Women in Coding – ladies, it’s time we make this a thing. Because, like Linda Liukas says in her Ted Talk, “The Poetry of Programming,” “little girls don’t know that they are not supposed to like computers.”
Yet, for some reason, the numbers of women in the world of programming and coding are drastically low compared to men.
And that is even more astounding because the first person to give computer instructions was a woman? Her name was Ada Lovelace!
But today, as you can read in this great article on Commerce Tools Tech Blog, less than 5% of girls consider pursuing a career in engineering and computing. Why?
Surely it doesn’t come down to differences in ability because women are equally as good in the field as men.
What it comes down to is confidence. Many women lack the confidence in their abilities to perform mathematics, which is essential for coding.
Without this confidence, women don’t pursue careers in this field, even within their realm of interest.
Why is it important to code?
Before we understand why coding is so important, why don’t we first define what it is? Simply put, coding is how we communicate with our computers.
It’s the language that computers understand and the language through which we create things like software, apps, websites, and video games.
Why is it important? Well, take a look around you. Writing a text message. Watching a movie on Netflix. Ordering an Uber. Using your credit card.
None of these things would be possible without coding. It’s all around us. And as we continue to evolve in the world of technology, we will use computers even more. Computers are essential, and we’re going to need more coders in the world.
Women coding – Why are girls as good at coding as boys?
Did you know that code that women write has a higher approval rating than the code that men write? Unfortunately, this is only true if their gender is concealed.
But why shouldn’t girls be equally as good at coding as men? After all, let’s take a look at the qualities needed to be a good coder:
- Good at solving puzzles
- Well rounded
- Good communications
- Open to learning
- Confident
- Business-minded
- Works well on a team
- Works well with deadlines
- Positive attitude
- Good time management
- Technical experience
- Mathematical interest
Many men possess all of these traits and many don’t. But many women possess all of these traits – and many women who would be excellent at coding – they just haven’t realized their true capabilities yet!
How does coding make girls brave?
What does bravery mean? Truly, bravery is subjective. It means something different to different people. But part of being brave is resilience.
Pushing through boundaries and moving forward despite all obstacles that are placed in your way. Part of being brave is about being ambitious.
Push towards your goals and dreams, show everyone that you can do it, and never give up on yourself. Part of being brave is going after the things you love and not taking no for an answer.
And certainly, coding helps women do all of these things. You can find a Ted Talk from Reshma Saujani about teaching girls to be brave: International Women’s Day and why you should celebrate it.
Why are women coding important for the future (and future job opportunities)?
Highly skilled coders are strongly in demand, and the need for them is only going to continue to rise in the future.
In the present moment, there are more coding careers available than there are coding graduates. Why? Because coding is everywhere in the modern world.
All of the apps on your phone, every website you visit or computer program you use, and your kitchen appliances, probably even your toothbrush, require coding.
Even many careers in banking and medicine will soon require a basic understanding of computer programming and coding to succeed.
So if you have an interest in coding, don’t worry – you will never go jobless. IT workers, artists, and designers, scientists, engineers, data analysts, computer programmers – the job opportunities are endless, and the salaries are rewarding.
Actually, it is one of the few jobs where the pay gap between men and women is not that high. When you get the chance, watch this movie Hidden Figures, a beautiful and inspiring (true) story about women who excel in mathematics, early computer science, and engineering.
For more information on women coding, check out this website GirlsWhoCode.com.
The website is dedicated to changing the gender gap in technology and helping young women develop their interests and see their potential in the world of coding.
We should teach our girls to be brave, to code, and to change their future. The same holds for women, you are never too old to learn something new.
Read more:
International Women’s Day and why you should celebrate it.
How to Boost Your Self-Confidence with the right mindset!
