How the Speaker School works (and what graduates do next)

The problem this program exists to solve

Pereira has world-class engineering talent. We say this not as flattery but as a statement that anyone who has worked with senior engineers from the region knows is true. What Pereira does not have, in proportional measure, is public-speaking infrastructure for engineers.

The path from “I have something to share” to “I can stand up at a meetup and share it well” is not obvious. It is also not built into any computer-science program we know of. Most engineers we have invited to speak over the years have responded with some version of “I do not know if my topic is interesting enough,” “I do not know how to structure a talk,” or “I am terrified of public speaking and have never done it.”

The Speaker School exists to convert each of those responses into “let’s do it.”

What we coach

The program is structured around four modules. Each module is taught over the course of a few biweekly sessions. By the end of a cohort, each participant has given several 5-minute practice presentations and one full-length practice talk.

Module 1: Body language and stage presence

How the body communicates before you open your mouth. Posture. Eye contact. Gesture. Spatial management. What changes when you are speaking to a camera instead of a room. How to handle nerves physically rather than mentally.

This module is first because everything else compounds on top of it. A speaker with strong material and weak body language can still fail. A speaker with average material and strong body language usually wins the room.

Module 2: Narrative arc and verbal craft

How to structure a talk so it has a beginning that earns attention, a middle that pays off the attention, and an end that leaves a takeaway. How to use anecdotes to ground technical ideas. Rhythm, pauses, transitions. How to compress 45 minutes of expertise into 25 minutes of talk.

This is the hardest module. Most engineers default to a flat sequence of points rather than a story arc. Re-learning this takes practice.

Module 3: Q&A handling

What to do when you do not know the answer. How to redirect a hostile question without seeming defensive. How to spot the question behind the question. How to use Q&A as an opportunity to reinforce the main message rather than as a threat that derails it.

We rehearse Q&A explicitly. Participants ask each other intentionally hard questions and the speaker has to handle them in real time.

Module 4: Slides and AV preparation

Slides that do not compete with the speaker. Live demos that do not fail. Plan B for when the projector fails or the internet drops. How to actually rehearse a talk (not “review the deck” — actually deliver it out loud, standing up, multiple times).

This module is last because it is technical scaffolding that supports modules 1–3.

The mentor model

Each cohort has 4 to 6 participants and 2 to 3 mentors. Mentors are not just past speakers — they are speakers who have given enough talks to recognize patterns and who have committed to being present, kind, and direct.

Mentor feedback follows a simple structure: one specific thing that worked, one specific thing to change, one piece of forward guidance. No “great talk!” with no signal. No demolition. Useful, calibrated, weekly.

Past mentors include Sergio Estrella, Eliana Osorio, Mayra Velásquez, and rotating senior speakers from the community.

What graduates do next

The most-asked question about the Speaker School is “what happens after?” Here is what we have seen:

Most graduates give their first PTT meetup talk within 6 months of finishing the program. This is the explicit goal of the program, and the cohort is structured around it.
A meaningful fraction goes on to speak at regional conferences in Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, and Mexico City. The skills transfer.
Some go on to keynote-level work at JSConf and other international conferences. A smaller but real outcome.
A few end up running their own meetup series or vertical inside PTT. Speakers who develop teaching instincts often become program leads.
All of them become better at internal communication in their day jobs. This is the underrated outcome. The skills compound at work even for people who never speak at another meetup.

We do not promise career advancement. We do promise that you will leave the program able to stand up and deliver a 25-minute technical talk that holds a room.

How to apply

The application is intentionally simple. Write to hello@pereiratechtalks.org with the subject “Speaker School” and tell us:

The talk topic you are considering, even if rough.
Your level of public-speaking experience (zero is fine and common).
The next cohort you would like to join.

We will respond with cohort dates and onboarding details.

If you have ever thought “I should give a talk about that someday” — this is the someday. Come build the talk with people who have built theirs.

The full curriculum and FAQ: /en/verticals/speaker-school.