Disability Inclusion at Microsoft: A Personal Journey – Swetha Machanavajhala

“To understand the customer’s point of view, we need to have a diverse population at Microsoft,” noted Swetha Machanavajhala, software engineer. “We need to have more women working, more people of different abilities working, so we create an awareness within Microsoft, first, and then we take our learning to the world.”

At Microsoft, Swetha uses data and machine learning to help finds ways to enable people who are hearing impaired so they can better understand and react to the world around them. This is a personal mission for Swetha, who was born with profound hearing loss. As an employee at Microsoft chasing her dream, Swetha advises prospective candidates interested in joining the company that they shouldn’t “have any fear, don’t presume anything.”

Check out the video below to learn more about Swetha’s journey.

Audio descriptive version here. 

In celebration of the US Business Leadership Network (USBLN) conference focused on inclusive hiring, we are spotlighting the great contributions that Microsoft’s employees with disabilities make to the company. You can learn more about our approach to accessibility on our website. If you are interested in employment opportunities at the company, here is more information on Inclusive Hiring at Microsoft.