March 26, 2024

Following the visit with ConocoPhillips in January this year, Synpact’s Girls in STEMM program once again visited a leading technology enterprise in Beijing on March 26 the headquarters of HPE China. The girls from four international schools in Beijing (Canadian International School of Beijing, Dulwich College Beijing, International School of Beijing, and Keystone Academy Beijing) had the opportunity to learn about the history, culture, innovation and practices in the technology field of HPE, one of the technology giants.

Michael Zhu, HPE’s Global Vice President and Managing Director of China, delivered a welcome speech emphasizing HPE’s commitment to STEMM education and supporting women in technology roles. He shared personal stories and encouragement with the students. Echo Li, the Human Resources Director, introduced HPE’s corporate culture and the company’s efforts in gender equality and promoting the development of female technical talent.

The most popular part of this event was the Mini Laboratory session, where students got hands-on experience dismantling servers and reassembling them to complete connectivity tasks. The technical instructors Jia Wanjin and Qian Yun also set some challenges, dividing the students from the four schools into two groups for a competition. Apart from dismantling and reassembling the server as quickly as possible, they also had to answer questions about the server’s data parameters. Although some answers could be found on the server and its accessories, the competition results were judged based on completion time and accuracy, allowing the students to experience the fun of competition and the importance of teamwork. This hands-on experience enhanced the students’ interest in hardware devices and increased their understanding of technology enterprises.

In addition to the engaging experience of the Mini Laboratory, in-depth learning and exchanges with senior executives and outstanding managers of the enterprise are also highlights of each event. HPE’s Global Vice President and Managing Director of China Michael Zhu, HPE Women’s Resources Group Leader Sun Xiaojing, and representatives of executive women leaders, women tech talents and young generations shared their personal growth and success stories through a game of Truth or Dare, providing insights into their experiences and reflections at HPE. This allowed students to gain a deeper understanding of HPE’s corporate culture and policies. The executives encouraged students to courageously pursue their dreams, set goals, and work towards them, enjoying the process regardless of whether the results meet expectations. They emphasized finding new solutions from failures.

As a technology enterprise, AI was undoubtedly another hot topic during the event. The students discussed with the representatives how artificial intelligence has helped and facilitated their learning, and whether AI will replace some technical positions in the future. The representatives were pleased to find that the students not only utilize AI to improve their learning efficiency and search for information, but some students have even trained AI programs to adapt to human needs and memory habits.

Through this visit, the girls have gained deeper understanding of the technology industry and how to make the world a better place through technology. Apart from technical strength and innovation capabilities, emphasizing corporate culture, policies and employee growth are also essential factors for a company’s success. We hoped that through this visit and experience, girls who are interested in pursuing a career in the technology industry will persist in their dreams.

“I think the coolest thing is the office environment, the equality between male and female employees and how the office is structured to provide employees with the view of the outside world while working.” — Girls in STEMM project student