Self-eSTEM
FOLLOW US
Self-eSTEM
Published on December 17, 2025
As part of Self-eSTEM’s Innovator Sustainment Program, young adults are gaining real-world experience designed to help them not only enter STEM careers, but remain and thrive in them.
Zena Wu, a first-generation engineering student at UC Berkeley, served as a Program Assistant Extern supporting the Self-eSTEM x PG&E Career Exposure Day. Facilitated through Self-eSTEM’s partnership with Hack the Hood, this externship reflects a workforce strategy focused on early STEM professionals ages 18–25, providing hands-on experience, mentorship, and résumé-building responsibilities aligned to real industry expectations.
This short-term, high-impact externship translated academic learning into workforce-ready execution while directly supporting a high-stakes career exposure initiative.
From day one, Zena was embedded within Self-eSTEM’s Programs Team, contributing to both planning and execution.
Her role exposed her to the operational and strategic demands behind workforce development programming, from translating participant data into event strategy to supporting professional communication and impact documentation.
“I wanted to strengthen my project management, communication, and professional skills while contributing to work that empowers young people in STEM.”
— Zena Wu
This immersion reflects the Innovator Sustainment Program’s focus on retention, ensuring early STEM professionals gain confidence, clarity, and competence as part of their technical skills as they navigate their fields.
At the PG&E Oakland General Office, preparation became execution.
Zena supported on-site operations, documented the event for reporting and storytelling, and engaged with PG&E professionals during workforce-focused sessions, including LinkedIn and career navigation training.
“I was filming a key speaker one minute, and the next, I had to pivot and absorb their Labor Market Insights on data analytics. That dual-tasking is real-world professional pressure you can’t get from a textbook.” — Zena Wu
This experience mirrors the realities early-career professionals face and prepares them to operate effectively in fast-paced STEM environments.
The externship concluded with a structured reflective report, a core component of the Innovator Sustainment Program that helps participants translate experience into career-ready language.
“I didn’t just ‘attend a tour’; I ‘executed a two-day event strategy’… That’s a huge difference for an engineering student looking to stand out.”
Zena also participated in a personalized training to develop her “Superpower Pitch”, learning to articulate her technical skills (like designing the Formula Electric safety board) and soft skills (like Grit and Emotional Intelligence) as her unique value proposition tailored for different circumstances.
These steps reinforce Self-eSTEM’s commitment to helping early STEM professionals not only gain experience, but clearly articulate their value to future employers.
Through collaboration with Hack the Hood and PG&E, Self-eSTEM delivered a scalable workforce model that blends exposure, execution, mentorship, and reflection. One designed not just to introduce talent to STEM careers, but to support their long-term success within the field.
Experiences like this externship are made possible through Self-eSTEM’s Innovator Sustainment Program, which equips early STEM professionals with the tools, community, and training needed to thrive and remain in the industry.
Your support strengthens pathways that turn potential into preparedness and exposure into long-term opportunity.
Want to see the broader impact of this collaboration?
Read more about the Self-eSTEM x PG&E Career Exposure Day.