Girls Who Code increasing women tech workforce in US

Although women make up more than 50 percent of college graduates and over 40 percent of family breadwinners in the United States, their participation in the technological workforce has continued sliding in the last two decades.

A recent research by global management consulting and professional services firm Accenture found that the rate women’s participation in tech industry jobs in the next 10 years in the United States will drop down from present 25 percent to about 22 percent. In 1995, women made about 40 percent of the computing workforce in the U.S.

To increase the number of women in computer science, American lawyer, writer and politician Reshma Saujani is working hard through her non-profit organization ‘Girls Who Code’.

“The US has definitely led the charge in terms of technological growth in the last couple of decades, but they’ve also left women out of the labs and the classrooms,” Reshma Saujani told Daily Finland.

A graduate of the University of Illinois, Harvard’s School of Government and Yale Law College, Reshma Saujani has authored a number of books including ‘Girls who code’, ‘Women who don’t wait in line’ and ‘Brave Not Perfect’.

Her book ‘Girls Who Code’ was so successful that it encouraged her to start the non-profit organization by that name in 2012.

“Girls Who Code is at present active in all 50 states in the U.S., as well as in Canada. The organization runs Summer Immersion Programs across the country from Bentonville, Arkansas to Seattle, Washington to Silicon Valley,” said Saujani.

Girls Who Code curriculum focuses on teaching girls not just how to code, but how to be brave, to find confidence, and to share in a sisterhood. Their after school Clubs operate in community centers and schools across the country.

“We see the effects playing out everywhere with our alumni - they’re going on to major in computer science and related disciplines at a rate of 15 times the national average, and they’re always there to support each other when classes get difficult or when they’re looking for jobs, “ Saujani informed.

Girls Who Code is actively expanding to countries outside of the United States. They have launched their operation in Canada and will be opening up free Girls Who Code Clubs elsewhere in the coming year.

‘We’re really excited that since 2012, we’ve reached over 90,000 girls with our free Girls Who Code programs. We have about 13,000 alumni old enough to be in university, and we’re excited to see where their journeys will take them,’ Saujani said expressing her optimism in future successes.

This year the organization launched an exciting new program called College Loops for girls. It is focused on providing the young women with a sisterhood and community, as well as resources and support to help them persist in the field of computer science and STEM.

Elaborating on empowering of women, Reshma Saujani said this year the U.S. did see an amazing surge of women running for public office. “And I’m excited to see that trend continue.”

In 2010, Saujani has herself ran for US Congress demonstrating courage and boldness which have been passed on to so many girls and among them is the New York’s young congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez.

Asked why she herself was not running again for Congress or Senate, Saujani said, “Right now, I’m focused on where I can be the most impactful - and that’s in leading Girls Who Code. We’re making a huge difference every day reaching girls across the country, and now across the world, with computer science and messages of sisterhood and bravery.”