I-Stem Employment Readiness Fellowship Program

People with disabilities continue to face challenges in accessing equal academic and professional opportunities, especially in high-growth industries. There is also a lack of support community and mentorship opportunities. With a view to highlight the abilities of people with disabilities and to change the discourse around disability, and provide the much needed support to high-potential talent with disabilities, I-Stem has launched the I-Stem Employment Readiness Fellowship Program. The program seeks to identify and support exceptional students and professionals with disabilities interested in working in the corporate world in diverse fields. The program has two tracks-(1) Engineering Track focused on software engineering, data science, cybersecurity, data analytics, or a closely related field, and (2) management focused on product management, consulting etc. the six-week program provides the resources, opportunities, and support to help participants develop their skills and find meaningful employment. Open to all students and young professionals with disabilities (visible or invisible), the program provides 1:1 mentoring with an I-Stem core team member, 1:1 mentoring with an industry professional, and access to several exclusive opportunities, besides a community of other exceptional fellows.

Every fellow receives individualized coaching/consulting to determine what skills they need to achieve their goals. Post this, an individualized plan is developed. An I-Stem core team member works with the fellow for a year to guide them at every step of this plan. Additionally, they are paired up with an industry mentor that provides additional support and guidance.

Based on the fellow's goals, they are recommended to other training and certification programs, and in some cases, financially supported to complete these programs.

I-Stem fellows join the I-Stem community which is already 12,000 members strong. As part of the community, there are several opportunities to network with other members, some of whom are successful professionals in the industry. Additionally, fellows join the I-Stem Fellows community which receive exclusive invitation to special events and opportunities.

I-Stem provides an interview preparation package to help fellows prepare for technical interviews and also conducts mock interviews to give them a feel for the actual interviews.

The fellow receives a fully paid trip to our partners' event in Bangalore which includes learning and networking opportunities with our corporate partners, successful professionals with and without disabilities across industries, and much more.

I-Stem works closely with several corporate partners with some of them actively engaged in our fellowship program. While it is impossible to guarantee placement on the completion of the fellowship program, I-Stem team works with each fellow to help them find the most suitable job and makes connections as required. The corporate mentor also helps advocate or the fellow within their organisation if there is a match.

A pinnacle of the I-Stem Fellowship program is the provision of a month-long long practical internship for selected fellows with I-Stem. This experiential opportunity allows fellows to engage with mentors from our corporate partners and work on real-life projects that reflect the dynamic nature of today's professional world. Through this engagement, fellows get a taste of actual industry practices, evolving their academic knowledge into practical expertise. In line with our commitment to individual development and success, the I-Stem Fellowship program ensures that the practical internships offered are tailored according to the interests of our fellows. Recognizing the unique aspirations of each fellow, the internship assignments are carefully matched to align with their areas of interest.

Any university student living in India in the 2024-25 academic year desirous of pursuing a career in computer science (or a closely related field) or management/consulting is eligible.

Applications for the fellowship program are currently closed. Check back soon for the next cycle.