SHEIN | CodePath Case Study
How SHEIN Advances Opportunity and Economic Mobility with CodePath
INDUSTRY: Retail/E-Commerce
SIZE: 10,000+
CODEPATH PROGRAMS UTILIZED:
- Emerging Engineers Summit (EES)
- Technical Interview Preparation (TIP)
- Custom Virtual Sessions
What happens when the world's most downloaded shopping app meets the nation's biggest community of Gen Z talent? Transformative impact.
SHEIN’s investment in CodePath’s “Pathway to Tech” initiative brought high-visibility brand engagement and hands-on career mentorship to over 6,000 Gen Z students. Through Technical Interview Prep (TIP) and custom career education, the initiative increased career interest in SHEIN by 35%, supported a cohort that was 74% Black, Latino/a, or Indigenous, and led to direct hiring wins—proving that investing in the next generation isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do.Impact Highlights
Internship placement rate among TIP 102 completers (+20% over baseline)
Sponsored TIP students identify as women or nonbinary
Sponsored students hired into tech roles (as of May ‘25)
Internship placement rate among TIP 102 completers (+20% over baseline)
Sponsored TIP students identify as women or nonbinary
Sponsored students hired into tech roles (as of May ‘25)
The Opportunity
At the heart of SHEIN is its people — and the communities it serves
As one of the world’s fastest-growing fashion brands and the #1 international shopping app among Gen Z in the U.S., SHEIN is deeply committed to giving back to the next generation of creators and innovators , many of whom represent its most loyal customer base.
Yet today, systemic barriers such as a lack of technical training, limited professional networks, and financial insecurity disproportionately hinder underserved, emerging talent from entering high-paying, technical careers. SHEIN believes access to economic mobility should be universal — not gated by privilege.
"When I started my career in tech, I always tried to lean into the biggest learning opportunities—and I’d encourage any rising engineer to do the same. At SHEIN, we know that great ideas can come from anywhere. That’s why we’re committed to supporting the next generation of diverse tech leaders. A big part of our success is our relentless focus on the customer—solving real problems, delivering seamless experiences, and staying agile. That mindset is what drives innovation here, and it’s what we hope to pass on to the next wave of engineers.”
- Daniel Chiao, Head of US Commerce Engineering (U.S.) at SHEIN
The Solution
Pathway to Tech: SHEIN’s Bold Investment in Gen Z Innovators Through Tech Education
Aligned with its Equitable Empowerment mission, SHEIN partnered with CodePath to co-create the Pathway to Tech program: a scalable, evidence-based program that drives career equity and economic advancement for first-gen, low-income, and Black, Latino/a, Indigenous (BLI) students.
“As a global, tech-enabled company, we see engineering as a launchpad for opportunity. With CodePath, we’re helping prepare the first AI-native generation of software engineers. And that takes more than just technical coursework—it requires community, mentorship, and real-world experience to help students shape their own success stories. By supporting emerging talent and expanding access for underrepresented individuals, we’re equipping them to be career-ready and confident in navigating today’s fast-moving tech landscape."
- Chu Cheng Hsieh, Chief Technology Officer (U.S.) at SHEIN
Built on CodePath’s expertise in technical interview preparation and its national network of 30,000+ CS students, the program comprises three core components:
Talent Connection: Engaged CodePath’s national community of Gen Z technologists at the Emerging Engineers Summit (EES), introducing SHEIN’s brand and early-career opportunities.
CodePath students and alumni reached through EES
Live attendees indicated interest in SHEIN’s early career opportunities
Direct intern hire from event participation
CodePath students and alumni reached through EES
Live attendees indicated interest in SHEIN’s early career opportunities
Direct intern hire from event participation
Technical Training: Sponsored a California-based Intermediate Technical Interview Prep (TIP 102) cohort to boost technical interview success and job readiness for underserved students.
Sponsored students identify as Black, Latino/a, or Indigeneous
Sponsored students identify as women/non-binary
Sponsored students have secured internships or full-time technical roles as of May ‘25
Sponsored students identify as Black, Latino/a, or Indigeneous
Sponsored students identify as women/non-binary
Sponsored students have secured internships or full-time technical roles as of May ‘25
Career Education: Hosted custom, intimate Ask-Me-Anything (AMA) sessions with SHEIN engineering and talent leaders, delivering mentorship and actionable career guidance.
California CodePath students reached through AMA promotions
Avg NPS across all AMA sessions
lift in interest in SHEIN’s career opportunities post EES and AMAs
California CodePath students reached through AMA promotions
Avg NPS across all AMA sessions
lift in interest in SHEIN’s career opportunities post EES and AMAs
The program’s results — from career outcomes and brand affinity gains to direct hiring impact — demonstrate how forward-looking CSR investments can simultaneously drive social impact and business value.
Collaborating with AI- and tech-forward partners like CodePath is critical to this work. With a deep regional footprint, a proven technical training model, and an ambitious vision to scale to 100,000 CS students by 2030, CodePath is helping transform the industry’s future — proving that talent is everywhere, so opportunity should be too.
Solving this challenge at scale also requires bold, people-first partners like SHEIN — brands that believe in the potential of emerging talent of all backgrounds and are committed to advancing systemic change, economic mobility, and a more inclusive innovation ecosystem.
Looking ahead, SHEIN remains committed to advancing equity, opportunity, and community impact — especially for the next generation of talent. As the industry evolves, SHEIN will continue exploring meaningful ways to support emerging innovators and help build a more inclusive, future-ready workforce.
HEAR FROM OUR PARTNERS
Florence Roy
Director, Corporate Social Responsibility (U.S.) at SHEIN
“We are grateful to partner with CodePath to invest in scalable, evidence-based programs that empower first-generation, low-income, and BLI students to build their careers in tech…By championing initiatives that advance career equity, we’re helping shape a more inclusive, future-ready tech industry that truly reflects the diverse communities we serve.”