Women at Code Camp Discuss How to Fix the Problem of the Male-Dominated Tech Field

Why are programs like Code Camp so important to fixing the tech field’s problem with being overwhelmingly male-dominated? While Code Camp helps strengthen the community of women in tech, attendees think that something needs to be done about the gender divide at an earlier age.

Square, with CEO and Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, runs Code Camps to create an environment to foster tech learning for college and high school girls. A lot of tech companies have released diversity reports lately which revealed a lack of women—especially in tech jobs and leadership positions, which Dorsey describes as a “leadership crisis.”

Here’s what Square says about High School Code Camp:

At Square, we’ve built a culture that encourages collaboration, diversity, and entrepreneurship. In 2011 only 19% of AP Computer Science test-takers were female, and we knew we had to do something to close the gender gap. That “something” became High School Code Camp, an eight-month program designed to teach high school girls computer science and prepare them for the AP Computer Science exam.

As Square CFO Sarah Friar admits, the problem won’t be fixed overnight, but programs like Code Camp are absolutely a good start.

(via Yahoo News)

Previously in women in STEM

• Google’s “Made With Code” wants to help get girls interested in tech
• Facebook’s diversity numbers are pretty bad, too
• A young girl battled Internet trolls with a simple scientific solution

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