Isaiah Persevered Math to Become a Data Scientist Ambassador at Zindi

Growing up in Barbados, Isaiah Carrington was like most curious teenagers. He was ambitious, full of dreams, and fascinated by tech. Unfortunately, he was held back by his fear of Mathematics. It didn’t help that he had no mentors to help him navigate his poor mathematical skills.

“I was terrified of the math. At 14, I wanted to get into data science, but seeing all those matrices with no one to explain them was intimidating. I had no mentor, no community to guide me,” he told Impact AI News.

But he didn’t let that hinder him forever. Today, Carrington is a Computer Science major at the University of the West Indies (UWI), a Zindi ambassador, and a Microsoft intern-in-waiting. And most importantly, he is also a mentor, determined to ensure that no tech-savvy young Barbadian has to navigate the tech world alone like he did.

The Self-Taught Coder Who Found His Tribe

Carrington’s journey into programming began in 2014, driven by a fascination with artificial intelligence. Without formal guidance, he taught himself how to code and even refounded UWI’s Computer Science Society, to finally have the community he never had as a teen.

Thanks to his community activities, he came in contact with Zindi, Africa’s largest AI competition platform. Since February this year, he has been working with Zindi to organise hackathons in Barbados, connecting Caribbean AI/tech talents, and proving that Barbados has a growing data science scene.

“Zindi is hosting the first hackathon this saturday May 10: with 40 people and there is a waiting list already ! Way beyond our expectations,”

He’s Focused on Using AI for Social Good

Beyond community building, Carrington has big dreams. His final-year project, for instance, is tackling a critical issue by helping to preserve and digitise Barbadian Sign Language (BSL), a dialect at risk of fading due to underuse.His work could revolutionise accessibility, bridging gaps for Barbados’ deaf community.

Carrington is set to graduate in December 2025. Until then, he has other big plans. First, there’s a summer internship at Microsoft, which could lead to a full-time role if he performs well. But he’s also eyeing entrepreneurship, a master’s in Cybersecurity, and of course, a determination to keep expanding his mentorship initiatives.

“If Microsoft doesn’t work out, I’ll focus on automation services for businesses and teaching data literacy. And I’ll definitely pursue a master’s in cybersecurity. AI’s rapid growth makes security more crucial than ever,” he said.

A Mission to Democratize Tech Education

Ultimately, Carrington’s goal is to keep breaking down barriers in tech education. He said, “I want to tackle inadequate access to education and information. No one should be scared of math or coding just because they lack guidance.”

Isaiah Carrington’s journey from a math-anxious teen to a data science champion and mentor shows that with resilience and the right community, such as the one provided by Zindi, anyone can help shape the future of tech and AI. One Hackathon at a time.

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