Learn how our own Sally ElGhoul was inspired to create a teen training program – new students welcome!
By Sally ElGhoul
One of the people I follow on LinkedIn is Heather Black, CEO of Supermums. During one of my kid’s March breaks, she posted on LinkedIn about keeping kids busy so that parents can work while they are home. I noticed a comment from a woman about her teen learning Salesforce and reached out to express admiration. Later, I connected directly with her son, Seth, on LinkedIn, where we discovered a shared interest in giving back. That sparked our collaboration to start a Salesforce education program for teens.
In September, Seth Minton, and I co-founded TrailblazingTeens to create a platform for teenagers eager to learn Salesforce. We recognized the need to bridge the gap between the younger generation and the Salesforce platform, and we set out to offer free resources, guidance, and live sessions to empower them on their journey.
Since our humble beginnings in September, we’ve had the privilege of welcoming ten enthusiastic teenagers to the TrailblazingTeens community. It’s heartwarming to see their commitment as they eagerly attend each session we offer, demonstrating their genuine interest in learning Salesforce. These teenagers have not only shown up consistently but have also started earning badges and actively engaging with Trailhead, Salesforce’s learning platform.
Their presence at our sessions is not just about the numbers; it’s about the smiles on their faces and the spark in their eyes. They come with a thirst for knowledge, filled with questions and a palpable eagerness to expand their horizons.
As we continue to evolve, we’re becoming more organized, meticulously planning our session topics and creating comprehensive slides. Our young members are responding positively to this structure, demonstrating an even greater level of enthusiasm and engagement. While we may be small in numbers, the impact we’ve made on these teenagers’ lives is immeasurable, and it fuels our passion to continue nurturing the next generation of Salesforce Trailblazers.
Our initiative is inspiring teenagers to pursue their dreams in the tech world, proving that age is no barrier to learning and making a difference. We’ve created a supportive community where young minds can share their experiences, challenges, and triumphs, ultimately contributing to the growth of the Salesforce ecosystem as a whole.
One of the key challenges we’ve encountered is how to make learning Salesforce both accessible and engaging for teenagers. We recognized that the traditional approach, which often assumes a certain level of prior knowledge and dives straight into business concepts, might not be suitable for our young audience. To address this, we’ve been successful in tailoring our approach by using relatable examples from their own world before delving into the complexities of the business realm.
Teens, as we all know, lead busy lives, balancing their studies and other commitments. We understood that expecting them to dedicate extensive time to Salesforce learning on top of their existing responsibilities could be discouraging. To overcome this, we established a weekly live session format. This allows us to introduce a new concept, explore a Trailhead module, and discuss it in an approachable and digestible manner. Importantly, we’ve refrained from assigning homework, recognizing that it’s more beneficial for them to steadily absorb new knowledge each week rather than feeling overwhelmed and potentially giving up.
Moreover, we’ve observed that teenagers can quickly lose interest in traditional presentation styles. To combat this, we’ve embraced interactive techniques. We actively involve them in the learning process by posing questions, encouraging them to provide answers, and even adopting a hands-on keyboard approach where they can follow along and actively participate. These adaptations have made our sessions more dynamic and enjoyable, helping us keep our young participants engaged and motivated.
While we’ve faced challenges, our commitment to continuously improve our approach has brought us closer to our goal of providing effective, accessible, and enjoyable Salesforce learning experiences for teenagers. We’re making steady progress, and we’re excited about the future of TrailblazingTeens!
Our goal for TrailblazingTeens is to continue expanding our reach and impact, reaching even more teenagers worldwide. We aim to collaborate with more Salesforce professionals and organizations to offer additional resources and opportunities for our young members. Ultimately, we hope to see TrailblazingTeens alumni thriving in Salesforce careers and contributing to the tech industry in meaningful ways.
About Sally:
Sally is a Salesforce Lead Developer at CodeScience. With a decade of experience in the Salesforce ecosystem, combined with a background in C# development and a master’s degree in computer science, she’s contributed positively to our company’s growth and to the Salesforce community at large. Her passion for coding and teaching extends beyond her professional life. She’s the co-founder of TrailblazingTeens, a non-profit initiative aimed at empowering teenagers to learn Salesforce and fostering a sense of community among young Salesforce enthusiasts.
