At Housecall Pro, we’re excited to build a platform that does amazing things for your business. And while we’re busy doing that, we also want to create a great work environment and encourage the next generation of young professionals to do amazing things too.
It’s why we teamed up with Girls Inc. of Metro Denver’s Eureka program to host three interns this summer. They learned about the product development lifecycle and about solving issues with the use of technology, and we were excited and honored to be a part of their journey.
Eureka is a five-year, intensive, STEM-based program in which students gain first-hand knowledge about the world of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through a variety of experiences. As part of their final years in Eureka, the Eurekans complete a summer internship where they gain real world, professional experience with a STEM-related organization.
Working at Housecall Pro, the girls had a great experience, as did everyone at Housecall Pro they interacted with. It was a win-win for everyone.
“I was really impressed throughout the process with their skills and maturity level, being open to feedback and asking good questions,” said Rebecca Gallrein, Senior Partner, Talent Acquisition. “The experience they got, to be in a professional environment and then meet with people, was really great.”
The main goal of the internship was for the participants to complete a personal project. They were tasked with choosing a real-world problem to solve with technology, then worked with the Housecall Pro team to develop an app and go through the product design lifecycle. They developed flow charts, wireframes and ultimately a prototype that was fully-clickable, for a very interactive internship experience.
“My favorite part was the prototyping, so that you can click on buttons and see how the app works,,” said Tselot Hailu, a 10th grade intern. “Being part of this program has [showed me] that going to an Ivy League school is not the only path you have to take. There are so many different possibilities where you can do something you love.”
For one of the other interns, Lola Johnson, an 11th grader, the internship with Housecall Pro was surprisingly eye opening.
“I’m not really techy, so it was fun to try something new and learn something new,” she said. “Technology has never really been captivating that much to me, but I’d say I definitely now have more of an interest at looking at something in the tech field.”
In addition to their personal projects, the interns spent some time meeting with many employees at Housecall Pro to learn about different departments, completed a reflection activity to broaden their perspectives and more.
“It was such a nice experience to talk with these girls, because I felt like I was talking to my younger self,” said Corin Calderon, Specialist, Key Accounts Onboarding. She shared her personal journey and experiences with the interns, saying she wished she’d had much more time with them but that their brief time together was very fulfilling for her. “What would I want to know at that age? I love talking to people and sharing experiences, and so this was an opportunity for me to do that. I would love to do this again in the future!”
Housecall Pro is committed to increasing representation and opportunities in technology for women and members of the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities. Are you interested in working with an organization dedicated to inspiring up-and-coming professionals to pursue careers in tech? Want to be part of a team that contributes to community organizations? We’d love to have you. Check out our careers page!
