Heather Nemelka describes her journey into Utah's tech sector. Now she is helping mothers get involved with Tech through her mentoring and coaching organization, Elavare.
Ten years ago, my husband filed for divorce after nearly 25 years of marriage. Unexpectedly, I had to return to the workforce to provide for our five kids.
As I struggled to put together a resume, I realized my career gap spanned 18 years! Even though I had a degree in advertising, I felt out of touch with the digital world, and terms like Google AdWords were foreign to me.
A neighborhood friend suggested I create a LinkedIn profile, but I felt too intimidated by the professional photos and polished profiles I saw online.
Convinced no one would hire me, I went ahead and applied to every open administrative assistant role I could find. But I didn’t receive a single response.
Feeling completely discouraged, I turned to my younger brother for advice. He recommended conducting informational interviews with his friends who had founded KT TAPE. He assured me that I would learn a lot, get good practice, and might even receive recommendations to other businesses in the Valley.
A few days after meeting with them, I was pleasantly surprised to learn they wanted to hire me as their marketing coordinator—even though I had no direct experience in marketing. Grateful and relieved, I started my new job two weeks later.
My role at KT TAPE opened up more opportunities than I could have imagined. I had planned to stay there long-term, but as the founders eventually left, my responsibilities were gradually reduced.
At that point, I decided to pivot to tech. I had been reading a lot about tech companies wanting to hire more women, so I assumed this would be easy.
I was wrong.
I applied to nearly every tech company within a 40-mile radius but didn’t get a single interview. It was discouraging, but I was determined to break into tech. However, to do so, I knew I needed to make myself look like I belonged.
So, I took a beginning coding class. I became a regular attendee at local tech conferences like Silicon Slopes Summit and Qualtrics X4. I networked with people in the industry and offered to write an article for Silicon Slopes Magazine, interviewing tech startup founders about company culture. I also familiarized myself with tech lingo like SaaS, DevOps, full stack, and cloud computing.
Eventually, my efforts paid off. I was hired by Domo, and later by Amazon Web Services (AWS). In less than six years, I went from being a stay-at-home-mom (SAHM) to working for one of the most respected tech companies in the world.
Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” After navigating an unconventional career path for ten years, I decided last year to focus on giving back—and Elavare is the vehicle for that mission. We’re committed to empowering mothers to confidently return to the workforce, particularly in tech, where women in Utah currently represent just 15% of the workforce, compared to 22.5% nationally.
Through tailored support, resources, and returnship programs, we aim to change that.
To help as many women as possible, Elavare is hosting an event on October 26, 2024—both in-person and online—at Utah Valley University (UVU). Save the date!
Mothers will learn how to create a resume, build a LinkedIn profile, interview effectively, and navigate the job market. This event is designed to equip mothers with the tools and confidence needed to re-enter the workforce, especially in tech roles, where they can help close the gender gap.
Students can also attend for free by bringing a paying mother, offering a unique opportunity for students to encourage their mothers to re-launch their careers. Additionally, students can benefit from the event by learning the same essential skills that will prepare them for entering the workforce after graduation.
Local companies can support mothers by sponsoring the event or partnering with Elavare to launch returnship programs, modeled after Goldman Sachs’ 2008 initiative. These short-term, paid internships help women transition back into the workforce, providing the skills and experience needed to succeed and lead.
Empowering mothers to re-enter the workforce increases household income, reduces dependency on social services, and contributes more effectively to the economy, creating a positive ripple effect in the community.
I encourage you to invite the mothers in your life to visit our website to learn more. Proceeds from the event will fund scholarships for single mothers to return to school, empowering them to build a better future and contribute to the growth and diversity of the tech industry.
