THE PROBLEM: At a time when the public and private sectors are struggling to create jobs, the technology sector is struggling to fill innumerable open positions.
Jobs in computing fields are among the highest paying, fastest growing, and most powerful positions spanning all sectors — and our workforce is not equipped to fill them. Today’s education system lacks the resources to offer a quality, scalable solution to prepare youth with the skills required for the jobs of the 21st century.
And while youth are struggling to meet the demands of today’s job market, it is women that are almost exclusively left behind. Today, just 0.8% of women graduating from college receive a degree in computer science.
THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITIES, OUR BUSINESSES, AND OUR GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS RESTS UPON OUR ABILITY TO INTEGRATE WOMEN INTO THE COMPUTING WORKFORCE.
Girls Who Code launched in 2012 to close the gender gap in computing fields. In its first year of operation, Girls Who Code mobilized top executives, educators, and engineers to develop a new model for computer science education, leading the field in defining what works and delivering a successful, scalable solution for implementation nationwide. Now in its fourth year, Girls Who Code programs have demonstrated results, informed the field, and grown to encompass eight immersive programs spanning five cities and a low-cost, high-impact program designed for implementation in any setting.
By 2020, there will be 1.4 million jobs open in the computing related fields, but right now our girls are being left behind. Girls Who Code Clubs work to close the opportunity gap in technology by providing high-quality computer science education to girls in grades 9-12 nationwide.
