Felista Gor looks at the top companies spearheading equality and progress for women in the technology industry
Even after multiple waves of feminism have bashed against the ancient wall of orthodoxy, women continue to be a minority in the technology community. But the tide seems to be turning with organizations coming out to promote equality and excellence in STEM by developing programs that focus on technology creation and nurturing.
Top organizations globally have produced ways to show girls and women that careers in STEM are right for them. Some are aiming at fostering interest in science among young girls, others to make the work climate more favorable for women, and still others to build strong networks that women can rely on. They are giving women a voice and exposing them to opportunities that help them leverage skills to create outcomes that positively impact the world.
In this post, we will highlight eight organizations that have made outstanding contributions to empowering women in STEM.
1. Anita Borg Institute
The Anita Borg Institute was founded by Anita Borg in 1987 and is currently the leading organization for women in technology. The organization is focused on creating and sustaining innovative programs and events for women to connect and develop their skills in STEM. It gives women an opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments, interact with leaders in the tech industry, and collaborate to increase diversity in STEM. Their events give women an opportunity to discuss issues that they face in the workplace, share resources, and improve on their technical skills.
2. Girls Who Code
With over 8,500 programs, this organization aims to provide computer science education and exposure to millions of young women. Girls in 3rd to 6th grade are exposed to coding in fun and interactive programs; high school students between 13 and 17 are taught how to code and are also exposed to tech jobs; and college students are enrolled in alumni programs where they build communities with other women in tech to advance their career. The organization is mostly focused on empowering girls from underrepresented groups to pursue STEM and closing the gender gap in tech by redefining the true meaning of being a programmer.
3. Women Who Code
Women Who Code is a nonprofit organization founded in 2011 that supplies services to women pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics careers. They offer coding resources like tutorials, articles, and educational materials related to STEM careers.
They also expose women to leadership opportunities that expand their skills and careers, as well as prepare events that give recognition to women with outstanding performance in their STEM roles. They are at the forefront of assisting women who are code professionals to acquire jobs from top companies globally.
4. Black Girls Code
The founder of Black Girls Code, Kimberly Bryant, felt culturally isolated in her pursuit of electrical engineering and computer programming courses in college, which prompted her to create an organization that empowers women of color to pursue careers in STEM fields without intimidation. Therefore, the mission of Black Girls Code is to increase the number of women of color in the digital technology space. The organization aims to instruct young girls of color, aged 7 to 17, about computer programming and to empower them to take the lead, innovate, and create in science, tech, engineering, and math.
5. Girl Develop It
Girl Develop It aims to provide support and opportunities for women and non-binary adults to learn web and software development courses. They have hands-on programs with affordable rates to support a diverse network of women in STEM.
6. Ada Developers Academy
Ada Developers Academy supplies a cost-free coding school program for women and gender expansive adults and serves Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, LGBTQIA+, Latinos, Blacks, indigenous Americans, and low-income people. The program provides an individualized learning program for six months in class through collaboration with mentors, tutors, and mental health support. Participants also engage in a five-month paid internship where they gain hands-on experience in top companies and technical skills for becoming a software developer.
7. MotherCoders
MotherCoders is a non-profit organization that uses a nine-week technology training program to diversify tech with moms. It creates economic opportunities for women with college degrees who are mothers and are ready to get back into the workforce after time off. MotherCoders has tutors and mentors who train and provide guidance to women on the right tech path to pursue and the in-demand skills on the market.
8. National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT)
The National Center for Women and Information Technology was founded in 2004 by the National Science Foundation. It is among the first organizations to spearhead women’s participation in computing fields. It consists of community leaders who are focused on advancing innovation by overcoming gender disparity in science, tech, engineering, and mathematics. They offer programs for female kids, teens, and young girls, as well as women professionals, to learn and equip them with skills in STEM.
Final Thoughts
It is safe to say that women are now in a better position to redefine the tech industry through the efforts and opportunities that have been made available to them by the organizations above. The future is optimistic, and more women are going to shape the future of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
