Voices from the Field: Laboratoria
The Challenge
Many women in Latin America face obstacles to educational and professional opportunities. As a result, women are often underrepresented in the workforce. Studies show that in 2024, the female participation in the labor market was 52.1%, significantly lower than the male participation rate of 74.3%. In high paying sectors, like technology, women are even less represented. With the sector growing in Latin America, there’s a great opportunity for more women to gain employment in this area — and get on the pathway to economic mobility.
The Approach
Laboratoria, a nonprofit, helps women access quality jobs in the digital sector by offering immersive bootcamps and trainings. For nearly a decade, the Citi Foundation has supported Laboratoria as part of the Foundation’s Pathways to Progress initiative, aimed to equip young people with the skills and networks needed to succeed in today’s rapidly-changing economy. Over the years, the support from the Citi Foundation helped Laboratoria build internal capacity, evolve and expand their operational model and directly train and connect low-income young women to quality careers in technology in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Mexico.
Beyond the grant support from the Citi Foundation, Citi volunteers also supported Laboratoria participants by reviewing resumes, conducting mock interviews and providing mentorship for their journey to employment.
At the core of the Laboratoria model is the bootcamp — where participants acquire skills in areas like front-end development, UX-design or data analysis, and gain confidence for a successful transition to employment in the highly-competitive technology sector. Approximately 70% of Laboratoria’s applicants report being unemployed at the time they apply to the bootcamp. After graduation, graduates have a 77% job placement rate — opening doors to greater economic opportunity and expanding their sense of what is possible for their future.
Recently, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Laboratoria shifted its programming to a fully virtual format. In doing so, Laboratoria increased its operating capacity and was able to reach more participants across additional geographies. The Citi Foundation’s support was fundamental to this transition, enabling the organization to redesign and adapt its internal technology and data processes to improve the user experience for students, graduates and staff members. The virtual format, born out of necessity, remains the key way in which Laboratoria continues to position itself for long-term, multi-market impact across Latin America.
“At Laboratoria, we’ve made significant strides in using data to drive continuous improvement, leading to stronger results and a richer experience for our students and partner companies. Citi Foundation has played a crucial role in this progress, supporting the development of evaluation tools and empowering our team to make data-driven decisions. Through a trusting and flexible collaboration, Citi Foundation has challenged us to innovate further, while also being understanding when we face challenges along the way. Citi Foundation’s longstanding commitment to our mission has been key in driving Laboratoria’s ongoing success.”
“Participating as a mentor in Laboratoria's mentoring program has been a very rewarding experience. Knowing Gaby, my mentee, and learning about her personal and professional life challenges made me realize how we were similar in many ways. I was glad that my experiences and career learnings were valuable and applicable to her job search, and I was able to open my mentee's mind to her own strengths. I’m happy to be part of an organization that boosts the work of nonprofits making a difference in in Latin America.”
Fiorella Effio
“I was studying mathematics at a public university in Peru. I took some basic programming courses and enjoyed them. The decision to join Laboratoria came when I had my son Mateo, which completely changed my life.
I was 19 years old at the time, and left university to dedicate myself to him full-time. I felt that job opportunities were scarce, and I doubted my ability to seize them.
Since being accepted into Laboratoria, my life has changed radically. With the skills I learned, I was able to secure a programmer role at a software development company, where I have worked for three years. I finally have the opportunity to demonstrate my talent and support my family.”
Mercedes Tello
“Not so long ago, I was navigating the challenges of being a mother while working nights in Mexico.
Laboratoria was the turning point I needed. As I progressed through the bootcamp, I not only learned technical skills, but also discovered my inherent value as a person. Courses, readings and practice sessions helped me develop distinctive soft skills that set me apart. Graduating as a front-end developer was a milestone I never thought possible before.
Today, I proudly work as a developer. I believe that one can take control of their life and turn it around, regardless of obstacles. I am living proof that, with determination, doors can open.”
Learn more about how Citi Foundation has supported Laboratoria and other organizations through Pathways to Progress here.