Google Wants Chicks

38% of Yahoo's employees are women

~30% of Google's employees are women   

Source AP 

There is a pervasive gender imbalance in the tech industry. When I was studying to be an engineer, guys outnumbered girls at least 3 to 1 in all my classes. Decades later, women are still lagging behind men in pursuing science and engineering (http://www.usnews.com/news/stem-solutions/articles/2014/05/05/getting-girls-to-study-stem-its-about-more-than-just-making-science-cool).

Less than 1% of girls consider comp. sci. 

The number of females studying computer science has actually dropped since the 1980s. We need to encourage middle school age girls and high school girls to become more involved in computer science. Google is leading the charge with a new campaign, Made With Code. On their Web site they feature young women girls can identify with talking about their career using code.

Show female role models in tech.

Girls and young women want to make a difference in their world. They choose career pursuits that help people. I think if we can help girls see how computer science affects people and makes the world a better place they will consider becoming coders. 

Connect technology to a personal outcome.

Encourage a teenage girl you know to check out "Made With Code".

I'll be showing it to my CyberChicks when school is back in session.

Free Tutorials Online

Do you know the difference between the microphone jack and the line in jack on a sound card? Want to learn some of the basics behind networks?

This great Web site, Kidz Online Tech Training, offers short video tutorials on basic technology topics: digital audio, digital video, digital imaging, networking and more. They even have a special gURL Tech feature to promote females in technology.

This is a great resource for the person wanting to expand their technology background knowledge.

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