She is Digital, Junior Achievement Americas' training and employability program, is among the Top 10 finalists for the 2026 Global EdTech Prize in the Non-Profits category.
The Global EdTech Prize is now in its second year. It was founded by T4 Education in 2025, with support from Owl Ventures and Digital Promise. The prize is judged by educators and recognizes solutions that address the most pressing challenges in education.
From the Top 25 to the Top 10
In July, She is Digital was among the 25 organizations selected in the Non-Profits category. Today we’re taking the next step. In January, we’ll be presenting the program at the World Schools Summit in London.
What They Evaluated: A Comprehensive Model
Technical training alone isn't enough. That's why She is Digital, co-designed with IDB Lab, brings together three components that work in tandem.
- An 8-month technical training program in cybersecurity for women ages 18 to 29.
- Cisco CCST Cybersecurity International Certification.
- Employment Support: LinkedIn profile, resume, interview preparation, and connecting with partner companies.
In addition, we incorporate the development of social-emotional skills throughout the entire program—a cross-cutting and distinctive component for all women who participate in the program. This is not merely an add-on: the impact study by She is Digital identified self-efficacy—confidence in one’s own abilities—as the primary enabler of employability.
The results we're taking to London
Only 39% of tech job openings accept candidates without prior experience, compared to 59% in other sectors; and we know that it is primarily women who face the most structural barriers to entry when trying to break into the tech sector. The program aims to gradually close this gap.
That's the starting point. Here's what changes, according to our impact study:
- Formal employment among female graduates rose from 12% to 31%—an increase of 19 percentage points.
- Their average income increased by 33%.
- 62% of employed female graduates currently work in technology-related positions.
Regionally, more than 5,300 women have completed the program, and more than 2,500 have earned their certification. More than 1,700 are already employed, and more than 1,100 of them work in IT and digital roles. She is Digital has awarded 10,707 scholarships in seven Latin American countries. It is currently active in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Brazil.
How the winning organization is chosen
The Top 10 organizations present their work at the World Schools Summit. They do so before a panel of technology and education leaders, including investors and policymakers.
That panel selects three finalists per category. The three finalists present their projects to educators, who cast secret ballots. The winners will be announced live in London on January 17, 2027.
T4 Education's Perspective
Vikas Pota, founder of T4 Education and the Global EdTech Prize, explains the purpose of the award:
“The Global EdTech Prize seeks to highlight solutions capable of closing learning gaps, improving education, and preparing today’s young minds for the emerging challenges of tomorrow’s workforce. It also builds a bridge between technology and educators, so that technology can better serve education.”
"I look forward to welcoming She is Digital (She is Digital) to the World Schools Summit in January, where they will have the opportunity to present their innovation to leading experts and to those who matter most: the educators whose classrooms their tool can transform."
An achievement by an entire ecosystem
This initiative involves the teams from JA Mexico, JA Costa Rica, JA Brazil, JA Honduras, JA Guatemala, JA Dominican Republic, and JA El Salvador. It comes from our long-standing and current partner companies: Kyndryl Foundation, Cisco, Delta, Valvoline, UNESCO, and Amazon—which will join She is Digital starting in 2027 to amplify our impact in Mexico and Brazil. It comes from IDB Lab, which co-designed the program. And above all, it comes from every tutor, mentor, volunteer, and woman who decided to take the first step.
About She is Digital
She is Digital It is a technical training and employability program from Junior Achievement Americas, co-designed with IDB Lab. It trains women ages 18 to 29 in cybersecurity, offering the international Cisco CCST certification and active support in finding employment. It is currently active in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Brazil, and is making an impact in seven Latin American countries.
About the Global EdTech Prize
The Global EdTech Prize recognizes EdTech products, tools, and services in three categories: Majors, Start-Ups, and Non-Profits. It was founded by T4 Education in 2025, with support from Owl Ventures and Digital Promise. For more information, visit t4.education/global-edtech-prize.
Learn more about the program here: