encourage and empower my community.
What are some of the programs at The Knowledge House that you’ve volunteered for over the last 12-18 months?
I was a panelist in March for a discussion on the topic of “Unpacking Hiring Biases.”
What technical skills are you helping The Knowledge House Fellows develop?
I was a Planning Lead and served as the Master of Ceremonies during both days of this year’s TKH Hackathon.
What do you hope The Knowledge House Fellows get from the ongoing relationship with Bloomberg’s engineers?
I would like the fellows to build solid relationships that will provide them with opportunities for mentorship and sponsorship. Experience is key, as is knowing their strengths as they enter the world of tech. The experience they’ve gained from this program will help guide them in the right direction professionally.
What have you gotten out of your experience volunteering with The Knowledge House?
Joy!! I am extremely proud of the team and I am proud of Jerelyn for creating such a powerful movement. As a Bloomberg employee, I am also proud that I am able to participate and focus on philanthropic topics that matter to me.
Spencer Carver
Engineering Team Lead, Subscriptions Growth, Consumer Media
Why did you volunteer to support The Knowledge House?
I like the practical teaching approach The Knowledge House uses. Working with the fellows provides a good way to share learned habits for finding resources and other day-to-day things that aren’t often covered by lessons or tutorials.
What are some of the programs at The Knowledge House that you’ve volunteered for over the last 12-18 months?
I was a tutor for the React / Front-End track in 2021, and have participated as a team mentor in both the 2021 and 2022 TKH Hackathons.
What technical skills are you helping The Knowledge House Fellows develop?
I generally focus on Node.js, TypeScript, React, and general browser-based development patterns.
What do you hope The Knowledge House Fellows get from the ongoing relationship with Bloomberg’s engineers?
I hope the fellows gain confidence in their own abilities and understanding. Book and guided example-based learning are really useful for getting a baseline understanding, but there is always a chance you can be asked something that you know about in a slightly different context, so it may not click. This is especially true when dealing with newer technologies. By interacting with Bloomberg engineers and asking questions about their day-to-day work, the fellows get this extra bit of context that can lead them to be more confident that they know and are applying this knowledge when interviewing for a job.
What have you gotten out of your experience volunteering with The Knowledge House?
Everyone I met with from TKH has such a strong self-motivation and goal for what they want to do. It’s exciting to sit down for a few hours and just go through questions and have a range of answers beyond “I want to complete this assignment,” which is more along the lines of what I got when I signed up for tutoring and mentoring during my university years. I also really enjoy trying to understand the fellows’ thought processes, because they are often approaching problems from a different perspective than I would take. Figuring out how they are looking at a problem, adapting my response, and reaching the moment where it all clicks is immensely satisfying.
Matthew R. Newton
Engineering Team Lead, Compliance Applications Infrastructure
Why did you volunteer to support The Knowledge House?
People shouldn’t need to spend a lot of money on education to build a comfortable life for themselves and their families. They should be able to do that through hard work and dedication. The Knowledge House removes unfair barriers to careers in technology for people who deserve them.
What are some of the programs at The Knowledge House that you’ve volunteered for over the last 12-18 months?
I serve on the TKH Board’s Impact Committee, whose membership includes a Learning Scientist, a TKH co-founder, and members of the TKH senior staff. We look for ways to focus TKH’s recruiting and program design efforts so that we help those who will benefit the most from TKH’s programs.
What technical skills are you helping The Knowledge House Fellows develop?
One of the benefits of the hackathon format is that it compresses the software development lifecycle into two days. You have to quickly come up with an idea or select the best idea out of a pool of choices, and then work with a team and divide up the work to make a plan for a demo-able app. Within this short time span, you also have to select the technology that’s best applicable to the problem and that’s within the team’s technical capabilities.
What do you hope The Knowledge House Fellows get from the ongoing relationship with Bloomberg’s engineers?
I hope they come away with the understanding that a career in technology is well within their capabilities as long as they work hard and try their best. There’s a perception that successful technology careers are only available to those with superhuman intelligence. Working directly with Bloomberg engineers lets them see that we are human and we may also struggle. But through our motivation to succeed, training, and experience, we wake up every day and try to tackle difficult problems. I hope this helps make the connection for them between where they are and where they want to be.
What have you gotten out of your experience volunteering with The Knowledge House?
I don’t know any more satisfying experience than helping someone get a job, especially a role they may have assumed was beyond their reach. It is a very direct and tangible way of fundamentally changing the course of someone’s life in a positive manner. It doesn’t often require a lot of effort on the volunteer’s part, just time. Many TKH Fellows graduate from the program with a job and career trajectory that enables them to make 5-10 times what they were making in their previous roles. For many, that’s after only a year of training, during which they may have been working full-time and supporting a family. This program benefits not only them, but also their families and communities as well, and can result in an economic change on a generational level.
Sean Matthiesen
Team Lead, Security Automation, Chief Information Security Office
Why did you volunteer to support The Knowledge House?
It is a worthy cause from which I learn as much as I teach. I really enjoy working with the other volunteers and feel I am having an impact. The Knowledge House is making a positive difference in the lives of many people.
What are some of the programs at The Knowledge House that you’ve volunteered for over the last 12-18 months?
I have interviewed candidates for The Karim Kharbouch Coding Fellowship and participated in several hackathons. I am looking forward to helping out in other areas as well.
What technical skills are you helping The Knowledge House Fellows develop?
My focus is on sharing knowledge about cybersecurity, which has many overlaps with web development, data science, and general programming skills.
What do you hope The Knowledge House Fellows get from the ongoing relationship with Bloomberg’s engineers?
I believe they have a better understanding of what options are available to them and get mentoring to help get them started towards where they want to go. I’m very excited by all the possibilities for the students and the quality of people I have encountered so far.
What have you gotten out of your experience volunteering with The Knowledge House?
Understanding and hope are two words that come to mind. It really helps me connect with the city in which I live. I learn by preparing to teach. Seeing the light come on as a fellow learns something new and fielding incredibly insightful questions from people who are working to excel is extremely rewarding.
Saurabh Agarwal
Senior Data Engineer, Consumer Media
Why did you volunteer to support The Knowledge House?
It is my way of giving back to the community. I want to share my experience and learning with others in ways that level the playing field. Also, I believe that it is the right thing to do. We cannot build a good society if we just focus on taking instead of giving.
What are some of the programs at The Knowledge House that you’ve volunteered for over the last 12-18 months?
I have volunteered as a tutor and mentor for the last two years. I also arranged a few tech workshops at TKH and invited TKH leaders to speak during our department meetings in order to encourage more volunteering by other Bloomberg employees. I attended a few speed-networking sessions and the fellows’ project showcase.
What technical skills are you helping The Knowledge House Fellows develop?
I have helped them build their technical skills in Python, pandas, SQL, and data wrangling and analysis. I also help them prepare for interviews by working with them on technical interview questions, such as leetcode questions.
What do you hope The Knowledge House Fellows get from the ongoing relationship with Bloomberg’s engineers?
First and foremost, there’s the technical help that we provide them. Second, we can help them reduce the anxiety that comes with changing careers. Third, we act as a partner on their journey to learn tech and land a job in the tech world. Fourth, we give them a connection and gateway to the tech world. They are often curious about what an engineer does day-to-day and whether they can do that.
What have you gotten out of your experience volunteering with The Knowledge House?
Any time I spend with the fellows is the best use of my time. It gives me a tremendous sense of satisfaction that I am not just working for myself, but can be part of others’ successes. Over the course of tutoring for two years, I have made several new connections and learned a lot – both on technical and non-technical fronts.
Gopi Sivashanmugam
Engineering Team Leader, Compliance Search and Indexing
Why did you volunteer to support The Knowledge House?
Building up diverse talent needs to happen very early in a student’s life, from their time in school. The Knowledge House does exactly that, and volunteering with them is a great way for me to give back to society.
What are some of the programs at The Knowledge House that you’ve volunteered for over the last 12-18 months?
I have been involved with The Knowledge House over the last couple of years in various capacities. I have been a tutor, mentor, resume reviewer, hackathon organizer, and have helped build The Knowledge House’s volunteer portal. Today, I’m a Tech Advisor to TKH, where I help with curriculum review, prepare students for interviews, and anything else needed to help TKH Fellows achieve their dreams.
What do you hope The Knowledge House Fellows get from the ongoing relationship with Bloomberg’s engineers?
It’s important that the fellows build life-long connections with their mentors, coaches, and partners. This professional network will help them hunt for a job in the short-term, and successfully develop their careers over the long term.
What have you gotten out of your experience volunteering with The Knowledge House?
As someone who has been in the same job for ten years, the best thing I’ve learned as a result of spending time with the TKH Fellows is a new and completely fresh thought process and approach to problem-solving. The way they approach things and challenge the status quo is refreshing and empowering.