Exploring a Future in Tech: SAP’s Human Library

At Canada Learning Code, we firmly believe if you can’t see it, you can’t be it. Which is why we’re lucky to have partners like SAP who give our learners a chance to see first hand what working in tech could look like. In October, we worked with SAP’s Vancouver office team to put on a human library event for our teen learners, giving them a chance to speak 1 on 1 with SAP team members who use their tech skills in roles ranging from marketing to engineering.

Human Libraries are set up as a chance for people to engage with others they wouldn’t typically get a chance to meet. SAP’s team served as our “books”, and our learners had a chance to “check them out” for a quick chat about what their roles looked like, what had led to them working in their field and what they loved about their jobs. Here are some of the “books” our learners had a chance to explore:

Jody LeBlanc – Manager, Engineering Services, SAP Cloud Platform Jody has been with SAP for over 12 years, and currently manages a team that operates the SAP Cloud Platform. Her team develops, runs, and operates tools and processes that keep SAP’s platform-as-a-service highly available for our customers. Prior to SAP, Jody worked as a Forest Engineer, designing roads and bridges for forestry operations around the province of British Columbia. She still loves the outdoors and gets out running, snowshoeing, hiking and cycling whenever she can.

Rachel Ho – Product Marketing Manager, SAP Analytics & Lead of Pride@SAP Canada
As a global product marketing manager for Business Intelligence and Analytics solutions at SAP, Rachel specializes in bringing to market the value of leveraging data-driven insights for intelligent enterprises across all lines of businesses and industries. She founded Pride@SAP Canada 3 years ago, leading LGBTQ+ and diversity and inclusion initiatives out of Vancouver, BC. Her drive is deeply rooted in celebrating and highlighting intersectional strengths across technology, innovation, and D&I, and believes we can all #RunProuder when we embrace diversity of thought from all walks of life.

Jennifer Coleman – Change Expert, SAP Talent, Leadership & Learning Jennifer Coleman is passionate about helping people find their ‘ah-ha’ moments as a Change Expert, facilitator, and coach in the HR board area of SAP (within the Talent, Leadership & Learning organization). Her work at SAP is to ensure employees are actively living our culture and strategy by looking for every opportunity to engage the workforce. In addition, she is a trained Design Thinking Coach and a facilitator in the SAP Global Mindfulness group who leverages the Search Inside Yourself program.

Simrin Singh – Communications Specialist, Office of the Managing Director Simrin recently joined the SAP Labs Canada team as an intern, and she is responsible for all internal communications for the Waterloo Labs office. This includes creating internal marketing materials including TV signage, posters, email campaigns, and blog writing for local and national events.

After a tour of SAP’s incredible office space, our “readers” sat down with each “book”, giving their networking skills a workout and getting a chance to share their own interests and questions about working in tech. It was a great opportunity for our learners to see what a place in tech might look like for them.

Big thanks to SAP for making this evening possible and for their longtime support of gender diversity in tech and STEM learning for young people in Vancouver!