Last month, Rakuten International partnered with Girls Inc. of New York City to launch the first-ever Summer Leadership Institute in Digital Marketing. The two-week program provided young women in college with skill-building activities, professionalism workshops, and opportunities for career pathway exploration and exposure, connecting them with industry professionals to give them a head start in a career in digital marketing.

During the program, students learned about the digital marketing industry's latest trends and knowledge, including how to use AI and how to tell brand stories. The experience culminated at our New York office where the girls presented on what they learned and had the opportunity to connect with industry professionals.

"This partnership enables us to prepare young people for workplace readiness," said Lily Chang, Chief Strategy Officer at Girls Inc. of New York City.

Together with Girls Inc., we share a mission to empower rising talent with the knowledge, skills, and connections they need to succeed in today's workforce. We're proud to expand our partnership with Girls Inc., and this inaugural cohort represents an  investment in building a diverse, confident, and capable talent pipeline for the fast-evolving digital marketing and advertising industry.