Rachael Chikoore

General Info

What will be your most valuable contribution to your TechWomen mentorship?

I am a passionate Lecturer in the field of Information Communication Technology, Researcher, Reviewer, Consultant, Mentor and Entrepreneur. I would like to believe that these hard skills coupled with my good planning, time management and public speaking skills, I will be able to share with my mentor and colleagues. I can research in emerging technologies and present in a conference setting without any challenges. I am also able to do an assessment to establish if a software project has fulfilled its objectives, a technique which I normally use for Hackathon adjudication.

The Top Three Things I Would Like to Learn or Experience During my Mentorship

1. Learn about application of AI tools in different sectors such as Education, Medicine, Agriculture.
2. Learn about responsible use of Generative AI and AI Policies.
3. Learn about Digital Ecosystem mapping.

Mentorship Characteristic

• Attend company-wide meetings and/or team meetings
• Participate in a skills-building course, either provided by my mentor’s company or identify a free resource online
• Focus on leadership skills building
• Focus on technical skills building
• Exposes me to new tools and platforms

Ideal Company Type

My ideal company would be an ICT company that focuses on innovation and emerging technology trends, encouraging research and bringing diverse people together to create and manage innovations and responsible use of emerging technologies (such as AI). It would have a number of policies to learn from, such as clear data protection policies and policy adherence standards. It would have global success stories, impact in the digital space and synergies with universities (ensuring that students work towards innovations that solve industry problems).

What are three adjectives that best describe you in the work place?

1. Dependable
2. Organized
3. Confident

What impact will your mentorship have on your career and professional path?

I believe that the TechWomen mentorship will take me to greater heights. With the increasing rate of technical advancement, especially in AI, my professional goals include becoming a field expert and helping my country to craft a policy that informs AI decisions. Being exposed to leading companies in the U.S. tech industry will give me the necessary experience and better understandings of the digital ecosystem that I can utilize to improve my own country.

After participating in the TechWomen program, how will you leverage your mentorship experience to make an impact in your home country?

I have several goals upon returning home. I will start an ICT oriented club at HIT and other universities to encourage students in technical fields. I will assist in drafting of national AI policy. I will design a webpage gathering together Zimbabwean TechWomen Emerging Leaders and I will share my experiences at seminars and conferences. I will visit schools (especially in rural areas) to encourage students, especially girls, to take on Mathematics and Science subjects early and encourage their interests in these subjects rather than shunning them.

Work History

Years of Full-time Work Experience

14

Primary Professional Focus

• Scientist and researcher in technical science and/or engineering discipline
• Technical project and program manager
• Technical training and/or learning specialist


Education History