The PRWIRE Press Releaseshttps://2015-07-22T00:14:36Z'Code Like A Girl' Launches2015-07-22T00:14:36Zcode-like-a-girl-launches
Founded by Ally Watson, female
developer ataward-winning digital
agency Deepend, Code Like A Girl is an
online inspiration network and blog for female coders and women in the wider
tech industry. As part of the ongoing programme of activity,
Code Like A Girl will host monthly
events and meet-ups, bringing their members together to celebrate and
discuss their passions and expertise.
The inspiration behind setting up the Australian arm of
this global initiative, has been Watson’s own experiences in the male-dominated
industry over the last five years. There
is an ongoing diversity problem within the technology and development sector,
driving two key trends; not enough women are getting into development and when
they do, there is a limited long term career path. In 1991 women held 37% of
all computing jobs, today they hold just 26%.
56% of women in tech leave at the mid-level point of their career, compared
to 17% of men, when the loss of their skills is most costly to companies[1].
With numerous initiatives taking place around the globe to
encourage women to enter tech, Watson wanted to create a network closer to
home; within the creative hub Melbourne where she lives and works.
Expanding on tech’s gender divide, founder Ally Watson
said: “Unconscious bias means that from a young age girls are not exposed to
problem solving and electronic based games in the way boys are. This disparity has led to a greater number of
boys being interested in technology and pursuing the sector as a valid
education and career path. My core focus for Code Like A Girl is to help likeminded
women in the sector grow and support one another, in what can sometimes be a
daunting industry for females.“
Coding is one of the most important skills of the 21st century
and there is a significant talent drought, the industry needs more computer
scientists. Research indicates that the
sector is heading towards a skills crisis; by the year 2020 there will be
1million more jobs than there are people with the skills to fill those jobs.[2]
Deepend, Australia’s largest independent digital agency is
the primary sponsor and a key driving force behind Code Like A Girl. Kath Blackham, Managing Director of Deepend
and board member of SoDA has offered her full support to the initiative as a
mentor. With a career that has spanned
over 15 years at the forefront of the digital industry, Blackham has provided a
wealth of knowledge and guidance.
She comments, “As a team made up of digital innovators and
technology leaders, the broader Deepend Group and I, are proud to support such
an inspirational network. Code Like A Girl provides a central hub to connect
and meet with others to network and discuss current trends and issues within the
digital industry. Women are hugely
under-utilised when it comes to the sector and have so much to offer. We need
to turn the sliding trends of women in technology around and Code Like A Girl
is a fantastic way to tackle the problem.”
Deepend are leading the charge with their diversity numbers
with female developers working across both their Sydney and Melbourne offices,
almost 50% of the technical producer team women.
Code
Like A Girl’s official launch event will take place on August 6th
Event: Code Like A Girl launch
event
To RSVP: http://www.codelikeagirl.com.au/
Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm
Date: Thursday 6th
August 2015
Location: Deepend Melbourne, 1 Cubitt
Street, Cremorne, VIC 3121
Speakers:
Ally Watson Founder of Code Like A Girl, Jo Cranford, Development Team Lead at Culture
Amp, Shevaun
Coker Senior Developer from Envato, Giselle Rosman Director IGDA
Melbourne Chapter, and Johana
Foster Vice President for the RMIT Society for Women in
Information Technology
Sponsored by Deepend, GitHub,
Treehouse
Code
Like a Girl Links:
http://www.codelikeagirl.com.au/
https://www.facebook.com/codelikeagirlau
https://twitter.com/codelikeagirlau
Deepend is
proudly part of a four-agency collective, the
Deepend Group, an independent, digital communications and innovation
consultancy group. The Deepend
Group portfolio includes the leading specialist agencies Deepend (Digital), How To Impact (Innovation), Nomad (Mobile) and
History Will Be Kind (PR/Social Media).
[1] Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org/2014/10/hacking-techs-diversity-problem
[2]https://code.org/promote